Improving postal survey response using behavioural science: a nested randomised control trial

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Jo Waller¹  Laura A. V. Marlow¹  Emily McBride²  Robert S. Kerrison³  Hiromi Mase⁴ 

[1] Cancer Prevention Group, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King’s College London (KCL), London, UK;Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London (UCL), London, UK;Department of Behavioural Science and Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London (UCL), London, UK;School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK;Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London (UCL), London, UK;

关键词: RCT;    Behavioural science;    Postal response;    Methodology;    Recruitment;    Trials;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12874-021-01476-7

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundSystematic reviews have identified effective strategies for increasing postal response rates to questionnaires; however, most studies have isolated single techniques, testing the effect of each one individually. Despite providing insight into explanatory mechanisms, this approach lacks ecological validity, given that multiple techniques are often combined in routine practice.MethodsWe used a two-armed parallel randomised controlled trial (n = 2702), nested within a cross-sectional health survey study, to evaluate whether using a pragmatic combination of behavioural science and evidenced-based techniques (e.g., personalisation, social norms messaging) in a study invitation letter increased response to the survey, when compared with a standard invitation letter. Participants and outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment. We tested this in a sample of women testing positive for human papillomavirus (HPV) at cervical cancer screening in England.ResultsOverall, 646 participants responded to the survey (response rate [RR] = 23.9%). Logistic regression revealed higher odds of response in the intervention arm (n = 357/1353, RR = 26.4%) compared with the control arm (n = 289/1349, RR = 21.4%), while adjusting for age, deprivation, clinical site, and clinical test result (aOR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.09–1.55).ConclusionApplying easy-to-implement behavioural science and evidence-based methods to routine invitation letters improved postal response to a health-related survey, whilst adjusting for demographic characteristics. Our findings provide support for the pragmatic adoption of combined techniques in routine research to increase response to postal surveys.Trial registrationISRCTN, ISRCTN15113095. Registered 7 May 2019 – retrospectively registered.

【 授权许可】

CC BY