Interview Mode Research Articles

Global prevalence of non-partner sexual violence against women.

Sexual violence against women is a human rights violation and public health concern, with serious implications for women's physical and mental health. Reducing non-partner sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault and other forms of non-contact sexual abuse, is one of the main indicators of the sustainable development goals. World Health Organization estimates, based on available prevalence data from 137 countries between 2000 and 2018, showed that, globally, 6% of women aged 15-49years reported experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime from someone other than an intimate partner, with prevalence rates varying across regions. However, the reporting, measurement and documentation of the global extent of non-partner sexual violence against women is methodologically challenging, resulting in a gross underestimation of its magnitude and impact. To prevent and respond to this issue, policy-makers must consider interventions on education, access to relevant health-care services, public awareness, and effective and comprehensive legislation. To better estimate the prevalence of both sexual violence overall and non-partner sexual violence, it is essential to continue to strengthen the measurement of non-partner sexual violence, including the types of acts asked about and the mode of interviewing. Further research is needed to understand the cumulative impact of different forms of sexual violence on the lives of women and girls, including sexual violence during childhood and its associated risk with further exposure. Funding is required for more research and implementation of interventions to prevent and reduce all forms of violence against women and girls, including sexual violence.

Can you tell me more about that? An examination of self-disclosure in videoconference and face-to-face psychological interviewing.

Videoconference psychotherapy (VCP) is a crucial component of many health care systems, allowing for remote delivery of services. However, little is known about the mechanisms of change within VCP. Previous research has suggested that self-disclosure may be greater in VCP than face-to-face modalities and was investigated in the current study. Young adults aged 18-25 years (N = 57) were randomly allocated to face-to-face or VCP interview conditions, with measures completed pre- and post-interview. Participants completed an autobiographical memory task, requiring them to describe specific memories in response to positive and negative valence cue words. Measures included self-reported self-disclosure, blind observer-rated self-disclosure, memory specificity, and mean number of words per response. No significant differences were found between conditions with regard to self-reported self-disclosure, capacity to recall specific memories, or words uttered per response. However, observer-rated depth of self-disclosure was significantly higher for participants in the face-to-face than VCP condition. Self-disclosure and memory specificity were also significantly greater for negative than positive valence cue words, regardless of condition. The findings indicate that whilst participants may be able to draw on memories with equal ease regardless of interview modality, in VCP, emotional processing of these memories may require increased support and guidance from the therapist.

IJCM_220A: Proportion of self-medication among elderly in a tertiary hospital in southern Kerala - a cross sectional study

Background: The use of drugs, herbs, or home remedies on one’s own initiative, or on the advice of another person, without consulting a doctor. Over-the-counter availability of medicines, promotion of drugs, lack of proper awareness regarding the drug and its side effects, unheeded drug policies are all leading causes of antimicrobial resistance in today’s world. Objectives: To determine the proportion and determinants of self-medication among elderly individuals above 50 years of age visiting the district hospital in South Kerala Methodology: A hospital based cross sectional study was conducted in the inpatients above 50 years of age from the Medicine, Surgery, Pulmonology, Cardiology departments of the district hospital, Kollam. Minimum sample size was calculated to be 156 and convenience sampling was done. A semi-structured questionnaire was formulated, and data was collected in interview mode over the months of June-July 2022. Data was tabulated using MS-Excel and statistical analysis was done using SPSS software version 21. Descriptive statistics were expressed as frequencies and percentages. Chi square test was used to test any differences between proportions. Results: Among 156 participants more than half of the study participants (52.6%) with a history of self-medication described as more often (51.2%). 50% with history reported symptoms like gastritis, followed by diarrhoea, anxiety and sleep disturbances. The most commonly self-medicated drugs were Paracetamol (85.4%) followed by cetirizine (14.6%), cough syrups (12.2%) and antibiotics (9.7%) like Azithromycin and Amoxiclav Conclusion: Self-medication practices come with a lot of potential risks, like incorrect self-diagnosis, severe adverse reactions, delay in seeking medical care, incorrect choice of therapy and administration of drugs, drug interactions, masking of severe disease, dependence and abuse.

A longitudinal analysis of health inequalities from adolescence to young adulthood and their underlying causes

Research suggests that children of low-educated parents face greater health burdens during the passage from adolescence to young adulthood, as they are more likely to become low-educated themselves, establish behavioural and psychosocial disadvantages, or being exposed to unhealthy working conditions. However, studies examining the development and drivers of health inequalities during this particular life stage are limited in number and have produced varied results. This study investigates trajectories of self-rated health and overweight from 14 to 25 years of age, stratified by parental education, and explores the role of potential mediators (educational achievement, health behaviours, psychosocial factors, working conditions). We rely on prospective cohort data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), a representative sample of 14,981 German ninth graders interviewed yearly from 2011 to 2021 (n = 90,096 person-years). First, we estimated random-effects growth curves for self-rated health and overweight over participants’ age and calculated the average marginal effect of high versus low parental education. Second, a series of simulation-based mediation analyses were performed to test how much of health inequalities were explained by children’s educational attainment (years of school education, years in university), health behaviours (smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity), psychosocial factors (number of grade repetitions, years in unemployment, chronic stress, self-esteem) and working conditions (physical and psychosocial job demands). We accounted for potential confounding by controlling for age, sex, migration background, residential area, household composition, and interview mode. Results show that higher parental education was related to higher self-rated health and lower probabilities of being overweight. Interaction between parental education and age indicated that, after some equalisation in late adolescence, health inequalities increased in young adulthood. Furthermore, educational attainment, health behaviours, psychosocial factors, and early-career working conditions played a significant role in mediating health inequalities. Of the variables examined, the level of school education and years spent in university were particular strong mediating factors. School education accounted for around one-third of the inequalities in self-rated health and one-fifth of the differences in overweight among individuals. Results support the idea that the transition to adulthood is a sensitive period in life and that early socio-economic adversity increases the likelihood to accumulate health disadvantages in multiple dimensions. In Germany, a country with comparatively low educational mobility, intergenerational continuities in class location seem to play a key role in the explanation of health inequalities in youth.

Gettin’ sociolinguistic data remotely: comparing vernacularity during online remote versus in-person sociolinguistic interviews

Abstract The following paper examines the use of the stable sociolinguistic variable (-ing) across two different interview modalities: “classic” in-person sociolinguistic interviews and identical interviews conducted remotely over online video chat. The goal of this research was to test whether a change in modality results in style-shifting, as quantified by different rates of formal/standard [-ɪŋ] versus informal/non-standard [-ɪn]. Results show that when the internal linguistic constraints governing (-ing) variation are taken into account, there is not a significant difference between modalities, suggesting both modalities are equally formal (or informal). This suggests that remote online video chats are a viable method for collecting sociolinguistic data.

Digital Natives and Signalling in Employment Interviews: An Inquiry into the Acceptance and Perceived Fairness of Different Interview Modes

The paper investigates the signalling behaviour of digital native applicants in employment interviews and analyses how their reactions differ in face-to-face versus video-mediated contexts. The social presence within the interview setting and the possibility of employing impression management tactics are of particular interest to understanding the subjective acceptance and perceived fairness of the two types of selection procedures. The analyses of novel primary data from a German survey with 513 valid responses reveal that digital natives, similar to older applicants, appreciate signalling to lower information asymmetries. Regardless of interview mode, social presence and impression management are strong positive drivers of acceptance and perceived fairness. While members of the generational cohort still accept face-to-face interviews more than those mediated by videoconferencing technology, they perceive the former as less fair. This result, which may be explained by the specific characteristics of digital natives, contradicts the findings of studies that have investigated preceding generations. Hence, the paper complements the literature on applicant reactions by focusing on two younger generational cohorts, namely Generation Y and Z. Furthermore, the adoption of the signalling framework in this context suggests that the beneficial effects of signalling may stand vis-à-vis feelings of unfairness, which can be interpreted as additional psychological costs that are driven by moral considerations.

A Protocol for the Comparison of Telephone and In-Person Interview Modalities: Duration, Richness, and Costs in the Context of Exploring Determinants of Equitable Access to Community Health Services in Meru, Kenya

Our research team is conducting phenomenological interviews with people who have not been able to access health services in Meru County, Kenya, aiming to explore the barriers they face and their perceptions of how we could modify our community outreach services to improve accessibility. We plan to conduct an embedded study that compares in-person and telephone interview modalities in terms of the richness of the data and the resources required for each modality. This is a qualitative mode comparison study, embedded within a broader project to understand and address the issues that lead to inequitable access to local outreach clinics in Kenya. We will recruit at least 40 people who have been referred to local services but who have not been able to attend. We will conduct in-person interviews with half of these people, and telephone interviews with the other half. We will use random numbers to determine the modality that is used for each participant. All interviews will be conducted in the same month by a team of six research assistants who will use the same topic guide and analytic matrix for each interview. For all interviews conducted in each mode we will record and compare the mean duration; mean number of themes reported by each participant; total number of themes reported; interviewer rating of perceived richness; interviewer rating of perceived ease of building rapport; number of days taken by the team to complete all interviews; and all costs associated with conducting the interviews. The findings will help us to weigh up the relative strengths and weaknesses of each modality for our research context. Given that we are exploring a focused research question in a fairly homogenous population, we anticipate that there may not be a meaningful difference in the number of themes reported.

Challenges of Doing Gender Research as a Male Researcher in Pakistan: Reflections From Online and In-Person Fieldwork

In this reflection paper, which stems from my PhD project and explores the gender arrangements and subjective experiences of female breadwinning couples (FBCs) in Pakistan, I delve into the distinctive challenges faced by a male researcher conducting gender research in a patriarchal cultural context. Drawing from both in-person and online fieldwork experiences, which began during the pre-pandemic period and extended through the pandemic into the post-pandemic era, this article unveils the layered intricacies posed by entrenched gender norms, societal expectations and the dynamics of a male researcher probing gendered issue. These challenges were further intensified in online mediums of interviewing, presenting obstacles from participant hesitations surrounding online privacy to inconsistent Internet connectivity and continuous disruptions. This paper also underscores the fluidity and multifaceted nature of the researcher’s positionality, navigating interplays of gender, age, and cultural perceptions. My dual role, both an insider (by virtue of my cultural connection to the fieldwork area) and an outsider (owing to my affiliation with a Western academic institution), added layers of complexity to the fieldwork experiences. By juxtaposing in-person and online encounters, a rich tapestry unfolds, depicting both intersecting and unique challenges inherent to each mode of interviewing. Contributions of this reflection paper are multifold, which not only offers valuable insights for future researchers venturing into similar sociocultural contexts but also highlights the nuanced experiences of male-led gender research in predominantly patriarchal settings. The paper also contributes to the discourse on the fluidity of insider-outsider roles, reflexivity, and the methodological resilience and adaptability needed while conducting gender-focused fieldwork within specific cultural contexts.

The Safety and Effectiveness of Telemedicine for Cancer-Related Colostomy Care in the Early Stage of Discharge: A Prospective, Randomized, Single-Center Study.

There has been an exponential growth in the use of telemedicine services to provide clinical care. However, the safety and effectiveness of telemedicine in cancer-related colostomy care during the early stages of discharge remain unclear. This study aimed to support that the safety and effectiveness of telemedicine in cancer-related colostomy care were not inferior to those of outpatient care. This was a prospective randomized noninferiority study. A total of 76 consecutive patients who underwent cancer-related colostomy stoma were enrolled and randomly divided into a telemedicine group or an outpatient group with an equal allocation ratio (1:1). The outpatient group was provided in-person interview mode colostomy care, whereas the telemedicine group was provided video interview mode colostomy care. The stoma-related complications, self-care ability, and quality of life reflected the safety and effectiveness of colostomy care in the early stages of discharge. The incidence of stoma-related complications within two weeks and one month after discharge was not significantly different between the two groups (p 2-weeks = 0.772 and p 1-month = 0.760). The mean NCI-CTCAE score for stoma-related complications was less than level 2. The ESCA and C-COH-QOL-OQ scores were not significantly different between the telemedicine and outpatient groups at two weeks and one month after discharge (all p > 0.05). The results revealed that the safety and effectiveness of telemedicine for cancer-related colostomies in the early stages of discharge were not inferior to those of outpatient care alone.

Utilizing Asynchronous Email Interviewing for Qualitative Research Among Multiple Participant Groups: Perspectives on Met and Unmet Needs From Chaplain Staffing

Asynchronous email interviewing has been increasingly utilized as an electronic method of data collection in qualitative research, because it eliminates the need for costly travel and transcription and allows more time for participants to react with thoughtful, reflective responses. While research indicates that data collected in written form is comparable in content and richness with that collected in-person, via telephone, or through virtual live interactions, there is the risk of participant attrition, loss of trust-building with subjects and missing non-verbal/visual cues for the researcher. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate use of asynchronous email interviewing as applied to a study on expectations and demands of chaplains in hospital settings. Unique in this approach is the inclusion of multiple participant groups over a large geographical area. Data were collected among chaplains, chaplain leaders, nurses, hospital executives, and patients and family members across a multi-state healthcare system. Although enrollment was adequate, 37% of those enrolled did not respond to initial interview emails, and of those who did respond, only 42% responded to follow-up questions. For several participants who did not respond to requests for email interviews, subsequent invitations to participate in live virtual interviews were preferred. Analysis reflected significant differences between groups in the quantity, quality, and richness of data, which may reflect communication patterns and preferences, time restrictions, and subject matter engagement. Based on study findings, it is suggested that similar studies offer options of interview modalities to participants to best meet their preferences and schedules.

Comparing job applicant deception in asynchronous vs synchronous video interviews, with and without AI-assisted assessments

PurposeAsynchronous Video Interviews (AVIs) incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted assessment has become popular as a pre-employment screening method. The extent to which applicants engage in deceptive impression management (IM) behaviors during these interviews remains uncertain. Furthermore, the accuracy of human detection in identifying such deceptive IM behaviors is limited. This study seeks to explore differences in deceptive IM behaviors by applicants across video interview modes (AVIs vs Synchronous Video Interviews (SVIs)) and the use of AI-assisted assessment (AI vs non-AI). The study also investigates if video interview modes affect human interviewers' ability to detect deceptive IM behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a field study with four conditions based on two critical factors: the synchrony of video interviews (AVI vs SVI) and the presence of AI-assisted assessment (AI vs Non-AI): Non-AI-assisted AVIs, AI-assisted AVIs, Non-AI-assisted SVIs and AI-assisted SVIs. The study involved 144 pairs of interviewees and interviewers/assessors. To assess applicants' deceptive IM behaviors, the authors employed a combination of interviewee self-reports and interviewer perceptions.FindingsThe results indicate that AVIs elicited fewer instances of deceptive IM behaviors across all dimensions when compared to SVIs. Furthermore, using AI-assisted assessment in both video interview modes resulted in less extensive image creation than non-AI settings. However, the study revealed that human interviewers had difficulties detecting deceptive IM behaviors regardless of the mode used, except for extensive faking in AVIs.Originality/valueThe study is the first to address the call for research on the impact of video interview modes and AI on interviewee faking and interviewer accuracy. This research enhances the authors’ understanding of the practical implications associated with the use of different video interview modes and AI algorithms in the pre-employment screening process. The study contributes to the existing literature by refining the theoretical model of faking likelihood in employment interviews according to media richness theory and the model of volitional rating behavior based on expectancy theory in the context of AVIs and AI-assisted assessment.

Reactions to asynchronous video interviews: The role of design decisions and applicant age and gender

AbstractAsynchronous video interviews (AVIs) are a form of one‐way, technology‐mediated selection interview that can help streamline and increase flexibility in the hiring process and are used to hire millions of applicants per year. Although applicant reactions to AVIs in general tend to be more negative than with traditional interview modalities, AVIs can differ widely in how they are designed. For instance, applicants can be provided with more or less preparation time, response length, rerecording options, or rely on different question formats. This study examines how AVI design features impact applicant reactions, as well as the moderating role played by applicant age and gender. Data from 27,809 real job applicant's AVI experiences were collected in 11 countries (69.3% English‐speaking) from 33 companies and relating to 72 types of positions. Data were fitted with linear mixed‐effects models to account for nesting. Results showed that allowing more preparation time and offering the opportunity to rerecord responses were related to more favorable reactions, while including more questions was related to more negative reactions. Applicants above the age of 31 reacted especially negatively to AVIs with more questions while those below the age of 30 preferred being allocated longer maximum response lengths. Women reacted more positively to increased preparation time. These findings might help both AVI vendors and hiring organizations design AVIs that facilitate a positive applicant experience. Our research also expands knowledge on applicant reactions to interviews, highlights crucial differences from traditional formats, and calls for integrating applicant characteristics into current theoretical frameworks on applicant reactions to AVIs.

Association of MRI markers of vascular injury and neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in diverse cohorts: Findings from KHANDLE and STAR

AbstractBackgroundMRI biomarkers of vascular injury and neurodegeneration are associated with cognitive decline, but relatively little is known about cognitive change in diverse populations. Our objective is to examine associations of hippocampal volume and white matter integrity on cognitive change over 3 years.MethodKHANDLE (age 65+) and STAR (age 50+) are harmonized cohorts of racially/ethnically diverse long‐term members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. A random sub‐sample of participants received neuroimaging with 3T MRI to measure regional brain volumes and white matter integrity. Hippocampal volume (cm3), log white matter hyperintensities (log‐WMH) (cm3), free water (FW) (cm3), and fractional anisotropy (FA) MRI measures were normalized on intracranial volume and age at scan. Cognitive decline was assessed across three waves using the Spanish English Neuropsychological Assessment Scale measuring executive function (EF) and verbal episodic memory (VEM). Linear mixed models allowing for random intercept and slope estimated the associations of MRI metrics and cognition adjusting for baseline age, education, gender/sex, interview mode (in‐person vs phone), and interactions of these covariates with time from baseline, to adjust for effects of covariates on both baseline cognition and cognitive change.ResultAmong 592 participants with neuroimaging, 59% were women, 47% were college educated, and 52% were Black adults (Table 1). Hippocampal volume was positively associated with baseline VEM (β = 0.268; CI = 0.153, 0.383) and EF change (β = 0.051; CI = 0.009, 0.094) (Table 2, Plot 1). FW was negatively associated with baseline EF (β = ‐6.561; CI = ‐10.758, ‐2.364), baseline VEM (β = ‐5.557; CI = ‐10.03, ‐1.084) and EF decline (β = ‐1.667; CI = ‐3.268, ‐0.066). FA was positively associated with baseline EF (β = 6.222; CI = 3.217, 9.228) and baseline VEM (β = 6.944; CI = 3.768, 10.119). Log‐WMH was negatively associated with baseline EF (β = ‐0.068; CI = ‐0.116, ‐0.020) and VEM (β = ‐0.082; CI = ‐0.132, ‐0.032).ConclusionAll MRI markers were associated with baseline cognition, but only hippocampal volume and FW were associated with cognitive change. MRI measures of neurodegeneration and white matter integrity may be predictive of cognition and short‐term decline in diverse groups of older adults. Future analyses will examine associations with cognitive impairment.

Cognitive Change in a Diverse Group of Individuals Aged 90+: The LifeAfter90 Study

AbstractBackgroundThe oldest‐old are the fastest growing segment of the elderly population but very little is known about cognition in this age group; particularly in diverse populations. Our goal was to evaluate if domain specific cognitive change was different across different ethnoracial groups in those aged 90+.MethodLifeAfter90 (LA90) is an ongoing cohort of participants aged 90+ who are long‐term members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California participants. Participants (n = 984) were interviewed every 6 months for up to 3.5 years (1‐7 visits). Executive Function (EF) and Verbal Episodic Memory (VEM) were measured every six months using z‐standardized Spanish English Neuropsychological Assessment Scale. Racial/ethnic identify (Asian, Black, Latino, or White participants) was used in linear mixed models with random slopes and intercepts adjusting for baseline age, gender, education, interview mode, and practice effects.ResultParticipants were 20% Latino, 23% Black, 24% Asian, 27% White, and 7% other individuals with a mean age of 92.4 (SD = 2.3) and a mean follow up time 1.1 years (Table 1). 39% of the cohort were men, 35% were college educated, and 29% were high school or less educated. Average annual change in EF was ‐0.06 (95% CI: ‐0.12, ‐0.00). Stratified models with Latino as the reference group showed White participants had significantly greater decline in EF (β = ‐0.13; 95%CI:‐0.20,‐0.06), followed by Asian participants (β = ‐0.09; 95%CI:‐0.17,‐0.01). EF scores among Black participants and participants who identified as other declined at a similar rate as Latino participants (β = ‐0.03; 95%CI:‐0.11,‐0.05; β = 0.00; 95%CI:‐0.10, 0.11; respectively) (Table 2: model 2). VEM had an annual change of ‐0.26 (95%CI: ‐0.40, ‐0.13), but there were no significant differences across ethnoracial groups in rate of decline.ConclusionIn this population of individuals aged 90+, decline in EF over the study period varied across ethnoracial group with White participants experiencing the fastest decline and Black, Latino, and other participants experiencing the slowest decline. Continued follow up will identify if there are differences in risk of cognitive impairment in this diverse population of oldest‐old. The results suggest the disparities in cognitive aging for those aged 90+ don’t mirror disparities seen in younger‐elderly ages.

Differences in the association between midlife hypertension status and late‐life cognition and cognitive change: results from the Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) Study

AbstractBackgroundThis study evaluates the association of midlife hypertension status and domain‐specific late‐life cognitive change allowing for possible differences by sex.MethodThe Kaiser Healthy Aging and Diverse Life Experiences (KHANDLE) cohort is a multi‐ethnic study of 1,712 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members age 65+ at enrollment in 2017. For 1,696 participants, we categorized the last examined clinical blood pressure measures from 1964‐1985 (mean age = 37.5) as hypotensive, normotensive, prehypertensive, or hypertensive. Verbal episodic memory and executive function were assessed using Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales across three interview waves over 4 years and scores were z‐standardized to the baseline. Sex‐stratified linear mixed models with random intercepts estimated the associations of midlife hypertension status with domain‐specific baseline cognition and cognitive change using years since baseline as timescale. Models adjusted for age at blood pressure measurement, KHANDLE baseline age, race, ethnicity, education, practice effects, and interview mode (phone vs in‐person).ResultA greater proportion of men than women had midlife pre‐hypertension (44% vs 31%) or hypertension (21% vs 11%) (Table 1). Among men and women, midlife hypertension status was not associated with baseline executive function or verbal episodic memory (Table 2). Compared to men with normal midlife blood pressure, those with midlife hypotension (b = ‐0.10, 95% CI: ‐0.17, ‐0.04) or midlife hypertension experienced steeper declines in executive functioning (b = ‐0.05, 95% CI: ‐0.10, ‐0.004). Among women, only midlife hypertension was associated with decline in executive function (b = ‐0.04 95% CI: ‐0.09, 0.003), though not significantly different from normotensive women. Compared to normotensive men, those with midlife hypotension (b = ‐0.17, 95%CI: ‐0.27, ‐0.07) and those with pre‐hypertension (b = ‐0.06, 95% CI: ‐0.12, ‐0.004) experienced steeper decline in verbal episodic memory. Among women, only midlife hypertension was associated with steeper declines executive function (b = ‐0.04, 95% CI: ‐0.09, 0.003), though not significantly different from normotensive women. Though effect estimates of midlife hypertension status on cognitive outcomes differed by sex, these differences were not statistically significant.ConclusionBoth hypotension and hypertension 30‐50 years prior to cognitive assessments predicted accelerated cognitive decline in older men. Patterns were less consistent for women but not statistically distinguishable from associations among men.

Memory Concerns and Cognitive Change in a Diverse Cohort of Oldest Old Individuals: LifeAfter90 Study

AbstractBackgroundWhether subjective evaluations of cognition can accurately predict cognitive decline is not well understood in ethnically diverse populations nor oldest‐old. In a multi‐ethnic cohort of adults aged 90+, we aim to investigate the association between self‐perceived memory concerns and objectively measured cognitive change.MethodLifeAfter90 is an active longitudinal cohort study of Kaiser Permanente Northern California members ages 90+ with no prior dementia diagnosis. Verbal episodic memory (VEM) and executive function (EF) were assessed every 6 months between July 2018 and March 2022 using the Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales (SENAS). At baseline, participants answered the question “Are you concerned that you have a memory or other thinking problem?” We evaluated associations between memory concerns and domain‐specific cognition at baseline and over time using linear mixed models with random intercepts and slopes, adjusted for baseline age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, interview mode (in‐person or phone), and practice effects. Sensitivity analyses stratified by 1) gender and 2) age (+/‐ 95 years).ResultAt baseline, participants (n = 975) had a mean age of 92.4 (SD = 2.3) years, 61% were women, 73% were racial/ethnic minorities, and 36% reported memory concerns (Table 1). Memory concerns were associated with worse baseline VEM (b = ‐0.17, 95% CI ‐0.27,‐0.07; Table 2) and EF (b = ‐0.08, 95% CI ‐0.15,‐0.01; Table 3), but not associated with rate of change for either domain. When stratified by gender, both men and women with memory concerns had worse baseline VEM (b = ‐0.21, 95% CI ‐0.36,‐0.06 and b = ‐0.15, 95% CI ‐0.27,‐0.02, respectively; Table 2). Additionally, men with memory concerns had worse baseline EF (b = ‐0.19; 95% CI ‐0.30,‐0.08; Table 3). Among participants younger than 95 years, memory concerns were associated with worse baseline VEM (b = ‐0.15, 95% CI ‐0.25,‐0.04; Table 2) and EF (b = ‐0.10, 95% CI ‐0.17,‐0.02; Table 3).ConclusionIn this diverse cohort of oldest‐old, those with subjective memory concerns had worse baseline VEM and EF. Although memory concern may suggest objective cognitive impairment, it is not associated with decline over the short term; (an average follow up time of 1.05 years). Additional follow up will identify how changes in memory concerns may be associated with cognitive change.

Subjective Cognition as A Predictor of Objective Cognitive Decline Among Older Black/African Americans: A STAR Study

AbstractBackgroundSubjective evaluations of cognition are convenient to administer and can be useful if they accurately identify or predict cognitive impairment. We investigated the relationship between subjective and objective measures of cognition in a cohort of Black older adults.MethodThe Study of Healthy Aging in African Americans (STAR) comprises community‐dwelling Black adults ages 50+ who are long‐term Kaiser Permanente Northern California members. Verbal episodic memory (VEM) and executive function (EF) were assessed at three interview waves by the Spanish and English Neuropsychological Assessment Scales (SENAS). We operationalized subjective cognition two ways. 1) Participants self‐rated changes in their everyday cognition using the Everyday Cognition Scale (ECog). Responses, rated 1 = “Better or no change” to 4 = “Consistently much worse, were averaged across the 16 items. 2) Participants responded (yes/no) to the question: “Are you concerned that you have a memory or other thinking problem?” (Subjective memory concerns). Linear mixed models with random intercept and slope estimated associations of ECog or subjective memory concerns with VEM and EF at baseline and over time. All models adjusted for baseline age, gender, education, parental education, and interview mode (in‐person or phone). Sensitivity models stratified by gender and age (+/‐ 65 years).ResultParticipants’ (n = 671) baseline mean age was 68.4 (SD = 8.7) years, 70.2% were women, mean ECog was 1.26 (SD = 0.3), and 40.1% reported subjective memory concerns (Table 1). Subjective memory concerns were associated with worse baseline VEM and EF, but not associated with rate of change for either domain (Table 2A; Table 3A). In contrast, ECog was associated with rate of change for VEM (b = ‐0.09, 95% CI ‐0.17,0.002; Table 2B) and EF (b = ‐0.07, 95% CI ‐0.13,‐0.003; Table 3B). Among women, higher ECog was associated with faster decline in VEM (b = ‐0.12, 95% CI ‐0.22,‐0.02; Table 2B) and EF (b = ‐0.09, 95% CI ‐0.17,‐0.02; Table 3B). Among participants ages 65 and older, higher ECog was associated with a faster decline in VEM (b = ‐0.11, 95% CI ‐0.22,‐0.001; Table 2B).ConclusionA well‐validated measure of subjective memory concerns, the ECog, was associated with worse objective executive function and verbal episodic memory and faster declines in both domains in this sample of middle‐aged and older Black adults.

Comparing In-Person and Online Modalities for Photo Elicitation Interviews Among a Vulnerable Population: Recruitment, Retention, and Data Collection Applications

The purpose of the current study was to use Orsmond and Cohn’s feasibility framework to compare two methods of collecting photo elicitation interviews: (1) in-person and (2) online among low-income community college students. We described the feasibility of the recruitment and retention procedures and compared the participants’ characteristics and the type of data obtained by data collection modality. Focus group participants ( n = 34) were invited to participate in photo elicitation interviews regarding barriers to food access and associated material hardships. Prior to the pandemic, photo elicitation interviews were conducted in-person. Due to pandemic-related stay-at-home policies, photo elicitation interviews shifted to a video conferencing platform. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were used to compare the two data collection methods in terms of sample characteristics, the average length of each interview, and the number and type of photos submitted. Of 34 recruited participants, 28 participated in photo elicitation interviews (82.4% response rate; n = 13 in-person; n = 15 online) with a mean age of 39.75 years (range: 19–62). No significant differences were found in socio-demographic characteristics between interview modality groups. In both online and in-person photo elicitation groups, participants were more likely to be female, non-Hispanic Black, single, and unemployed. Overall, both modalities were found to be feasible to recruit and retain participants and collect data from low-income, community college students. We found similar data in terms of photographs, and similar codes and themes were generated from the interview data across both modalities. Using both modalities provided an opportunity to promote equity in research through inclusion of hard-to-reach populations who may experience barriers to participation such as transportation or childcare. This study can inform recruitment and retention efforts for quantitative and qualitative research, and data collection efforts for photo elicitation interviews. The lessons learned are critical to generating rich data and advancing research conducted among vulnerable populations.

Exploring Factors Enabling Hearing Aid Usage: Perspectives of Hearing Aid Users and Audiologists.

To explore the aspects favoring hearing aid usage among individuals with hearing impairment based on hearing aid users' and audiologists' perspectives. The present study used inductive thematic analysis. The participants were 12 hearing aid users and 12 Audiologists. The study was conducted in interview mode either face-to-face or telephonic mode. The verbatim of the participants was transcribed and different codes were assigned. The codes were used to derive the subthemes and themes. Four major themes were obtained. The first and second themes were Client-centred and Clinician-centred aspects respectively. The third theme focussed on Hearing aid trial and service delivery aspects. The fourth theme discussed mainly Hearing aid-associated benefits and drawbacks. Audiologist should effectively address the challenges posted by hearing aid users, this in turn can favor the hearing adoption among the adults with hearing loss.

Proxy Survey Cost Indicators in Interviewer-Administered Surveys: Are they Actually Correlated with Costs?

Survey design decisions are-by their very nature-tradeoffs between costs and errors. However, measuring costs is often difficult. Furthermore, surveys are growing more complex. Many surveys require that cost information be available to make decisions during data collection. These complexities create new challenges for monitoring and understanding survey costs. Often, survey cost information lags behind reporting of paradata. Furthermore, in some situations, the measurement of costs at the case level is difficult. Given the time lag in reporting cost information and the difficulty of assigning costs directly to cases, survey designers and managers have frequently turned to proxy indicators for cost. These proxy measures are often based upon level-of-effort paradata. An example of such a proxy cost indicator is the number of attempts per interview. Unfortunately, little is known about how accurately these proxy indicators actually mirror the true costs of the survey. In this article, we examine a set of these proxy indicators across several surveys with different designs, including different modes of interview. We examine the strength of correlation between these indicators and two different measures of costs-the total project cost and total interviewer hours. This article provides some initial evidence about the quality of these proxies as surrogates for the true costs using data from several different surveys with interviewer-administered modes (telephone, face to face) across three organizations (University of Michigan's Survey Research Center, Westat, US Census Bureau). We find that some indicators (total attempts, total contacts, total completes, sample size) are correlated (average correlation ∼0.60) with total costs across several surveys. These same indicators are strongly correlated (average correlation ∼0.82) with total interviewer hours. For survey components, three indicators (total attempts, sample size, and total miles) are strongly correlated with both total costs (average correlation ∼0.77) and with total interviewer hours (average correlation ∼0.86).