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Interview Techniques

Instructor Name
Job Title
Organization Name
What will be covered
๏ Purpose of interview
๏ Preparing for the interview
๏ Conducting an interview
๏ Common Components of interviews
๏ Trouble shooting
Purpose of the interview
๏ The purpose of the interview is to:
- To collect symptom information from ill persons
- Identify additional ill persons
- To collect exposure information from ill and well persons
๏ Use this information to:
- Characterize the outbreak
- Identify the source of infection
- Chose control measures to implement
- Stop spread of disease
- Prevent future outbreaks
Types of interviews
๏ Phone
๏ In-person
๏ Individual interview
๏ Group interview
๏ Online Survey
Getting ready: The Supplies
๏ Interview form
- Disease-specific case investigation
- Outbreak questionnaire
- Shotgun questionnaire
- Review and ask questions before beginning interviews
๏ Calendar
๏ Pen/pencil
๏ Phone, headset
- Don’t use your personal phone… or block your number
๏ Water
Getting ready: The Situation
๏ Be familiar with the disease in question
- Incubation period
- Routes of transmission
- Signs and symptoms
- Treatment
๏ Circumstances of outbreak
- Event
- Food recalls
- Media coverage
Your conduct matters
๏ Project confidence & concern
๏ Speak slowly & enunciate clearly
๏ Avoid using jargon and acronyms
๏ Smile or convey a friendly attitude over the phone.

I’m investigating illness from a


I’m calling about bacteria called campylobacter
the campy FBI at among coworkers who ate at the
the RFE. same restaurant.
Getting started on the phone
๏ “This number does not take calls from solicitors”
- Press 1 to prove you are a human
- Enter your work number/CDPHE number
๏ Leave messages
- If agreed upon
- If a private line
- With general information and a call back number
Starting on the Right Foot
๏ Introduce yourself and the agency
๏ Explain the purpose of the call
๏ Assure confidentiality
๏ Provide an estimated length of time for the interview
๏ Offer to call back at a better time
๏ Obtain parental/guardian permission to interview minors
Starting on the Right Foot
How did you
get my
๏ Introduce name?
yourself and the agency I don’t take
calls from
๏ Explain the purpose of the call solicitors
๏ Assure confidentiality
I’m on the
๏ Provide an estimated
dolength
not callof time for the interview
๏ Offer to call back at a better time
list.

๏ Obtain parental/guardian permission to interview minors


How do I know
you’re who you
It’s okay, I’m say your are?
his mother.
Just ask me.
Answers to Tough
Questions
“How did you get my name!” Ill Persons:
•Laboratories and doctor’s offices report certain
diagnoses to public health.
•From the event organizer
Well Persons:
•From the event organizer
•Random sampling

“I don’t take calls from solicitors” or •Apologize and explain calling as part of public
“I’m on the do not call list.” health investigation

“How do I know you’re who you say your •Call back and hear voicemail
are?” •Transfer to supervisor
•Call supervisor

“It’s okay. I’m his mother. Just ask me.” •If your son is over 18, I’ll need his permission to
talk to you.
Continuing on the Right Foot
๏ Take time to answer interviewee’s questions and concerns
upfront
- Am I at risk of getting sick?
- How do I protect my family from illness?
- How long will it take to figure out the source?
๏ Educate interviewee
- How disease is transmitted
- Preventing transmission
- Handwashing
- Staying home from work/school/child care
- Vaccination
- Completing medications as prescribed

๏ Ask the interviewee to get a calendar


Conducting the interview
๏ Move on to the questionnaire once rapport is established
๏ Control the interview, redirect as needed
๏ Guide interviewee through interview
๏ Avoid leading questions
๏ Take a matter-of-fact approach to sensitive questions, i.e.
sexual activity, drug use, etc.
Collecting key information
๏ Use questionnaire correctly:
๏ Try not to skip any of the questions, even if they seem
redundant
๏ Mark an answer for every question

๏ Yes No Don’t Know

๏ Complete one questionnaire for each person


Collecting key information
๏ Demographics
๏ Age (likely to be age range for control calls)
๏ Sex
๏ County or city as needed
๏ Ethnicity and race (May not be collected on control calls)
๏ Primary Language
Collecting Symptom
Information from Ill Persons
๏ Onset date
๏ Symptoms: Yes No Unknown
๏ Duration
- Still ill
๏ Severity
- Doctors visits
- Emergency department visits
- Hospitalizations
๏ Treatment
Collecting a food history
๏ Ask about foods eaten:
- During incubation period of causative agent
- During the suspected event
๏ Tools:
- Calendar: holidays, meals out
- Menus from events
- Food sources previously associated with agent
๏ Remind the interviewee to stay within the incubation time
period or event.
๏ Include snacks, toppings, condiments, drinks
๏ Be ready to clarify foods that the interviewee may not know
by name.
Other Questions
๏ Non-food exposures
๏ Secondary cases
๏ Willing to provide a stool specimen (if testing not done yet)
Wrapping up the interview
๏ Have you asked all the questions on the form?
๏ Clarify inconsistencies
๏ Inform interviewee that you may need to call back to
- Ask additional questions
- Share new findings
๏ Provide agency contact phone number for additional
questions
๏ Explain how results of investigation will be disseminated
- CDC website
- Report to event coordinator
๏ Thank interviewee
Finishing up
๏ Complete necessary documentation
- All questions on interview form are answered and legible
- Phone list indicates who you called
๏ Turn in or file interview forms
- Make sure all confidential information is locked before leaving
- Avoid taking confidential paperwork with you
Questions?

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