Mode of delivery affected questionnaire response rates in a birth cohort study.
Cohort studies must collect data from their participants as economically as possible, while maintaining response rates. This randomized controlled trial investigated whether offering a choice of online or paper questionnaires resulted in improved response rates compared with offering online first.



Eligible participants were young people in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) study (born April 1, 1991, to December 31, 1992, in the Avon area). After exclusions, 8,795 participants were randomized. The "online first" group were invited to complete the questionnaire online. The "choice" group were also sent a paper questionnaire and offered a choice of completion method. The trial was embedded within routine data collection. The main outcome measure was the number of questionnaires returned. Data on costs were also collected.



Those in the "online first" arm of the trial were less likely to return a questionnaire [adjusted odds ratio: 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82, 0.99]. The "choice" arm was more expensive (mean difference per participant £0.71; 95% CI: £0.65, £0.76). It cost an extra £47 to have one extra person to complete the questionnaire in the "choice" arm.



Offering a choice of completion methods (paper or online) for questionnaires in ALSPAC increased response rates but was more expensive than offering online first.
Department of Health and Social Science, University of the West of England, Frenchay Campus, Bristol BS16 1QY, England. Electronic address: Issy.Bray@uwe.ac.uk.
Isabelle
I
Bray
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, England.
Sian
S
Noble
ALSPAC, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, England.
Ross
R
Robinson
ALSPAC, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, England.
Lynn
L
Molloy
School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Road, Bristol BS8 2PS, England.
Kate
K
Tilling
D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
ALSPAC; Cohort study; Mixed mode; Online questionnaire; Randomized controlled trial; Response rates
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