Introduction: This presentation contextualizes the feasibility of collecting qualitative data via smart phone voice memo applications. Collecting primary data has become increasingly challenging, both in terms of recruiting research participants and securing quality and complete data. Despite its important contribution to understanding health and medical issues, qualitative data collection can pose even greater challenges due to it being time consuming, cognitively taxing, and potentially socially undesirable for participants. Voice memos – where participants privately record their audible responses to qualitative prompts – eases burdens of qualitative data collection and creates an opportunity to innovatively and effectively collect qualitative data.

Methods: We piloted an online Qualtrics survey to collect quantitative/qualitative data from participants enrolled in a study assessing social support and recovery from substance-related addictions (N=75, Mage=38.54 years, range=24-71, 53% male). Participants completed traditional quantitative survey items and were given instructions on how to (1) locate a voice memo application on smartphones, (2) record themselves responding to a prompt, and (3) upload recordings back into Qualtrics. We assessed task completion rates and followed up with a subset of respondents to evaluate their experience recording and uploading voice memo data.

Results: 91% (n=68) of participants successfully uploaded voice memo data into Qualtrics. Of the 7 (9.3%) who did not upload their data to Qualtrics, 4 (5.3%) emailed their voice recordings to the research team, and 3 (4%) did not complete the voice memo task. Participants reported a preference for voice memos to both typing out their responses and participating in interviews because the task was simpler and faster. Participants reported greater perceived privacy where they felt more inclined to share openly. Those who did not upload their memos said they forgot to upload their files to Qualtrics, or they had closed their browser and could not return to their survey.

Conclusion: Pilot data suggest voice recordings are an innovative and feasible way to collect qualitative data from study participants. Though challenges for primary data collection remain, this approach offers solutions to added barriers for qualitative data collection and offer a means of better understanding complex health-related matters among various populations.