Response rates of Victorian general practitioners to a mailed survey on miscarriage: randomised trial of a prize and two forms of introduction to the research.
OBJECTIVE
To identify whether the form of introduction to a study and knowledge of a substantial prize influence the response rate of general practitioners (GPs) to a postal survey.


METHODS
A postal survey of 700 randomly selected Victorian GPs concerning management of early pregnancy bleeding and miscarriage, incorporating two randomised-controlled trials of recruitment methods; analysis of response rates and costs at 4 weeks and 11 weeks.


RESULTS
The response rate was 61.5% of eligible participants. Doctors made aware of a prize were more likely to respond in the first four weeks (difference in response rate 10.2%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.8%-17.6%). This difference diminished after the first four weeks. Doctors introduced to the survey by a telephone call were no more likely to respond than those introduced by a postcard. The use of a postcard saved 73% of the cost of introducing the survey by telephone. Female doctors were more likely than males to reply (difference 12.3%, 95% CI 4.7%-19.9%). Rural doctors were no more likely to reply than urban doctors. Very few doctors (16.2%) completed a Practice Assessment activity associated with the survey.


CONCLUSIONS
A valuable prize will accelerate response to a survey by GPs, thereby reducing the costs of follow-up. The cost of telephoned introductions is not justified, when compared with a brief written introduction.
McLaren
B
B
Centre for the Study of Mothers' and Children's Health, La Trobe University, Victoria.
Shelley
J
J
D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous; D003625:Data Collection / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011177:Postal Service; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011247:Pregnancy; D013689:Telephone; D014739:Victoria