Open AccessIncreasing response rates of gynaecologists to a survey: a randomised trial of telephone prompts
Author(s) -
Ward Jeanette,
Wain Gerard
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
australian journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1035-7319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-6405.1994.tb00254.x
Subject(s) - medicine , telephone survey , randomized controlled trial , telephone call , family medicine , surgery , advertising , electrical engineering , business , engineering
This study used a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of telephone prompts to increase the response rate of gynaecologists to a survey. A nine‐page questionnaire about management of women with abnormal Pap smears was mailed to Fellows of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. A random sample was contacted in advance by telephone, and nonrespondents received a telephone reminder 14 days after the initial mail‐out. The control group was mailed questionnaires and a reminder letter conventionally. On Day 25, nonresponders in both groups were mailed a second questionnaire. Of the intervention group, 84 per cent responded to the survey compared to 69 per cent of the control group (P = 0.005). A telephone call in anticipation of a mailed questionnaire is highly recommended.