BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is important to maximize response rates to postal questionnaires. We compared the impact of three low-cost interventions on response rates. METHODS: A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial trial was conducted, nested within TOMBOLA (Trial Of Management of Borderline and Other Low-grade Abnormal smears). Three interventions were evaluated: (1) enclosing a TOMBOLA-branded pen with the questionnaire (as opposed to no pen); (2) sending the questionnaires by first class post (as opposed to second class); and (3) enclosing a preaddressed return envelope on which there was a second class postage stamp (rather than a freepost business-reply envelope). Nine hundred thirty women, aged 20-59 years, due to receive a TOMBOLA psychosocial questionnaire by post during June-August 2003 were randomized. RESULTS: Enclosing a pen resulted in a statistically significant 7.0% increase in the cumulative proportion of questionnaires returned (from 61.5 to 68.5%; P = .002). The adjusted odds of response was significantly raised (odds ratio [OR] = 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.82). Neither first class post nor providing a stamped envelope had a significant impact on response. There were no interactions between the interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Enclosing a pen with a questionnaire can significantly increase response. This low-cost strategy was effective against a background of "good practice" with regard to the administration of postal questionnaires.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is important to maximize response rates to postal questionnaires. We compared the impact of three low-cost interventions on response rates. METHODS: A 2 x 2 x 2 factorial trial was conducted, nested within TOMBOLA (Trial Of Management of Borderline and Other Low-grade Abnormal smears). Three interventions were evaluated: (1) enclosing a TOMBOLA-branded pen with the questionnaire (as opposed to no pen); (2) sending the questionnaires by first class post (as opposed to second class); and (3) enclosing a preaddressed return envelope on which there was a second class postage stamp (rather than a freepost business-reply envelope). Nine hundred thirty women, aged 20-59 years, due to receive a TOMBOLA psychosocial questionnaire by post during June-August 2003 were randomized. RESULTS: Enclosing a pen resulted in a statistically significant 7.0% increase in the cumulative proportion of questionnaires returned (from 61.5 to 68.5%; P = .002). The adjusted odds of response was significantly raised (odds ratio [OR] = 1.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-1.82). Neither first class post nor providing a stamped envelope had a significant impact on response. There were no interactions between the interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Enclosing a pen with a questionnaire can significantly increase response. This low-cost strategy was effective against a background of "good practice" with regard to the administration of postal questionnaires.
Authors: Paul Wheatley-Price; Christine Massey; Tony Panzarella; Frances A Shepherd; Joseph Mikhael Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2009-07-21 Impact factor: 3.603
Authors: Sabine Heinrich; Astrid Peters; Jessica Kellberger; Diana Ellenberg; Jon Genuneit; Dennis Nowak; Christian Vogelberg; Erika von Mutius; Gudrun Weinmayr; Katja Radon Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2011-05-11 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Philip James Edwards; Ian Roberts; Mike J Clarke; Carolyn Diguiseppi; Reinhard Wentz; Irene Kwan; Rachel Cooper; Lambert M Felix; Sarah Pratap Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2009-07-08
Authors: Katie Gillies; Anna Kearney; Ciara Keenan; Shaun Treweek; Jemma Hudson; Valerie C Brueton; Thomas Conway; Andrew Hunter; Louise Murphy; Peter J Carr; Greta Rait; Paul Manson; Magaly Aceves-Martins Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2021-03-06