ArticlePloS one2014
Efficiencies of Internet-based digital and paper-based scientific surveys and the estimated costs and time for different-sized cohorts.
Article in PloS one, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers.
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Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed.
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- Post-surgery spontaneous pneumothorax: Long-term recurrence rates and follow-up challenges revealed by a written survey.PloS one · 2024Article
- Sleep Quality in Older People: The Impact of Age, Professional Activity, Financial Situation, and Chronic Diseases During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2023Article
- Professional challenges of nurses working during the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic.International journal of occupational medicine and environmental health · 2023Article
- The Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Polish Version of the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale Tool.Journal of nursing management · 2023Article
- The Relationship between Sociodemographic, Professional, and Incentive Factors and Self-Reported Level of Physical Activity in the Nurse Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Observational
- How far has the digitization of medical teaching progressed in times of COVID-19? A multinational survey among medical students and lecturers in German-speaking central Europe.BMC medical education · 2022Article
- Is student mentoring career-defining in surgical disciplines? A comparative survey among medical schools and medical students for mentoring programs.Frontiers in medicine · 2022Article
- Stress and Coping Strategies of Nurses Working with Patients Infected with and Not Infected with SARS-CoV-2 Virus.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Digitization in gynecology and obstetrics in times of COVID-19: Results of a national survey.Internet interventions · 2021Article
- Telemedicine as a Therapeutic Option in Sports Medicine: Results of a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study among Physicians and Patients in Germany.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Nutrition Information in Oncology - Extending the Electronic Patient-Record Data Set.Journal of medical systems · 2020Article
- Use of Online or Paper Surveys by Australian Women: Longitudinal Study of Users, Devices, and Cohort Retention.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
aimsTo evaluate the relative efficiencies of five Internet-based digital and three paper-based scientific surveys and to estimate the costs for different-sized cohorts.
methodsInvitations to participate in a survey were distributed via e-mail to employees of two university hospitals (E1 and E2) and to members of a medical association (E3), as a link placed in a special text on the municipal homepage regularly read by the administrative employees of two cities (H1 and H2), and paper-based to workers at an automobile enterprise (P1) and college (P2) and senior (P3) students. The main parameters analyzed included the numbers of invited and actual participants, and the time and cost to complete the survey. Statistical analysis was descriptive, except for the Kruskal-Wallis-H-test, which was used to compare the three recruitment methods. Cost efficiencies were compared and extrapolated to different-sized cohorts.
resultsThe ratios of completely answered questionnaires to distributed questionnaires were between 81.5% (E1) and 97.4% (P2). Between 6.4% (P1) and 57.0% (P2) of the invited participants completely answered the questionnaires. The costs per completely answered questionnaire were $0.57-$1.41 (E1-3), $1.70 and $0.80 for H1 and H2, respectively, and $3.36-$4.21 (P1-3). Based on our results, electronic surveys with 10, 20, 30, or 42 questions would be estimated to be most cost (and time) efficient if more than 101.6-225.9 (128.2-391.7), 139.8-229.2 (93.8-193.6), 165.8-230.6 (68.7-115.7), or 188.2-231.5 (44.4-72.7) participants were required, respectively.
conclusionsThe study efficiency depended on the technical modalities of the survey methods and engagement of the participants. Depending on our study design, our results suggest that in similar projects that will certainly have more than two to three hundred required participants, the most efficient way of conducting a questionnaire-based survey is likely via the Internet with a digital questionnaire, specifically via a centralized e-mail.
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