title: Differential effectiveness of telephone prompts by medical and nonmedical staff in increasing survey response rates: a randomised trial.
abstract: We conducted a randomised trial to determine the differential effectiveness of a telephone prompt by a medical researcher compared with a nonmedical research assistant in improving response rates of general practitioners to a survey and to compare personnel costs. A national random sample of Australian general practitioners was allocated randomly to two intervention groups. In advance of a self-administered questionnaire, Group A (n = 184) received a telephone prompt by a medical researcher and Group B (n = 189) a prompt by an experienced nonmedical research assistant. Other aspects of survey administration were identical for both groups. The five-month cumulative response rate obtained by the medical researcher (81 per cent) was not significantly different from that of 72 percent obtained by the research assistant (chi 2 = 3.3, 1 df, P = 0.07). For Group A, 279 telephone calls, consuming 23 hours 15 minutes, were made. Group B required more calls (384) and more time (32 hours). Using the relevant award pay scales, the estimated personnel costs for each group were $631 and $601 respectively. We conclude that an experienced nonmedical research assistant is as effective as a medical practitioner in administering telephone prompts to enhance survey response rates, although savings are not necessarily made.
authors.affiliation: Needs Assessment & Health Outcomes Unit, Central Sydney Area Health Service, Camperdown, NSW.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Este
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D003625:Data Collection / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000191:economics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone