Technical Information and Data

Numbered Memos

BRFSS POLICY MEMO 2000.3
BRFSS DISPOSITION RULES

This memo replaces BRFSS Policy Memo 99.3, effective January 1, 2001.

01 - Completed Interview

Give final disposition if sex and three or more questions from age, race, Hispanic origin, marital status, education, employment status, county code, and "Do you have more than one telephone number in your household?" are answered with a response other than Don’t know/Not sure (7, 77, or 777) or Refused (9, 99, or 999).

02 - Refused Interview After Respondent Selection

Give final disposition after second refusal or when a first-time refusal will not be called a second time.

03 - Nonworking Number

Usually recognized by a recording or fast-busy signal. Includes "number changed" recordings and numbers that consistently ring to an incorrect number. Call operator or repair service when in doubt. Give final disposition.

04 - Ring No Answer

A normal telephone ring which no one answers to be given final disposition only after (a) 5 calling occasions (each consisting of 3 attempts), and (b) the 5 occasions have a mixture of weekday, weeknight, and weekend calls. If possible, contact the phone company repair service to verify the number is in service.

05 - No a Private Residence

The person answering identifies the telephone number as a business. Also use this disposition for institutions (government offices, educational facilities, dormitories, nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, etc.), group homes (fraternities and sororities, half-way houses, shelters, etc.), pagers, fax machines, cell phones, and computer modems. Give final disposition.
 

No one 18 years of age or older lives in the household. Give final disposition.

07 - Selected respondent not available during the interviewing period

The selected respondent will not be available or could not be reached during the time you have allotted for the month's interviewing. Give final disposition only when respondent's unavailability is certain or when the same calling requirements for ring-no-answers and busies have been met.

08 - Language Barrier

The selected respondent does not speak English well enough to be interviewed, and there is not a translated questionnaire and interviewer available for the respective language. Give final disposition.

09 - Interview terminated within questionnaire

A "hang up" at some point after the first question has been asked (this does not mean the respondent refused a particular question). Make another attempt to complete questionnaire. Give final disposition if second attempt unsuccessful. If after a second attempt the respondent has completed the interview as defined above, recode as a completed interview.

10 - Line Busy

To be given final disposition only after (a) 5 calling occasions (each consisting of 3 attempts at greater than 10 minute intervals), and (b) the 5 occasions have a mixture of weekday, weeknight, and weekend calls. If possible, contact the phone company repair service to verify the number is in service.

11 - Respondent unable to communicate due to physical or mental impairment

Example: respondent is deaf. Give final disposition

12 - Technological barrier (Answering machine, call blocking, etc.)

To be given final disposition only after (a) 5 calling occasions (each consisting of 3 attempts), and (b) the 5 occasions have a mixture of weekday, weeknight, and weekend calls. One or more attempts reached an answering machine, call blocking, or other automated response but no person was ever spoken to.

13 - Never Call

To be assigned to (those few) phone numbers where the BRFSS State Coordinator has determined that a phone number should not be called.

14 - Hang-up or termination before respondent selection

Give final disposition after second hang-up or refusal or when a first-time hang-up or refusal will not be called a second time.

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This page last reviewed June 22, 2005

United States Department of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Adult and Community Health