title: Mail versus internet surveys: determinants of method of response preferences among health professionals.
abstract: The authors evaluated determinants of response to Internet-based surveys in a sample (n = 5600) of Texas healthcare professionals. Participants were given the option of responding by mail or over the Web (response, 66%). Internet respondents were younger (p < .001), had worked fewer years in healthcare (p < .001), and were more likely to be male (p < .001) and to work in a hospital (p = .007). Missing questionnaire items were significantly higher among Web responders with regard to age, sex, race, body mass index, and smoking (p < .001). In the final multivariate logistic regression, only male gender (odds ratio [OR] = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.56-2.80) and younger age remained significantly associated with response over the Internet. Age quartile and responding electronically were inversely associated. Taken together with a priori knowledge of the demographic and professional profile of a study population, these findings can be useful in planning and implementation of surveys among healthcare workers.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lusk
authors.forename: George L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Delclos
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burau
authors.forename: Derek D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Drawhorn
authors.forename: Lu Ann
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Aday
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011177:Postal Service / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015983:Selection Bias; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013781:Texas