COMPUTER ADMINISTRATION OF A SCHOOL-BASED ADOLESCENT HEALTH SURVEY

Objective: To examine the utility of notebook computers in the collect ion of data in large scale surveys. Methodology: A notebook computer a dministered survey of health in adolescents was conducted in 1992 usin g a multi-instrument questionnaire. Students in school years 7, 9 and 11 in private and government schools in Melbourne and rural Victoria p articipated. Results: Parental consent was obtained with an 83% respon se rate. Each student answered questions directly onto the computer ta king an average of 68 min to complete the highly branched confidential but not anonymous questionnaire. Students were presented with on aver age 33% of the 897 possible questions. Over 90% of students reported e njoying using the computer. Those who reported answering the questions honestly all the time ranged from 68 to 85%, increasing with grade le vel. Conclusions: The use of computers in survey research provides man y advantages in data collection including exposure only to relevant qu estions and the opportunity of asking sensitive questions.