title: Use of the hospital postpartum period for population-based research.
abstract: A survey method was developed to conduct population-based research on behaviour in pregnancy by contacting women during the postpartum period in hospital. 85.8% of the eligible women completed the questionnaire in hospital, and follow-up measures increased the response rate to the full questionnaire to 90.8%. A shorter version of the questionnaire was completed by another 3.7% of the women for an overall response rate of 94.5%. The test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was high. This method was very acceptable to women. Non-response was due mainly to women who were missed or to lost questionnaires rather than refusal. It is important to have a high response rate on similar surveys since responders did differ from non-responders on important characteristics. This method should prove useful to other health care planners.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dunkley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andrews
mesh_terms: D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009775:Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Hospital; D009864:Ontario; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D012109:Research Support as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires