INCREASING RESPONSE RATES OF GYNECOLOGISTS TO A SURVEY - A RANDOMIZEDTRIAL OF TELEPHONE PROMPTS

This study used a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiv eness of telephone prompts to increase the response rate of gynaecolog ists 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 cont acted in advance by telephone, and nonrespondents received a telephone reminder 14 days after the initial mail-out. The control group was ma iled questionnaires and a reminder letter conventionally. On Day 25, n onresponders in both groups were mailed a second questionnaire. Of the intervention group, 84 per cent responded to the survey compared to 6 9 per cent of the control group (P = 0.005). A telephone call in antic ipation of a mailed questionnaire is highly recommended.