Colleagues and I have produced three papers on the use of random digit
dialing telephone surveys to assess various aspects of adult literacy,
including self-assessments of health in relation to literacy.  Two papers
are not online but I will send copies to interested folks who send me a
snail mail address and an email address. Tom Sticht email:
tsticht at aznet.net


Sticht, T., Hofstetter, R., and Hofstetter, C. (1996). Assessing adult
literacy by  telephone. Journal of Literacy Research., 28, 525-559.

Hofstetter, R., Sticht, T. and Hofstetter, C. (1999). Knowledge, Literacy
and Power. Communication Research, 26, 58-80.

Sticht, T. (1999, April). Using Telephone and Mail Surveys as a Supplement
or Alternative to Door-to-Door Surveys in the Assessment of Adult Literacy.
Washington, DC: Education Statistics Service Institute, National Center for
Education Statistics.
(Online at: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2000/200006.pdf.
Abstract
This paper discusses the use of telephone surveys as a substitute for, or
addition to, the use of door-to-door surveys in assessing adult literacy
ability. Part 1 addresses issues of validity in adult literacy assessment.
Part 2 is a review of related research that has used telephone and mail
surveys to assess the cognitive abilities of adults. Part 3 discusses the
theoretical model of literacy that the National Adult Literacy Survey
(NALS) and International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS) have used and how
that model can be modified to incorporate a developmental and componential
model of literacy that also includes the oral language aspects of literacy
given in the Adult Education and Family Literacy Act of 1998. Finally, Part
4 addresses several issues about the use of telephone and mail surveys,
including concerns about using these survey methods in such a way as to
make continuity in trend data from previous surveys of adult literacy
possible.