title: Population Survey Features and Response Rates: A Randomized Experiment.
abstract: To study the effects of several survey features on response rates in a general population health survey.
  
  
  
  In 2012 and 2013, 8000 households in British Columbia, Canada, were randomly allocated to 1 of 7 survey variants, each containing a different combination of survey features. Features compared included administration modes (paper vs online), prepaid incentive ($2 coin vs none), lottery incentive (instant vs end-of-study), questionnaire length (10 minutes vs 30 minutes), and sampling frame (InfoCanada vs Canada Post).
  
  
  
  The overall response rate across the 7 groups was 27.9% (range = 17.1-43.4). All survey features except the sampling frame were associated with statistically significant differences in response rates. The survey mode elicited the largest effect on the odds of response (odds ratio [OR] = 2.04; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.61, 2.59), whereas the sampling frame showed the least effect (OR = 1.14; 95% CI = 0.98, 1.34). The highest response was achieved by mailing a short paper survey with a prepaid incentive.
  
  
  
  In a mailed general population health survey in Canada, a 40% to 50% response rate can be expected. Questionnaire administration mode, survey length, and type of incentive affect response rates.
authors.affiliation: At the time of the study, Yimeng (Jimmy) Guo was with the University of British Columbia and Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver, BC. Jacek A. Kopec is with the Arthritis Research Canada and the Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Public Health Practice, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Jolanda Cibere is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. Linda C. Li is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of British Columbia. Charles H. Goldsmith is with the Faculty of Health Science at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.
authors.forename: Yimeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: At the time of the study, Yimeng (Jimmy) Guo was with the University of British Columbia and Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver, BC. Jacek A. Kopec is with the Arthritis Research Canada and the Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Public Health Practice, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Jolanda Cibere is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. Linda C. Li is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of British Columbia. Charles H. Goldsmith is with the Faculty of Health Science at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.
authors.forename: Jacek A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kopec
authors.affiliation: At the time of the study, Yimeng (Jimmy) Guo was with the University of British Columbia and Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver, BC. Jacek A. Kopec is with the Arthritis Research Canada and the Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Public Health Practice, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Jolanda Cibere is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. Linda C. Li is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of British Columbia. Charles H. Goldsmith is with the Faculty of Health Science at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.
authors.forename: Jolanda
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cibere
authors.affiliation: At the time of the study, Yimeng (Jimmy) Guo was with the University of British Columbia and Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver, BC. Jacek A. Kopec is with the Arthritis Research Canada and the Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Public Health Practice, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Jolanda Cibere is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. Linda C. Li is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of British Columbia. Charles H. Goldsmith is with the Faculty of Health Science at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: At the time of the study, Yimeng (Jimmy) Guo was with the University of British Columbia and Arthritis Research Canada, Vancouver, BC. Jacek A. Kopec is with the Arthritis Research Canada and the Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Public Health Practice, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Jolanda Cibere is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. Linda C. Li is with Arthritis Research Canada and the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of British Columbia. Charles H. Goldsmith is with the Faculty of Health Science at Simon Fraser University, Vancouver.
authors.forename: Charles H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001955:British Columbia; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011177:Postal Service; D012107:Research Design / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors