Tips for Case and Contact

Interviews

Public Health Seattle and King

County

Objectives

To improve the interviewers ability to

get accurate and complete information
from cases and contacts during an
outbreak or disease investigation.

Suggestions on how to find

people

Look people up on the internet via their

name or address
Go to places such as homeless
shelters, bars etc. where cases have
said contacts might be found
Coordinate with human resource
employees at place of work or school

Establish an interview plan

Introduce yourself
State why you are there and what the
goals of the interview are
If patient has medical or treatment
questions then these need to be
referred back to their primary health
care provider. If they dont have a
provider then if possible, provide them
assistance in linking with someone.

Basic Positive Interview

Techniques

Put the interviewee at ease by

establishing rapport and arranging for
privacy
Create an atmosphere free of
distractions and interruptions
Listen attentively; be objective and
avoid emotional reactions
Demonstrate self confidence regarding
the disease and public health

Basic Positive Interview

Techniques continued

Maintain cultural sensitivity in all actions

and interactions
Address psychosocial and spiritual
needs as appropriate
Ask questions one at a time and wait for
a response
Resist the desire to go to another
question before getting the full answer
you need

Basic Positive Interview

Techniques continued

Use positive questions to encourage a

positive response
When possible avoid negative questions
to avoid negative responses

Use open ended questions rather

than yes or no questions

An open ended question is a question

that can not be answered by a yes or a
no. They are designed to elicit patients
knowledge, feelings and beliefs.
Often a standardized interview form is
used. In this case open ended
questions are not used.

Samples of some open ended

questions:

They should begin with words such as:

What?
Why?
Who?
When?
How?

Introduction

Break the ice with brief and comfortable

dialog
Demonstrate warmth, caring and
sincerity
Define the purpose, establish a working
relationship and secure cooperation
Provide reassurance that confidentiality
will be maintained and if needed,
explain how this is done
Have resource information to provide if
needed such as housing, food etc.

Introduction continued

Some good ways to start are:

Asking how a person is feeling now.
Confirming their name and address
Start with more general questions and
leave the most sensitive questions until
last.

Information giving and receiving

Identify and resolve the persons

concerns
Correct myths and educate about the
disease and its transmission
Reinforce the need for following the
disease treatment and control plan
assess compliance and implement
measures to increase adherence to
treatment

Information giving and receiving

continued

Begin with the most familiar contact

information - close contacts - and move
outward slowly
Ask for names, phone numbers and any
other needed identifying information for
each contact
Document information as completely as
possible while still maintaining rapport
with the person

Information giving and receiving

continued

Cover each area, (church, school, work,

gym etc.), where person has contacts
comprehensively, allowing the person to
return to a previous area when needed,
be flexible.
Be aware that the patient may share
information about people living in the
US illegally or about illegal activities
such as drug use. It is important that
the patient know this information is
confidential and will not be shared.

Use of interpreters

If a case or contact does not speak

English it is important to use a certified
health department interpreter.
Often information is private and a family
member should not be used to do the
interpreting.
If a language barrier is encountered it is
best to get as much key information as
possible and reschedule the interview.

Environmental clues

Look around you to see if there are

clues that more people could be in the
environment then people are telling you
about. Clues such as pictures, toys,
shoes and so on.

Questioning suggestions

Question
How many people
do you live with?
How much time do
you spend at home?
Whats your job
title?
Do you abuse drugs
or alcohol?

Better question
Who has lived in
your household in
the past 6 months?
When not at home
where do you go?
Tell me what you do
at work?
When is the last
time you used drugs
or alcohol?

Questioning suggestions
continued
Do you visit with
anyone?

Tell me who visits

you at home?
Tell me about your
hobbies/activities?

Do you have any

friends or family?

Who are your

friends/family?

Questioning suggestions
continued

Ask questions about the recent past in

increments, being sure to include the
holidays that are significant in the
culture of the person, the family and
their environment

Conclusion

End the interview when the objectives

have been met
If theres not enough time to do a
thorough interview then end the
interview and schedule another
interview as soon as possible. Make
sure you have enough information to
protect the publics health before
leaving.

Conclusion continued

Summarize the information you have

collected and let the person know what
will happen next
Answer any unanswered questions and
provide information on how to contact
public health should the person
remember more contact information
Express appreciation for the persons
cooperation and time and help them feel
good about their chance to protect
others

Conclusion continued

The health care and the worker will

need to decide who will notify the
contacts. If possible there should be a
time line established for this notification.
The patient should be reassured that
the health worker will not be saying who
identified them as a contact.
Reassess motivation for adherence,
implement any incentives that may not
be in place

Follow up

Arrange for return visits and reinterviews

It usually takes more than one interview
to ensure that accurate and complete
contact information is obtained

Review

Today we learned.