title: Comparison of address-based sampling and random-digit dialing methods for recruiting young men as controls in a case-control study of testicular cancer susceptibility.
abstract: Random-digit dialing (RDD) using landline telephone numbers is the historical gold standard for control recruitment in population-based epidemiologic research. However, increasing cell-phone usage and diminishing response rates suggest that the effectiveness of RDD in recruiting a random sample of the general population, particularly for younger target populations, is decreasing. In this study, we compared landline RDD with alternative methods of control recruitment, including RDD using cell-phone numbers and address-based sampling (ABS), to recruit primarily white men aged 18-55 years into a study of testicular cancer susceptibility conducted in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area between 2009 and 2012. With few exceptions, eligible and enrolled controls recruited by means of RDD and ABS were similar with regard to characteristics for which data were collected on the screening survey. While we find ABS to be a comparably effective method of recruiting young males compared with landline RDD, we acknowledge the potential impact that selection bias may have had on our results because of poor overall response rates, which ranged from 11.4% for landline RDD to 1.7% for ABS.
authors.forename: Bartholt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clagett
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Nathanson
authors.forename: Stephanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ciosek
authors.forename: Monique
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McDermoth
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Vaughn
authors.forename: Nandita
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martonik
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Kanetsky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018579:Patient Selection; D015143:Philadelphia; D011177:Postal Service; D015983:Selection Bias; D013689:Telephone; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: case-control studies; data collection; epidemiologic methods; postal service; telephone; testicular neoplasms