a SSADDA-certified Thai study physician (RK) and results of training interviews were reviewed as a group with all 11 nurse clinicians, Thai study physicians (RK and KS), and U.S. investigators (RM and JG). Completion of the initial training course, 8 training interviews, a review session and group discussion of findings from the training interviews, and subsequent completion of two diagnostically accurate final interviews constituted criteria for certification. Upon certification, nurse interviewers were allowed to conduct in-person interviews with village members deemed eligible for participation in the genetic linkage study. Our QA and training procedures derive from those developed for the English instrument.
