title: Recruiting women for a study on perceived risk of cancer: influence of survey topic salience and early versus late response.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Understanding the characteristics of early and late survey responders has implications for recruitment efforts and for informing potential response bias. The main objective of this analysis was to examine survey responder status (ie, early vs late response) by sociodemographic characteristics and by salience of study variables among respondents.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from a survey on family cancer history and perceived cancer risk among women at a large managed health-care organization. For baseline and 12-month follow-up surveys, we defined early versus late responder status according to the 95th percentile of the number of days it took to obtain completed interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no significant associations between responder status and sociodemographic characteristics at baseline or follow-up. At baseline, early responders were significantly more likely than late responders to have a personal history of breast cancer (5.2% vs 3.4%, P = .04) and to have been referred for genetic counseling (4.6% vs 2.0%, P = .004). The association between personal history of breast cancer and responder status persisted at follow-up; only 3.5% of late responders at baseline were also late responders at follow-up. Follow-up survey nonresponse rates did not vary by baseline responder status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Survey topic salience is associated with early response and is important for recruitment. However, once recruited, late responders do not remain late responders at follow-up, suggesting that extra efforts made to recruit late responders are worthwhile. Health-related agencies that conduct surveys should consider survey salience in survey administration and recruitment strategies.
authors: Epidemiology and Applied Research Branch, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717, USA. sleadbetter@cdc.gov
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Leadbetter
authors: Nikki A
authors: NA
authors: Hawkins
authors: Lawrence E
authors: LE
authors: Scholl
authors: Frances A
authors: FA
authors: McCarty
authors: Juan L
authors: JL
authors: Rodriguez
authors: Naomi
authors: N
authors: Freedner-Maguire
authors: Sharon Hensley
authors: SH
authors: Alford
authors: Cecelia A
authors: CA
authors: Bellcross
authors: Lucy A
authors: LA
authors: Peipins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016387:Women's Health
references: J Clin Oncol. 1996 May;14(5):1730-6; discussion 1737-40
references: 8622094
references: Health Serv Res. 2013 Jun;48(3):913-30
references: 23046097
references: Ann Pharmacother. 2010 Mar;44(3):424-31
references: 20179254
references: Eur J Public Health. 2002 Jun;12(2):117-23
references: 12073749
references: Am J Epidemiol. 2003 Jan 1;157(1):66-73
references: 12505892
references: J Epidemiol Community Health. 1986 Jun;40(2):174-7
references: 3746180
references: BMC Med Res Methodol. 2007 Jan 25;7:6
references: 17397558
references: Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Apr;113(4):957-966
references: 19305347
references: Ann Intern Med. 2005 Sep 6;143(5):355-61
references: 16144894
references: J Epidemiol Community Health. 1991 Sep;45(3):247-50
references: 1836811
references: JAMA. 2004 Sep 22;292(12):1480-9
references: 15383520
references: J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011 May 18;103(10):788-97
references: 21562245
references: Am J Prev Med. 2003 Feb;24(2):190-8
references: 12568826
references: Public Opin Q. 2000 Fall;64(3):299-308
references: 11114270
references: J Clin Epidemiol. 1997 Oct;50(10):1123-8
references: 9368520