Beatriz Goulao1, Anne Duncan2, Ruth Floate3, Jan Clarkson3, Craig Ramsay2. 1. Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK. Electronic address: beatriz.goulao@abdn.ac.uk. 2. Health Services Research Unit, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK. 3. Dental Health Services Research Unit, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to design and evaluate a novel behavior change approach to increase response rates to an annual postal questionnaire in three randomized studies within a trial (SWAT) and replicate the most promising SWAT. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: SWAT1 tested a trial logo sticker on questionnaire envelopes vs. no sticker; SWAT2 tested a theoretically informed letter sent with the questionnaire vs. a standard letter; SWAT3 tested a theoretically informed newsletter sent before the questionnaire vs. no newsletter. The SWATs were conducted within a large dental trial (N = 1,877 adults), and SWAT2 replicated in a different trial in a similar setting (N = 2,372). RESULTS: SWAT1 improved response rates by 1.4%, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-7.2%, 10.0%). SWAT2 improved response rates by 7.0%, 95% CI (1.7%, 12.3%). SWAT3 improved response rates by 0.8%, 95% CI (-5.1%, 6.7%). Replication of SWAT2 as the most promising SWAT showed improvement in response rates of 1.0%, 95% CI (-3.2%, 5.3%). Pooled results from SWAT2 showed an overall improvement in response rates of 3.4%, 95% CI (0.1%, 6.7%). CONCLUSION: A theory-based behavioral approach to design interventions to improve trial response rates showed small but meaningful improvements. The approach presented here can be easily implemented and adapted to address other identified barriers to trial retention.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to design and evaluate a novel behavior change approach to increase response rates to an annual postal questionnaire in three randomized studies within a trial (SWAT) and replicate the most promising SWAT. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: SWAT1 tested a trial logo sticker on questionnaire envelopes vs. no sticker; SWAT2 tested a theoretically informed letter sent with the questionnaire vs. a standard letter; SWAT3 tested a theoretically informed newsletter sent before the questionnaire vs. no newsletter. The SWATs were conducted within a large dental trial (N = 1,877 adults), and SWAT2 replicated in a different trial in a similar setting (N = 2,372). RESULTS: SWAT1 improved response rates by 1.4%, 95% confidence interval (CI) (-7.2%, 10.0%). SWAT2 improved response rates by 7.0%, 95% CI (1.7%, 12.3%). SWAT3 improved response rates by 0.8%, 95% CI (-5.1%, 6.7%). Replication of SWAT2 as the most promising SWAT showed improvement in response rates of 1.0%, 95% CI (-3.2%, 5.3%). Pooled results from SWAT2 showed an overall improvement in response rates of 3.4%, 95% CI (0.1%, 6.7%). CONCLUSION: A theory-based behavioral approach to design interventions to improve trial response rates showed small but meaningful improvements. The approach presented here can be easily implemented and adapted to address other identified barriers to trial retention.
Authors: Katie Gillies; Jamie Brehaut; Taylor Coffey; Eilidh M Duncan; Jill J Francis; Spencer P Hey; Justin Presseau; Charles Weijer; Marion K Campbell Journal: Trials Date: 2021-12-04 Impact factor: 2.279
Authors: Emily McBride; Hiromi Mase; Robert S Kerrison; Laura A V Marlow; Jo Waller Journal: BMC Med Res Methodol Date: 2021-12-18 Impact factor: 4.615
Authors: Jan E Clarkson; Craig R Ramsay; David Ricketts; Avijit Banerjee; Chris Deery; Thomas Lamont; Dwayne Boyers; Zoe Marshman; Beatriz Goulao; Katie Banister; David Conway; Bhupinder Dawett; Sarah Baker; Andrea Sherriff; Linda Young; Marjon van der Pol; Graeme MacLennan; Ruth Floate; Hazel Braid; Patrick Fee; Mark Forrest; Jill Gouick; Fiona Mitchell; Ekta Gupta; Riz Dakri; Jennifer Kettle; Tina McGuff; Katharine Dunn Journal: BMC Oral Health Date: 2021-07-09 Impact factor: 2.757
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