Maximising response from GPs to questionnaire surveys: do length or incentives make a difference?

ABSTRACT:

Background

General Practitioners (GPs) respond poorly to postal surveys. Consequently there is potential for reduced data quality and bias in the findings. In general population surveys, response to postal questionnaires may be improved by reducing their length and offering incentives. The aim of this study was to investigate whether questionnaire length and/or the offer of an incentive improves the response of GPs to a postal questionnaire survey.

Methods

A postal questionnaire survey was sent to 800 UK GPs randomly selected from Binley's database; a database containing contact details of professionals working in UK general practices. The random sample of GPs was assigned to one of four groups of 200, each receiving a different questionnaire, either a standard (eight sides

SUBMITTER: Cottrell E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4293861 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature