title: Questionnaire color and response rates to mailed surveys. A randomized trial and a meta-analysis.
abstract: The authors conducted a randomized trial in Geneva, Switzerland, to assess whether response rates to a mailed survey could be increased by printing the questionnaire on green paper. The authors also conducted a meta-analysis of 10 experimental studies that tested the effect of colored questionnaires on response rates. The randomized trial showed no effect (relative risk of responding [RR] = 1.00). The meta-analysis showed that mailing questionnaires on pink paper increased response rates by 12% (RR = 1.12, 95% confidence interval = 1.01 to 1.25, p = 0.04). Other colors had no statistically significant effect (blue: RR = 1.03, p = 0.49; green: RR = 1.02, p = 0.23; yellow: RR = 0.96, p = 0.30). Overall, using colored instead of white paper had no effect (RR = 1.02, p = 0.17). Thus, printing questionnaires on colored paper does not substantially increase response rates in surveys, except for pink paper.
authors.affiliation: University of Geneva.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Etter
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cucherat
authors.forename: Thomas V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Perneger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003116:Color; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods*; D006302:Health Services Research; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D011177:Postal Service; D012107:Research Design