The demographics of e-mail for emergency medicine research.
Escalating costs of research combined with increasing use of e-mail by emergency physicians (EP), justifies studying whether electronic surveying (ES) is a valid methodology for research. Our primary study object is to delineate the demographics of EP with e-mail. Secondary objectives are to ascertain ES response rates and to identify response bias between "individual" versus "bulk" e-mailings. The 1999 American College of Emergency Physicians Membership Guide identified a pool of e-mail addresses. Of the 1,752 EP surveyed, 1,386 (79%) had valid e-mail addresses and 574 responded. A response rate of 41% questions the validity of ES for research. Demographic data of EP regarding mean age (38.2 years); gender (82.4% men); title (86.8% MD); practice (87% ED); practice location (49.6% urban); training (56% EM residency); research participation (65.5%); screening e-mail (7%); is representative of EP overall. Finally, comparison of individual versus bulk e-mail to survey participants showed a 13.6% (5.5-21.7; 95% CI) improvement in overall response.
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Department of Emergency Medicine, Box #8, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, NJ 07960, USA. hvngchstpn@aol.com
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D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012106:Research; D012424:Rural Population; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D012955:Societies, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population