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Effect of questionnaire length, personalization and reminder type on response rate to a complex postal survey: randomized controlled trial

Effect of questionnaire length, personalization and reminder type on response rate to a complex postal survey: randomized controlled trial
Effect of questionnaire length, personalization and reminder type on response rate to a complex postal survey: randomized controlled trial
Background

Minimising participant non-response in postal surveys helps to maximise the generalisability of the inferences made from the data collected. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of questionnaire length, personalisation and reminder type on postal survey response rate and quality and to compare the cost-effectiveness of the alternative survey strategies.
Methods

In a pilot study for a population study of travel behaviour, physical activity and the environment, 1000 participants sampled from the UK edited electoral register were randomly allocated using a 2 × 2 factorial design to receive one of four survey packs: a personally addressed long (24 page) questionnaire pack, a personally addressed short (15 page) questionnaire pack, a non-personally addressed long questionnaire pack or a non-personally addressed short questionnaire pack. Those who did not return a questionnaire were stratified by initial randomisation group and further randomised to receive either a full reminder pack or a reminder postcard. The effects of the survey design factors on response were examined using multivariate logistic regression.
Results

An overall response rate of 17% was achieved. Participants who received the short version of the questionnaire were more likely to respond (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.07). In those participants who received a reminder, personalisation of the survey pack and reminder also increased the odds of response (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.95). Item non-response was relatively low, but was significantly higher in the long questionnaire than the short (9.8% vs 5.8%; p = .04). The cost per additional usable questionnaire returned of issuing the reminder packs was £23.1 compared with £11.3 for the reminder postcards.
Conclusions

In contrast to some previous studies of shorter questionnaires, this trial found that shortening a relatively lengthy questionnaire significantly increased the response. Researchers should consider the trade off between the value of additional questions and a larger sample. If low response rates are expected, personalisation may be an important strategy to apply. Sending a full reminder pack to non-respondents appears a worthwhile, albeit more costly, strategy.
1471-2288
62
Sahlqvist, S.L.
10a97e18-669c-4693-9f20-da0f29caa007
Song, Y.
4c8928f8-f447-4585-96ff-ea6d1d49120f
Bull, Fiona
984c8fec-f6d5-4b0a-b8af-7902318e7728
Adams, E.
abf2ee28-b4b3-415d-832d-5276ba21ac44
Preston, John M.
ef81c42e-c896-4768-92d1-052662037f0b
Ogilvie, David
7cf59095-33d6-408b-8473-039c9e2eabe8
Sahlqvist, S.L.
10a97e18-669c-4693-9f20-da0f29caa007
Song, Y.
4c8928f8-f447-4585-96ff-ea6d1d49120f
Bull, Fiona
984c8fec-f6d5-4b0a-b8af-7902318e7728
Adams, E.
abf2ee28-b4b3-415d-832d-5276ba21ac44
Preston, John M.
ef81c42e-c896-4768-92d1-052662037f0b
Ogilvie, David
7cf59095-33d6-408b-8473-039c9e2eabe8

Sahlqvist, S.L., Song, Y., Bull, Fiona, Adams, E., Preston, John M. and Ogilvie, David (2011) Effect of questionnaire length, personalization and reminder type on response rate to a complex postal survey: randomized controlled trial. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 11, 62. (doi:10.1186/1471-2288-11-62).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background

Minimising participant non-response in postal surveys helps to maximise the generalisability of the inferences made from the data collected. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of questionnaire length, personalisation and reminder type on postal survey response rate and quality and to compare the cost-effectiveness of the alternative survey strategies.
Methods

In a pilot study for a population study of travel behaviour, physical activity and the environment, 1000 participants sampled from the UK edited electoral register were randomly allocated using a 2 × 2 factorial design to receive one of four survey packs: a personally addressed long (24 page) questionnaire pack, a personally addressed short (15 page) questionnaire pack, a non-personally addressed long questionnaire pack or a non-personally addressed short questionnaire pack. Those who did not return a questionnaire were stratified by initial randomisation group and further randomised to receive either a full reminder pack or a reminder postcard. The effects of the survey design factors on response were examined using multivariate logistic regression.
Results

An overall response rate of 17% was achieved. Participants who received the short version of the questionnaire were more likely to respond (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.07). In those participants who received a reminder, personalisation of the survey pack and reminder also increased the odds of response (OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.95). Item non-response was relatively low, but was significantly higher in the long questionnaire than the short (9.8% vs 5.8%; p = .04). The cost per additional usable questionnaire returned of issuing the reminder packs was £23.1 compared with £11.3 for the reminder postcards.
Conclusions

In contrast to some previous studies of shorter questionnaires, this trial found that shortening a relatively lengthy questionnaire significantly increased the response. Researchers should consider the trade off between the value of additional questions and a larger sample. If low response rates are expected, personalisation may be an important strategy to apply. Sending a full reminder pack to non-respondents appears a worthwhile, albeit more costly, strategy.

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More information

Published date: 6 May 2011
Organisations: Transportation Group

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 195201
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/195201
ISSN: 1471-2288
PURE UUID: a585bc89-fa62-42d2-bda4-9be2d94465d9
ORCID for John M. Preston: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6866-049X

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Date deposited: 17 Aug 2011 12:14
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:24

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Contributors

Author: S.L. Sahlqvist
Author: Y. Song
Author: Fiona Bull
Author: E. Adams
Author: John M. Preston ORCID iD
Author: David Ogilvie

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