SynthesisBMC medical research methodology2006
Maximising response to postal questionnaires--a systematic review of randomised trials in health research.
Synthesis in BMC medical research methodology, 2006. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 135 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
135 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Methods to increase response to postal and electronic questionnaires.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Identifying additional studies for a systematic review of retention strategies in randomised controlled trials: making contact with trials units and trial methodologists.Systematic reviews · 2017Pooled it
- The effectiveness of recruitment strategies on general practitioner's survey response rates - a systematic review.BMC medical research methodology · 2014Pooled it
- Strategies to improve retention in randomised trials: a Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open · 2014Pooled it
- Strategies to improve retention in randomised trials.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2013Pooled it
- A systematic review of the effect of retention methods in population-based cohort studies.BMC public health · 2011Pooled it
- Improving postal survey response using behavioural science: a nested randomised control trial.BMC medical research methodology · 2021Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- The feasibility of web surveys for obtaining patient-reported outcomes from cancer survivors: a randomized experiment comparing survey modes and brochure enclosures.BMC medical research methodology · 2019Trial
- Randomized controlled comparison of cross-sectional survey approaches to optimize follow-up completeness in clinical studies.PloS one · 2019Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- Understanding Response Rates to Surveys About Family Members' Psychological Symptoms After Patients' Critical Illness.Journal of pain and symptom management · 2017Trial
- The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trial.BMC medical research methodology · 2017Trial
- National survey of physicians to determine the effect of unconditional incentives on response rates of physician postal surveys.BMJ open · 2015Trial
- The impact of non-responders on health and lifestyle outcomes in an intervention study.BMC research notes · 2014Trial
- The effect of an internet option and single-sided printing format to increase the response rate to a population-based study: a randomized controlled trial.BMC medical research methodology · 2014Trial
- Reduction of potentially inappropriate medications using the STOPP criteria in frail older inpatients: a randomised controlled study.Drugs & aging · 2014Trial
- Improving diet, physical activity and other lifestyle behaviours using computer-tailored advice in general practice: a randomised controlled trial.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2012Trial
75 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPostal self-completion questionnaires offer one of the least expensive modes of collecting patient based outcomes in health care research. The purpose of this review is to assess the efficacy of methods of increasing response to postal questionnaires in health care studies on patient populations.
methodsThe following databases were searched: Medline, Embase, CENTRAL, CDSR, PsycINFO, NRR and ZETOC. Reference lists of relevant reviews and relevant journals were hand searched. Inclusion criteria were randomised trials of strategies to improve questionnaire response in health care research on patient populations. Response rate was defined as the percentage of questionnaires returned after all follow-up efforts. Study quality was assessed by two independent reviewers. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios.
resultsThirteen studies reporting fifteen trials were included. Implementation of reminder letters and telephone contact had the most significant effect on response rates (odds ratio 3.7, 95% confidence interval 2.30 to 5.97 p = or <0.00001). Shorter questionnaires also improved response rates to a lesser degree (odds ratio 1.4, 95% confidence interval 1.19 to 1.54). No evidence was found that incentives, re-ordering of questions or including an information brochure with the questionnaire confer any additional advantage.
conclusionImplementing repeat mailing strategies and/or telephone reminders may improve response to postal questionnaires in health care research. Making the questionnaire shorter may also improve response rates. There is a lack of evidence to suggest that incentives are useful. In the context of health care research all strategies to improve response to postal questionnaires require further evaluation.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.