The planning, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive health program creates a continuing demand for concise and accurate information of many types. The major source of some of the most pertinent information is the American Indian people, the recipients of health services. Gathering the required information is complicated by communication barriers produced by cultural differences. However, a group's culture will be expressed by several patterns of behavior. When observed, or brought out by survey and interview, they may appear to be inconsistent. Therefore, an accurate interpretation of the information received requires a knowledge of behavioral patterns and how these patterns are expressed. This guide presents some guidelines for gathering cross-cultural information. Discussed are the field survey and techniques used, a systematic approach to gathering information, information sources, cultural patterns, community attitudes toward providing information, communication barriers, interview preparations, establishment of Tribal and Service Unit support, the project's objective and scope, organization of a field survey, survey staff and functions, selection and training of interviewers, the questionnaire and interview schedule, interview techniques, and the final reporting and interpretation. A 20-item annotated bibliography is appended. (NQ)