Use of Narrative Voice and Introduction Content to Improve Interactive Voice Response Surveys in Bangladesh and Uganda

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Narrative Voice and Introduction Content to Improve Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Survey Performance in Bangladesh and Uganda

This study evaluates the effect of two different narrative voices (one male and one female) and two different introductions (one with informational content and the other with additional motivational content) on interactive voice response (IVR) survey cooperation, response, refusal, and contact rates, as compared to a control group (male, informational), in Bangladesh and Uganda.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Noncommunicable Diseases; Surveys and Questionnaires
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Male Voice; Other: Informational Introduction; Other: Motivational Introduction; Other: Female Voice

Detailed Description

Using random digit dialing (RDD) sampling techniques, participants were randomized to one of four arms: 1) male narrator and informational survey introduction, 2) male narrator and motivational survey introduction, 3) female narrator and informational survey introduction, and 4) female narrator and motivational survey introduction,male motivational, female informational, female motivational) which were then followed by a noncommunicable disease risk factor survey. This mobile phone survey was sent as an interactive voice response (IVR). In IVR surveys, participants use their touch tone key pad to answer pre-recorded questions. (i.e. If you are male, press 1; if you are female, press 2). This study was conducted in both Bangladesh and Uganda.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 5580
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Bangladesh
  • Dhaka, Bangladesh
    • Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research
• Uganda
  • Kampala, Uganda
    • Makerere University School of Public Health

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Access to a mobile phone
• Greater or equal to 18 years of age
• In Bangladesh, conversant in either English or Bangla language. In Uganda, conversant in either Luo, Luganda, Runyakitara or English languages.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than 18 years of age

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Male Informational; Male voice, informational introduction	Other: Male Voice; The survey was narrated by a male voice; Other: Informational Introduction; The survey introduction was worded to include informational content
Experimental: Male Motivational; Male voice, motivational introduction	Other: Male Voice; The survey was narrated by a male voice; Other: Motivational Introduction; The survey introduction was worded to include motivational content
Experimental: Female Informational; Female voice, informational introduction	Other: Informational Introduction; The survey introduction was worded to include informational content; Other: Female Voice; The survey was narrated by a female voice
Experimental: Female Motivational; Female voice, motivational introduction	Other: Motivational Introduction; The survey introduction was worded to include motivational content; Other: Female Voice; The survey was narrated by a female voice

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Response Rate #4	As defined by American Association for Public Opinion Research, response rate is defined as (I+P)/(I+P+R+eU) where I is complete interviews, P is partial interviews, R is refusals and breakoffs, and eU is the estimated eligible proportion of unknowns.	Through study completion, an average of one month
Cooperation rate #1	As defined by American Association for Public Opinion Research, cooperation rate is defined as I/(I+P+R) where I is complete interviews, P is partial interviews, and R is refusals and breakoffs	Through study completion, an average of one month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Contact Rate #2	As defined by American Association for Public Opinion Research, contact rate is defined as (I+P+R)/(I+P+R+eU) where I is complete interviews, P is partial interviews, R is refusals and breakoffs, and eU is the estimated eligible proportion of unknowns	Through study completion, an average of one month
Refusal Rate #2	As defined by American Association for Public Opinion Research, refusal rate is defined as (R)/(I+P+R+eU) where R is refusals and breakoffs, I is complete interviews, P is partial interviews, and eU is the estimated eligible proportion of unknowns	Through study completion, an average of one month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Collaborators: Makerere University; The Bloomberg Family Foundation, Inc.; Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Adnan A Hyder, PhD, MBBS, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health; Principal Investigator: George W. Pariyo, PhD, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Gibson DG, Pariyo GW, Wosu AC, Greenleaf AR, Ali J, Ahmed S, Labrique AB, Islam K, Masanja H, Rutebemberwa E, Hyder AA. Evaluation of Mechanisms to Improve Performance of Mobile Phone Surveys in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Research Protocol. JMIR Res Protoc. 2017 May 5;6(5):e81. doi: 10.2196/resprot.7534.
• Gibson DG, Pereira A, Farrenkopf BA, Labrique AB, Pariyo GW, Hyder AA. Mobile Phone Surveys for Collecting Population-Level Estimates in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Literature Review. J Med Internet Res. 2017 May 5;19(5):e139. doi: 10.2196/jmir.7428.
• Gibson DG, Farrenkopf BA, Pereira A, Labrique AB, Pariyo GW. The Development of an Interactive Voice Response Survey for Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factor Estimation: Technical Assessment and Cognitive Testing. J Med Internet Res. 2017 May 5;19(5):e112. doi: 10.2196/jmir.7340.
• Hyder AA, Wosu AC, Gibson DG, Labrique AB, Ali J, Pariyo GW. Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factors and Mobile Phones: A Proposed Research Agenda. J Med Internet Res. 2017 May 5;19(5):e133. doi: 10.2196/jmir.7246.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 26, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 17, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): July 17, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 10, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 10, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): December 11, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 10, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 9, 2023
• Last Verified: December 1, 2018

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: mobile phone surveys; interactive voice response; narration
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Noncommunicable Diseases
• Other Study ID Numbers: 00007318-3

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No