To send or not to send: weighing the costs and benefits of mailing an advance letter to participants before a telephone survey.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

A letter was mailed to half the participants (Letter = 137; No Letter = 138) of a 5-year follow-up survey regarding smoking cessation before attempting contact for a telephone interview. The primary outcome was the number of completed surveys per group (response rate). Secondary analyses of the number of telephone calls placed and a cost analysis were performed.

Results

No conclusive effect was found on the response rates per group (59.1% Letter, 50.0% No Letter; p = 0.147). Additionally, a logistic regression, controlling for demographics, revealed that there was no direct effect of sending the letter on response rate (p = 0.369). Non-parametric analysis showed significantly fewer calls (U = 7962.5, z = - 2.274, p < 0.05 two-tailed) and significantly lower costs (

SUBMITTER: Schell C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6238335 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature