Enclosing a pen reduced time to response to questionnaire mailings

Bell, Kerry, Clark, Laura, Fairhurst, Caroline, Mitchell, Natasha, Lenaghan, Elizabeth, Blacklock, Jeanette, Cushnaghan, Janet, Cooper, Cyrus, Gittoes, Neil, O'Neill, Terence W, Shepstone, Lee and Torgerson, David J and SCOOP Study Team (2016) Enclosing a pen reduced time to response to questionnaire mailings. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 74. pp. 144-150. ISSN 0895-4356

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of including a pen in postal questionnaires on response rate, necessity of reminders, time to response, and completeness of response to the primary outcome question (POQ).   STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) embedded within the screening of older women for prevention of fracture trial (SCOOP). Women, aged 70-75 years, were randomized to receive a pen with their questionnaire (n = 3,826) or to receive the questionnaire alone (n = 3,829). The results were combined with another embedded RCT in a meta-analysis.   RESULTS: A response rate of 92.4% was observed in the pen group compared with 91.3% in the control group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98, 1.37; P = 0.08). There was a difference in reminders required (OR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.98; P = 0.02), time to response (hazard ratio = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.11; P = 0.01) and some difference in the completeness of response to the POQ (OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.39; P = 0.05). The pooled OR from the meta-analysis for response rate was 1.21 (95% CI: 1.05, 1.39; P = 0.01).   CONCLUSION: Inclusion of a pen with postal questionnaires potentially has a positive impact on response rates and the number of reminders required. There may be some reduction in time to response. Studies of different participant groups are needed to test the effectiveness over more diverse populations.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	randomized controlled trial,postal questionnaire,response rate,pen,incentive,embedded trial
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School Faculty of Science > School of Pharmacy
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Norwich Clinical Trials Unit Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Services and Primary Care Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023) Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Norwich Epidemiology Centre Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Norwich Epidemiology Centre Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	22 Mar 2016 09:25
Last Modified:	16 Jul 2024 00:44
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/57762
DOI:	10.1016/j.jclinepi.2015.12.004

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