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Home Is Where the Cooperation Is: The Association Between Interview Location and Cooperation Among Cell-Phone Users
Christopher Ward
NORC at the University of Chicago
Becky Reimer
NORC at the University of Chicago
Meena Khare
National Center for Health Statistics, CDC
Carla Black
National Center for Immunization
Interviewing respondents on cell-phones poses challenges to survey researchers, given that cell-phone samples often have lower response rates than landline samples. Researchers who wish to maintain high response rates must often sacrifice cost, timeliness, or both. Using data from the National Immunization Survey, a national, dual-frame random-digit dial survey sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we examined whether respondents' level of cooperation varies by their telephone status and location at the time of the interview. Specifically, we used regression models to compare the cooperation rates for respondents who are contacted on landlines while at home, those who are contacted on cell-phones while at home ("cell-at-home"), and those who are contacted on cell-phones while away from home ("cell-away"). Results indicated that observed differences in cooperation between landline and cell-phone-while-away respondents are primarily due to cell-away respondents being less likely to respond. Given the differences in cooperation among cell-at-home, cell-away, and landline respondents, we discuss implications for data quality and limitations of the analysis.