Assessing substance abuse treatment needs among the homeless: A telephone-based interactive voice response system

Objectives. We report on a pilot project that used a telephone-based interactive voice response system, accessed by cellular phones at diverse sites, to interview homeless persons on their need for alcohol and other drug treatment. Methods. Using this technique, we surveyed 207 homeless adults at eight shelters in Cleveland, Ohio. Results. The cellular approach was comparable to human-administered interviews in reliability and validity and yielded higher self-reported levels of drug use. Conclusions. Cellular telephones and interactive voice response interviewing systems can be useful tools in assessing for the health-service needs of difficult-to-reach populations.