Different response rates in a trial of two envelop styles in mail survey research.
To determine whether academic physicians' response rates to a mail survey depend on the envelope used to mail the survey, we randomized 901 internists affiliated with a university department of medicine to receive a survey in either a university envelope or a Veterans Affairs envelope. The response rate among those receiving the Veterans Affairs envelope (41%) was 20% higher than the response rate among those receiving the university envelope (34%). We conclude that the packaging of a mail survey can influence the response rate.
Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104-2676.
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Asch
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Christakis
D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D011177:Postal Service; D012107:Research Design; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs; D014495:Universities