title: Response rates for mailout survey-driven studies in patients with head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mailout survey studies are becoming more prevalent in the head and neck literature. The objective of this paper is to summarize response rates in patients with head and neck cancer, and to provide recommendations surrounding methodology used to design and implement mailout survey questionnaires.
  
  
  METHODS
  The results of this paper are from a study assessing the measurement properties of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) in head and neck cancer patients. A modified Dillman tailored design approach was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The methods used yielded a response rate of 80% with this patient population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is a considerably higher response rate than other reports in the oncology literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. david.goldstein@uhn.on.ca
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eskander
authors.forename: Douglas B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Chepeha
authors.forename: Jolie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ringash
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Irish
authors.forename: Aileen M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D037981:Neck Dissection; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011177:Postal Service; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires