Korbinian Weigl1, Kaja Tikk2, Michael Hoffmeister3, Enrico N De Toni4, Jochen Hampe5, Frank Kolligs6, Stefanie J Klug7, Ulrich Mansmann8, Daniel Nasseh8, Jovana Radlovic9, Matthias Schwab10, Dirk Schweigler11, Anna-Magdalena Stephan5, Hermann Brenner12. 1. Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany; Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: k.weigl@dkfz.de. 2. Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany. 3. Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany. 4. Department of Medicine II, University of Munich, Munich, Germany. 5. Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical Klinic I, University Clinic Dresden, Technical University, Dresden, Germany. 6. German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Medicine II, University of Munich, Munich, Germany; Department of Medicine-Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectiology, HELIOS Clinic Berlin-Buch, Berlin, Germany. 7. Cancer Epidemiology, University Cancer Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Department of Sport und Health Sciences, Epidemiology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany. 8. Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Munich, Germany. 9. Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Tuebingen, Stuttgart, Germany; University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner site Tuebingen, Germany. 10. Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Tuebingen, Stuttgart, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Partner site Tuebingen, Germany; Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany; Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacy, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany. 11. Cancer Epidemiology, University Cancer Center, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany. 12. Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany; Division of Preventive Oncology, DKFZ and National Center of Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We want to present information about response patterns obtained by Web-based survey in a large-scale epidemiological study. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Within the RAPS (Risk Adapted Prevention Strategies for colorectal cancer [CRC]) study, we invited 160,000 randomly selected persons aged 40-54 years in three large German cities from 2015 to 2016 to complete a Web-based questionnaire on CRC risk factors and screening (97 items, average time for completion 15 minutes). Invitation letters and up to two reminder letters were sent to each individual. RESULTS: A total of 21.4% of women and 18.0% of men completed the questionnaire. Overall cumulative response rates were 7.5%, 14.3%, and 19.6% after the initial invitation letter, and the first and second reminder, respectively, with prevalence of and associations of key epidemiological parameters (such as family history of cancer, previous colonoscopy, etc.) being remarkably stable across waves of responses. For example, the sex and age distribution of the sample did not change with additional answers gained from additional letters. CONCLUSION: Web-based questionnaires are feasible, cost-effective, and time effective in the setting of large-scale epidemiological studies. Although response patterns were remarkably stable over several rounds of reminders with substantially increasing cumulative response rates, future research should address possibilities to further enhance response rates.
OBJECTIVE: We want to present information about response patterns obtained by Web-based survey in a large-scale epidemiological study. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Within the RAPS (Risk Adapted Prevention Strategies for colorectal cancer [CRC]) study, we invited 160,000 randomly selected persons aged 40-54 years in three large German cities from 2015 to 2016 to complete a Web-based questionnaire on CRC risk factors and screening (97 items, average time for completion 15 minutes). Invitation letters and up to two reminder letters were sent to each individual. RESULTS: A total of 21.4% of women and 18.0% of men completed the questionnaire. Overall cumulative response rates were 7.5%, 14.3%, and 19.6% after the initial invitation letter, and the first and second reminder, respectively, with prevalence of and associations of key epidemiological parameters (such as family history of cancer, previous colonoscopy, etc.) being remarkably stable across waves of responses. For example, the sex and age distribution of the sample did not change with additional answers gained from additional letters. CONCLUSION: Web-based questionnaires are feasible, cost-effective, and time effective in the setting of large-scale epidemiological studies. Although response patterns were remarkably stable over several rounds of reminders with substantially increasing cumulative response rates, future research should address possibilities to further enhance response rates.
Authors: Paul T Enlow; Thao-Ly T Phan; Amanda M Lewis; Aimee K Hildenbrand; Erica Sood; Kimberly S Canter; Gaby Vega; Melissa A Alderfer; Anne E Kazak Journal: J Pediatr Psychol Date: 2022-03-05
Authors: Xuan Li; Ryan M Kahn; Noelani Wing; Zhen Ni Zhou; Andreas Ian Lackner; Hannah Krinsky; Nora Badiner; Rhea Fogla; Isabel Wolfe; Hannah Bergeron; Becky Baltich Nelson; Charlene Thomas; Paul J Christos; Ravi N Sharaf; Evelyn Cantillo; Kevin Holcomb; Eloise Chapman-Davis; Melissa K Frey Journal: JCO Clin Cancer Inform Date: 2021-06