Effect of several recruitment strategies on response rates at baseline in a prospective cohort investigation. The Olmsted County Study of Urinary Symptoms and Health Status among Men.
Epidemiologic survey response rates were studied in relation to maneuvers introduced to improve acceptance: (a) variation in invitation letters, (b) the use of a brochure with the recruitment mailing, and (c) options for interview location. The baseline population-based survey of a prospective cohort investigation of the natural history of benign prostatic hyperplasia was used. Invitations to participate were mailed to eligible, randomly selected men aged 40 to 79 years from the Olmsted County, Minnesota, population during 1989 to 1991. Of the 3874 men identified, 2119 (55%) participated. Overall, there was no difference in response rate according to invitation characteristics (chi 2(5) = 8.02, P = 0.16). Nevertheless, response rates varied with age (chi 2(7) = 30.9, P < 0.001) and home location (rural versus Rochester city; chi 2(1) = 76.9, P < 0.001). This suggests the innovations used to bolster acceptance did not materially improve response rates. Further, since response rates were highest for men aged 60 to 74 years, men with more symptoms and free time may have joined the cohort more often than others.
Panser
L A
LA
Section of Clinical Epidemiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
Chute
C G
CG
Girman
C J
CJ
Guess
H A
HA
Oesterling
J E
JE
Lieber
M M
MM
Jacobsen
S J
SJ
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota / Q000453:epidemiology; D018579:Patient Selection; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology