title: Enhancing response rates to a smoking survey for enlisted U.S. Navy women.
abstract: This study examined the effectiveness of a stepped approach for increasing response rates to a mailed follow-up smoking survey among newly enlisted women in the navy. The effect of the stepped approach on response rates and on the characteristics of respondents was evaluated. Also, costs were estimated for each of the steps to determine their relative benefits. Results showed that the stepped approach was effective in more than doubling the survey response rate among smokers. Reluctant respondents did not differ from on-time respondents in terms of demographics or baseline smoking, although nonrespondents were less educated and heavier smokers than on-time and reluctant respondents. Strategies documented here could well apply to survey efforts with other hard-to-reach populations.
authors.affiliation: San Diego State University, Graduate School of Public Health, CA 92123, USA. swoodruf@mail.sdsu.edu
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Woodruff
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Conway
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008889:Military Personnel; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000191:economics; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014481:United States