RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To understand the feasibility of telephone interviews to achieve recruitment of subjects to assess the validity and reliability of the telephone interview in eliciting dietary intake. METHODS: A multi-phase study was conducted in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong in 2002. RESULTS: Three hundred eligible women aged from 20 to 49 years old were recruited in those cities. In the screening interview, 2462 random telephone numbers were dialed with 95% of dials completed within 5 times of attempts. The average number of dial for the completion was two calls, the rates of completion and refusal conversion were not improved remarkably by the increase of calls although some calling attempts reached 20 times. Regarding the processing of the sampling pools in those three cities, Beijing had a lower efficiency rate but a satisfactory completion rate, Shanghai was good in both indicators, and Hong Kong had a good efficiency rate but lower completion rate. The overall telephone screening interview completion rate was 42%, with Hong Kong having the lowest rate (32%) compared with Beijing and Shanghai (47% and 50%, respectively, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The telephone interview method could successfully reach the target of urban Chinese women and earn their cooperation with a satisfactory completion rate.