Final Dispositions

Completed Interviews

Final dispositions for completed interviews divide the category into two subgroups: completed (full) interviews and partial interviews. Full interviews are interviews in which the respondent has provided data for each question in the survey instrument. The definition of a partial interview tends to vary across survey organizations but commonly includes those cases for which the respondent has provided data for a majority of questions in the survey instrument, including questions that are key variables for the purpose of the study.

Eligible Cases with No Data Gathered

Final dispositions for eligible cases from which no data were gathered divide the category into refusals, breakoffs, noncontacts, and “other cases.” Refusals are [Page 283]cases in which some contact has been made with the sampled unit or named respondent, and the named respondent or a responsible member of the sampled unit has declined to participate in the interview. Breakoffs are cases in which data collection began, but the respondent refused or was unable to complete the interview (for in-person and telephone modes) or the questionnaire (for Internet and mail modes). The definition of noncontact varies depending on the mode of interviewing. For in-person interviews, a noncontact results when an interviewer is unable to gain access to a building, when no one is reached at a housing unit, or when the named respondent is away or unavailable. For telephone interviews, a noncontact results when the selected respondent is never available or when only an answering machine can be reached, but the message confirms that the telephone number is that of a household unit. “Other cases” include cases in which the respondent is located and does not refuse the interview but is unavailable or unable to complete the interview because of death, illness, physical or mental limitations, language problems or barriers, or other uncommon reasons.

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