Delnevo Cristine D, Singh Binu
Center for Tobacco Studies, Rutgers University New Brunswick.
Surv Pract. 2021;14(1). doi: 10.29115/sp-2021-0001. Epub 2021 Feb 4.
Achieving a high response rate for physicians has been challenging, and with response rates declining in recent years, innovative methods are needed to increase rates. An emerging concept in survey methodology has been web-push survey delivery. With this delivery method, contact is made by mail to request a response by web. This study explored the feasibility of a web-push survey on a national sample of physicians.
A total of 1,000 physicians across six specialties were randomly assigned to a mail-only or web-push survey delivery. Each mode consisted of four contacts including an initial mailing, reminder postcard, and two additional follow-ups. Response rates were calculated using the American Association for Public Opinion Research's response rate 3 calculation. Data collection occurred between Febuary and April 2018; data were analyzed March 2019.
Overall reponse rates for the mail-only versus web-push survey delivery were comparable (51.2% vs. 52.8%). Higher response rates across all demographics were seen in the web-push delivery, with the exception of pulmonary/critical care and physicians over the age of 65. The web-push survey yielded a greater response after the first mailing, requiring fewer follow-up contacts resulting in a more cost-effective delivery.
A web-push mail survey is effective in achieving a comparable response rate to traditional mail-only delivery for physicians. The web-push survey was more efficient in terms of cost and in receiving responses in a more timely manner. Future research should explore the efficiency of a web-push survey delivery across various health care provider populations.
实现医生的高回复率一直具有挑战性，且近年来回复率不断下降，因此需要创新方法来提高回复率。网络推送式调查发放是调查方法中一个新兴的概念。采用这种发放方式时，会通过邮件联系以要求通过网络进行回复。本研究探讨了对全国范围内的医生样本进行网络推送式调查的可行性。
将1000名来自六个专业领域的医生随机分配到仅通过邮件或网络推送的调查发放组。每种方式都包括四次联系，包括一次初始邮件、一张提醒明信片以及另外两次跟进。回复率采用美国民意研究协会的回复率3计算方法来计算。数据收集于2018年2月至4月进行；数据分析于2019年3月进行。
仅邮件方式与网络推送方式的总体回复率相当（分别为51.2%和52.8%）。除了肺科/重症监护医生以及65岁以上的医生外，网络推送方式在所有人口统计学特征中的回复率都更高。网络推送式调查在首次邮件发送后获得了更高的回复，所需的跟进联系更少，从而实现了更具成本效益的发放。
对于医生而言，网络推送式邮件调查在实现与传统仅邮件发放相当的回复率方面是有效的。网络推送式调查在成本方面更高效，且能更及时地收到回复。未来的研究应探讨网络推送式调查发放方式在各类医疗保健提供者群体中的效率。
