Randomized trial of $20 versus $50 incentives to increase physician survey response rates.
BACKGROUND
Recent experiences of survey researchers suggest that physicians are becoming less willing to complete surveys.


OBJECTIVE
To compare response rates to a mailed physician survey with a prepaid check incentive of $20 versus $50.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Five hundred seventy-eight physicians caring for patients with lung or colorectal cancer in northern California.


METHODS
Proportion of physicians responding to the survey.


RESULTS
Overall, 60.0% of physicians responded to the survey. The response rate was 52.1% for physicians who received a $20 check versus 67.8% for physicians who received a $50 check (P < 0.001). Similar differences in response rates were seen in strata by physician sex, year graduated from medical school, and survey version (all P < 0.001). More than 42% of physicians who received a $50 check responded to the first mailing, compared with only 30.8% of those who received a $20 check (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Among physicians caring for patients with lung cancer or colorectal cancer in northern California, a $50 check incentive was much more effective than a $20 check incentive at increasing response rates to a mailed survey. As physicians become increasingly burdened with surveys, larger incentives may be necessary to engage potential respondents and thus maximize response rates.
Keating
Nancy L
NL
Division of General Internal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. keating@hcp.med.harvard.edu
Zaslavsky
Alan M
AM
Goldstein
Judy
J
West
Dee W
DW
Ayanian
John Z
JZ
D002140:California; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012052:Reimbursement, Incentive / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires