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- Title
Reported response rates to mailed physician questionnaires.
- Authors
Cummings, Simone M.; Savitz, Lucy A.; Konrad, Thomas R.; Cummings, S M; Savitz, L A; Konrad, T R
- Abstract
<bold>Objective: </bold>To examine response rate information from mailed physician questionnaires reported in published articles.<bold>Data Sources/study Setting: </bold>Citations for articles published between 1985 and 1995 were obtained using a key word search of the Medline, PsychLit, and Sociofile databases.<bold>Study Design: </bold>A 5 percent random sample of relevant citations was selected from each year.<bold>Data Collection/extraction Methods: </bold>Citations found to be other than physician surveys were discarded and replaced with the next randomly assigned article. Selected articles were abstracted using a standardized variable list.<bold>Principal Findings: </bold>The average response rate for mailed physician questionnaires was 61 percent. The average response rate for large sample surveys (> 1,000 observations) was 52 percent. In addition, only 44 percent of the abstracted articles reported a discussion of response bias, and only 54 percent reported any type of follow-up.<bold>Conclusions: </bold>(1) Response rates have remained somewhat constant over time, and (2) researchers need to document the efforts used to increase response rates to mailed physician questionnaires.
- Subjects
PHYSICIANS; SURVEYS; MEDLINE; LIBRARY information networks; INTERNET in medicine; COMPARATIVE studies; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL care research; MEDICAL cooperation; RESEARCH; RESEARCH evaluation; RESEARCH funding; EVALUATION research
- Publication
Health Services Research, 2001, Vol 35, Issue 6, p1347
- ISSN
0017-9124
- Publication type
journal article