J. Ward et G. Wain, INCREASING RESPONSE RATES OF GYNECOLOGISTS TO A SURVEY - A RANDOMIZEDTRIAL OF TELEPHONE PROMPTS, Australian journal of public health, 18(3), 1994, pp. 332-334
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.