Rates, Delays, and Completeness of General Practitioners' Responses to a Postal Versus Web-Based Survey: A Randomized Trial.

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State: Public
Version: Final published version
Serval ID
serval:BIB_5F1EE7F35417
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Rates, Delays, and Completeness of General Practitioners' Responses to a Postal Versus Web-Based Survey: A Randomized Trial.
Journal
Journal of medical Internet research
Author(s)
Sebo P., Maisonneuve H., Cerutti B., Fournier J.P., Senn N., Haller D.M.
ISSN
1438-8871 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1438-8871
Publication state
Published
Issued date
22/03/2017
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
19
Number
3
Pages
e83
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article ; Randomized Controlled Trial
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
Web-based surveys have become a new and popular method for collecting data, but only a few studies have directly compared postal and Web-based surveys among physicians, and none to our knowledge among general practitioners (GPs).
Our aim is to compare two modes of survey delivery (postal and Web-based) in terms of participation rates, response times, and completeness of questionnaires in a study assessing GPs' preventive practices.
This randomized study was conducted in Western Switzerland (Geneva and Vaud) and in France (Alsace and Pays de la Loire) in 2015. A random selection of community-based GPs (1000 GPs in Switzerland and 2400 GPs in France) were randomly allocated to receive a questionnaire about preventive care activities either by post (n=700 in Switzerland, n=400 in France) or by email (n=300 in Switzerland, n=2000 in France). Reminder messages were sent once in the postal group and twice in the Web-based group. Any GPs practicing only complementary and alternative medicine were excluded from the study.
Among the 3400 contacted GPs, 764 (22.47%, 95% CI 21.07%-23.87%) returned the questionnaire. Compared to the postal group, the participation rate in the Web-based group was more than four times lower (246/2300, 10.70% vs 518/1100, 47.09%, P<.001), but median response time was much shorter (1 day vs 1-3 weeks, P<.001) and the number of GPs having fully completed the questionnaire was almost twice as high (157/246, 63.8% vs 179/518, 34.6%, P<.001).
Web-based surveys offer many advantages such as reduced response time, higher completeness of data, and large cost savings, but our findings suggest that postal surveys can be still considered for GP research. The use of mixed-mode approaches is probably a good strategy to increase GPs' participation in surveys while reducing costs.

Keywords
Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Attitude of Health Personnel, Female, General Practitioners/psychology, Humans, Internet, Male, Middle Aged, Postal Service, Sex Factors, Surveys and Questionnaires, completeness, participation rate, primary care, response time, survey methods
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
04/04/2017 18:35
Last modification date
20/08/2019 14:16
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