title: Increasing response rates in physicians' mail surveys: an experimental study.
abstract: It is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain high response rates in physicians' mail surveys. In 1983-84, we tested the effectiveness of two techniques among 604 Quebec physicians who had not responded to an initial letter. A handwritten thank you note at the bottom of the letter accompanying the questionnaire and a more personalized mailout package increased response rates by 40.7 per cent and 53.1 per cent, respectively, compared to control groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maheux
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Legault
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lambert
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008511:Medicine; D009042:Motivation; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology; D011177:Postal Service; D011792:Quebec; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires