Evaluation of a video-supplement to informed consent: injection drug users and preventive HIV vaccine efficacy trials.

We evaluate the impact of a videotape specially produced to supplement written information about preventive HIV vaccine trials. One hundred eighty-six injection drug users were randomly assigned to an education session in which either: (a) a pamphlet was reviewed before a brief discussion period or (b) the videotape was watched prior to reviewing the pamphlet and participating in the discussion. The relationship among retention of information, trust in government, and willingness to participate in a vaccine trial was tested before the presentation of information, immediately after, and 1 month later. Results indicate that both methods produced significant increases in knowledge immediately after information presentation, but only the video-supplemented group retained the information 1 month later. Subjects receiving the video supplement also showed a significant increase in trust at the first posttest period, but this increase was not maintained 1 month later. Regardless of group assignment or evaluation point, willingness to participate was not associated with knowledge but was associated with trust in government.

The use of case vignettes for Addiction Severity Index training.

In an attempt to enhance the reliability of Addiction Severity Index (ASI) interviewer severity ratings (ISRs), we developed a set of eight ASI vignettes, fictionalized narrative case summaries that reproduced the quantitative ASI information in case report format. Each vignette has an ISR answer key, a consensus ISR of two expert ASI trainers for each problem area. Additionally, for four of the vignettes the rationale for the correct ISRs was operationalized. This report is a description of the ASI vignette packet, its use as a supplement to standard ASI training and the results of a pilot study to gauge its effectiveness in improving criterion validity of ISRs. Five ASI videotapes were also developed for the purposes of this investigation. There was limited evidence in this preliminary investigation that the addition of the ASI vignette packet to standard ASI training increased agreement with expert consensus ISRs. The ASI vignettes, relative to videotaped or live observed interviews, do however provide a brief means of assessing the adequacy of ASI interviewer skills with regard to ISRs.

Training for and maintaining interviewer consistency with the ASI.

A short quiz of Addiction Severity Index (ASI) coding conventions was developed to identify coding inconsistencies within a large group of trained interviewers, as one step in an overall program of quality assurance monitoring. Problem items, in which less than 75% of the quiz respondents answered correctly, existed in almost every ASI section. The ASI quiz has proven helpful in identifying "drift" from the ASI standard procedures. Individually reviewing the results of the quiz with the respondents helped to reinforce the recognized coding rules. The authors discuss a system-wide quality assurance program for maintaining interviewer consistency. It is believed that coding convention measures of this type could be useful in the maintenance of standards in other research interviews and procedures.