ArticleThe patient2011
Offering results to participants in a diabetes survey: effects on survey response rates.
Article in The patient, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 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
4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Current global practice and implications for future research on disseminating health research results to study participants: A systematic review.PLoS medicine · 2025Pooled it
- Methods to increase response to postal and electronic questionnaires.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Preferred Islet Delivery Device Characteristics and Implantation Strategies of Patients With Type 1 Diabetes.Transplant international : official journal of the European Society for Organ Transplantation · 2023Article
- Who's Not Talking? Nonresponse Bias in Healthcare Employee Well-Being Surveys.Journal of healthcare management / American College of Healthcare ExecutivesArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere are many reasons why an investigator may choose to share results with survey respondents; however, the practice is not universal. Moreover, while there is some evidence that the practice increases response rates, it is of limited generalizability.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to determine both the impact on survey response rates of offering study results to participants, and the extent to which surveyed individuals with diabetes mellitus want results reported back from a postal questionnaire.
methodsIn November-December 2009, we surveyed 4796 randomly selected individuals from a US Midwestern health system diabetes registry. Half of the sample was randomized to receive an offer of survey results as an incentive. Response rates were compared across the two groups. Within the group offered results, we compared those that requested them with those that declined with respect to demographic characteristics, self-reported diabetes severity, and characterization of care received for diabetes.
resultsThe overall response rate was 42.8% (n = 2055). Offering survey results did not impact response rates overall or within specific subpopulations. Of those randomized to the offer of results, 62.1% requested the results (n = 618). Requests for results differed by educational attainment and the rating of diabetes care as poor, although only education remained a significant predictor in multivariate analysis. There were no differences in rates of requests by disease severity or overall health status.
conclusionOffering survey results to potential respondents did not increase the likelihood of response among a patient population with diabetes. Of those that were offered results and returned the survey, 62.1% requested that they receive study results, indicating a potentially important educational opportunity. However, as result requests were driven more by educational attainment than by health status, investigators may want to send results to everyone, not just those that request them.
Indexed as
Identifiers
21995829What 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.