Data from the baseline interview were used to assess the lifestyle factors of interest.
The baseline interview is used to obtain information not available in computerized administrative databases.
Except for overseas travel, these measures reflected lifestyle routine, and the behavior reported in the baseline interview was used to reduce any effect from reverse causality (e.g., avoiding particular activities or locations because of influenza symptoms).
Structured interviews were used.
At baseline, a visual assessment of the home environment and a structured occupant interview were used to examine 29 potential injury hazards and 7 potential respiratory health hazards.
Data from the baseline interviews were analysed using the constant comparative method derived from grounded theory methods.
A nurse administered structured interview is used to collect baseline information from participating colony members, including age, medical history, influenza immunization including receipt of the 1976 swine flu vaccine, and previous and current exposure to swine.
At baseline and follow-up, the same standardized interview was used to question participants about level of education (seven categories), medication use, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, history of a macrovascular event (myocardial infarction or stroke requiring hospitalization or surgical or endovascular treatment of atherosclerotic arterial disease), and diabetes duration.
Baseline interview dates were used to individually mark the beginning of the surveillance periods for each participant.
Baseline interviews were conducted after index hospitalization (Mean = 14.11 days, SD = 9.6), by trained interviewers at a Michigan State University survey institute using a structured telephone interview protocol.
