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The impact of interviewer variability in an epidemiological survey

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

C. A. O'Muircheartaigh*
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and the Polytechnic of Central London
R. D. Wiggins
Affiliation:
London School of Economics and the Polytechnic of Central London
*
1Address for correspondence: C. A. O'Muircheartaigh, The London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE

Synopsis

One of the principal sources of error in data collected from structured interviews with respondents is the method of measurement or observation itself. In this paper the differential impact of each of a group of interviewers on the responses obtained in an epidemiological survey is examined. The effect is measured and its impact on the interpretation of individual responses, scale scores and model fitting is shown.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1981

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References

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