Behavioural Surveillance Surveys - The Wisdom of Whores

• To probe for additional information when
necessary.
• To ask your supervisor for assistance
whenever you have a question which is not
covered in this manual.
• Not to give advice to respondents but to
refer them to local resources or your
supervisor.
Beginning the interview :
A respondent’s first impression of you will
strongly affect his/her willingness to cooperate
with the survey. Therefore, it is very important
that you approach each interview in a friendly
and professional manner. Guidelines for good
interviewing include the following:
Always remain neutral : Your job as an
interviewer is to obtain the facts. An interviewer
should be friendly, but firm, neutral, but
interested. Your tone of voice, facial expressions
and even body postures all combine
to establishthe rapport you create with your
respondent. Do not express surprise, pleasure
or disapproval at any response or comment
made by the respondent.
Answer the respondent’s questions :
Some respondents may question you about
the purpose of the survey before agreeing to
participate. Answer the respondent’s questions
as directly as possible referring to the introduction
paragraph on the front of each survey.
However, if a respondent has questions
about AIDS or other interview-related topics at
any time during the interview, politely explain
that you prefer to complete the interview first
and discuss his/her questions after the interview.
Once completed, direct the respondent to the
nearest HIV/AIDS information resource (could
be an NGO, a health facility, or any locally
appropriate source) for more information. It is
important to remember that your job is not to
educate respondents, but only to collect
information from them.
Handling reluctant respondents :
Occasionally, a potential respondent will
refuse to participate in the survey. Do not
take the initial unwillingness of a respondent
to be interviewed as a final refusal. Try to put
yourself in their position and think of factors
that might have brought about this reaction.
The respondent may not be in the right mood
at that particular time or they may have
misunderstood the purpose of your visit. Try
to find out why the respondent is unwilling to
participate, and respond accordingly. Some
arguments you can use to persuade a respondent
to participate are:
• The respondent cannot be replaced by
anyone else.
• The information they provide will help to
develop programs, which assist people like
themselves.
• If confidentiality is an issue, assure the
respondent that his or her name will not go
on the questionnaire. Questionnaires will
only be identified by a number. Everyone
working on the survey has pledged to
maintain confidentiality. Never ask the
respondent’s name.
• However, in some circumstances a
respondent may continue to refuse.
In this situation, respect the respondent’s
right to refuse, and thank the respondent
for his/her time. Do not take these refusals
personally.
B EHAV I OR A L S U R V EI L L A NC E SURV EY S APPEN DI X 2
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