Incentives increased return rates but did not influence partial nonresponse or treatment outcome in a randomized trial.
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Incentives increased return rates but did not influence partial nonresponse or treatment outcome in a randomized trial. / Dirmaier, Jörg; Harfst, Timo; Koch-Gromus, Uwe; Schulz, Holger.
in: J CLIN EPIDEMIOL, Jahrgang 60, Nr. 12, 12, 2007, S. 1263-1270.Publikationen: SCORING: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift/Zeitung › SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz › Forschung › Begutachtung
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Incentives increased return rates but did not influence partial nonresponse or treatment outcome in a randomized trial.
AU - Dirmaier, Jörg
AU - Harfst, Timo
AU - Koch-Gromus, Uwe
AU - Schulz, Holger
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to analyze monetary incentives and shortening the questionnaire as means of increasing response rates in a mailed follow-up survey 1 year after inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment. Additionally, effects on partial nonresponse and the assessment of treatment outcome were examined. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: In a 2x2 factorial design, a sample of 3,825 patients was randomized to the two following interventions: (1) receiving a prepaid monetary incentive or none; and (2) getting a short or a long questionnaire. Treatment outcome was measured prospectively by a self-assessment instrument for psychopathology. RESULTS: When using incentives, the response rate significantly increased by 7.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6-11.9%). Receiving a short questionnaire led to an augmentation of the response rate of 3.7% (95% CI 0.9-8.3%), which was not significant. The corresponding odds ratios were significantly increased for monetary incentives (1.36; 95% CI 1.30-1.88), and when abridging the questionnaire (1.15; 95% CI 1.01-1.31). However, partial nonresponse and treatment outcome were independent of the two factors. CONCLUSION: Incentives and a shorter questionnaire led to higher return rates but did not affect partial nonresponse and self-report of treatment outcome in a randomized postal survey.
AB - OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to analyze monetary incentives and shortening the questionnaire as means of increasing response rates in a mailed follow-up survey 1 year after inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment. Additionally, effects on partial nonresponse and the assessment of treatment outcome were examined. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: In a 2x2 factorial design, a sample of 3,825 patients was randomized to the two following interventions: (1) receiving a prepaid monetary incentive or none; and (2) getting a short or a long questionnaire. Treatment outcome was measured prospectively by a self-assessment instrument for psychopathology. RESULTS: When using incentives, the response rate significantly increased by 7.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6-11.9%). Receiving a short questionnaire led to an augmentation of the response rate of 3.7% (95% CI 0.9-8.3%), which was not significant. The corresponding odds ratios were significantly increased for monetary incentives (1.36; 95% CI 1.30-1.88), and when abridging the questionnaire (1.15; 95% CI 1.01-1.31). However, partial nonresponse and treatment outcome were independent of the two factors. CONCLUSION: Incentives and a shorter questionnaire led to higher return rates but did not affect partial nonresponse and self-report of treatment outcome in a randomized postal survey.
M3 - SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz
VL - 60
SP - 1263
EP - 1270
JO - J CLIN EPIDEMIOL
JF - J CLIN EPIDEMIOL
SN - 0895-4356
IS - 12
M1 - 12
ER -
