Effect of paper quality on the response rate to a postal survey: A randomised controlled trial. [ISRCTN32032031]

T Justin Clark , Khalid S Khan and Janesh K Gupta

Academic Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Birmingham Women's Hospital, Birmingham, UK

author email corresponding author email

BMC Medical Research Methodology 2001, 1:12doi:10.1186/1471-2288-1-12


Published:	17 December 2001

Abstract

Background

Response rates to surveys are declining and this threatens the validity and generalisability of their findings. We wanted to determine whether paper quality influences the response rate to postal surveys

Methods

A postal questionnaire was sent to all members of the British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE). Recipients were randomised to receiving the questionnaire printed on standard quality paper or high quality paper.

Results

The response rate for the recipients of high quality paper was 43/195 (22%) and 57/194 (29%) for standard quality paper (relative rate of response 0.75, 95% CI 0.33–1.05, p = 0.1

Conclusion

The use of high quality paper did not increase response rates to a questionnaire survey of gynaecologists affiliated to an endoscopic society.