title: Feedback in web-based questionnaires as incentive to increase compliance in studies on lifestyle factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We explored the use of feedback in interactive web-based questionnaires for collecting data on lifestyle factors in epidemiological studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we report from a cohort study on lifestyle factors and upper respiratory tract infections among 1805 men and women. We introduced interactivity in the form of personalized feedback and feedback on a group level regarding dietary intake, physical activity and incidence of infections in web-based questionnaires as incentives for the respondents to continue answering questions and stay in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed in Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  All participants were randomly selected from the population registry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Personalized feedback was offered in the baseline questionnaire and feedback on a group level in the five follow-up questionnaires. In total, 88 % of the participants actively chose to get personalized feedback at least once in the baseline questionnaire. The follow-up questionnaires were sent by email and the overall compliance at each follow-up was 83-84 %, despite only one reminder. In total, 74 % completed all five follow-ups. However, the compliance was higher among those who chose feedback in the baseline questionnaire compared with those who did not choose feedback.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results show that it is possible to use feedback in web questionnaires and that it has the potential to increase compliance. The majority of the participants actively chose to take part in the personalized feedback in the baseline questionnaire and future research should focus on improving the design of the feedback, which may ultimately result in even higher compliance in research studies.
authors: School of Computer Science and Communication, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: Olle
authors: O
authors: Bälter
authors: Elinor
authors: E
authors: Fondell
authors: Katarina
authors: K
authors: Bälter
mesh_terms: D002755:Choice Behavior; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004032:Diet; D034742:Electronic Mail; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden