Electronic reminders did not improve postal questionnaire response rates or response times: a randomized controlled trial.
J Clin Epidemiol
; 64(9): 1001-4, 2011 Sep.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21292441
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
We aim to evaluate the effectiveness of electronic reminders (ERs) to improve the response rates and time to response of postal questionnaires in a health research setting. STUDY DESIGN ANDSETTING:
This pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT) was nested within a multicenter RCT of yoga for lower back pain. Participants who provided an electronic mail address and/or mobile phone number were randomized to receive an ER or no reminder (controls) on the day they were due to receive a follow-up questionnaire.RESULTS:
One hundred twenty-five participants (32 males and 93 females) mean age 46 (standard deviation 11, range 20-65) were randomized to ER (n=62) or controls (n=63). Overall 85.6% of participants returned postal questionnaires (87.1% ER group and 84.1% from controls). No significant differences were found between the two groups for response rate (difference between groups=3.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI]=-10, 16; P=0.64) or time to response after adjusting for age, gender, and treatment allocation (χ(2) ([3df])=7.10; P=0.07).CONCLUSION:
In the present RCT, we found little evidence for the effectiveness of ERs to increase response rates or time to respond for the return of questionnaires in this study population group.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Serviços Postais
/
Inquéritos e Questionários
/
Sistemas de Alerta
/
Correio Eletrônico
/
Telefone Celular
Tipo de estudo:
Clinical_trials
Limite:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Região como assunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Clin Epidemiol
Assunto da revista:
EPIDEMIOLOGIA
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Reino Unido