title: Is 'Dear colleague' enough? Improving response rates in surveys of healthcare professionals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explain a strategy to improve response rates from healthcare professionals to a postal survey in the Republic of Ireland.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Response rates to surveys conducted among healthcare professionals have been declining steadily. This paper is based on the development of a response rate strategy to address this challenge.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study in Ireland using a survey instrument that relied on the voluntary participation of managers and healthcare professionals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Database and manual literature searches were undertaken across the literature related to methodology to increase response rates from healthcare professionals. The databases Cinahl, Medline, PsycINFO, Wiley Online Library and Scopus-V.4 were searched using 'response rates' and the terms: 'response rate theory', 'survey response rates', 'increase', 'improve health professionals', 'primary care research', 'health care teams', 'health service research' and 'research participation'. Only English-language publications were reviewed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Researchers must be aware of factors that influence healthcare professionals they seek to engage and so they can create research environments that do not preclude or dissuade practitioners from participating.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The potential impact of poor response rates is a concern for healthcare researchers. Research-based practice is central to improving the quality of health care. Response-rate strategies can enhance research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nurse researchers as part of the broader health research community need to consider potential response rates at the research design stage. Response rate strategies should be developed and outlined as part of their overall research proposal and study reports.
authors.affiliation: National University of Ireland, Galway.
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.affiliation: National University of Ireland, Galway.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hodgins
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D006282:Health Personnel; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: engaging participants; health service research; healthcare contexts; healthcare teams; primary care; response rate strategies