The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trial
Abstract Background The effects of postal questionnaire burden on return rates and answers given are unclear following treatment on an intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to establish the effects of different postal questionnaire burdens on return rates and answers given. Methods Design: A parallel...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2017-03-01
|
| Series: | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12874-017-0319-3 |
| _version_ | 1818574514531860480 |
|---|---|
| author | Robert Hatch Duncan Young Vicki Barber David A Harrison Peter Watkinson |
| author_facet | Robert Hatch Duncan Young Vicki Barber David A Harrison Peter Watkinson |
| author_sort | Robert Hatch |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The effects of postal questionnaire burden on return rates and answers given are unclear following treatment on an intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to establish the effects of different postal questionnaire burdens on return rates and answers given. Methods Design: A parallel group randomised controlled trial. We assigned patients by computer-based randomisation to one of two questionnaire packs (Group A and Group B). Setting: Patients from 26 ICUs in the United Kingdom. Inclusion criteria: Patients who had received at least 24 h of level 3 care and were 16 years of age or older. Patients did not know that there were different questionnaire burdens. The study included 18,490 patients. 12,170 were eligible to be sent a questionnaire pack at 3 months. We sent 12,105 questionnaires (6112 to group A and 5993 to group B). Interventions: The Group A pack contained demographic and EuroQol group 5 Dimensions 3 level (EQ-5D-3 L) questionnaires, making four questionnaire pages. The Group B pack also contained the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS) and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List-Civilian (PCL-C) questionnaires, making eight questionnaire pages in total. Main outcome measure: Questionnaire return rate 3 months after ICU discharge by group. Results In group A, 2466/6112 (40.3%) participants responded at 3 months. In group B 2315/ 5993 (38.6%) participants responded (difference 1.7% CI for difference 0–3.5% p = 0.053). Group A reported better functionality than group B in the EQ-5D-3 L mobility (41% versus 37% reporting no problems p = 0.003) and anxiety/depression (59% versus 55% reporting no problems p = 0.017) domains. Conclusions In survivors of intensive care, questionnaire burden had no effect on return rates. However, questionnaire burden affected answers to the same questionnaire (EQ-5D-3 L). Trial registration ISRCTN69112866 (assigned 02/05/2006). |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-15T00:27:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-43c5c1eb0a504fcd9ed96805e2c061eb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2288 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-15T00:27:38Z |
| publishDate | 2017-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| spelling | doaj.art-43c5c1eb0a504fcd9ed96805e2c061eb2022-12-21T22:42:07ZengBMCBMC Medical Research Methodology1471-22882017-03-011711910.1186/s12874-017-0319-3The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trialRobert Hatch0Duncan Young1Vicki Barber2David A Harrison3Peter Watkinson4Kadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research and Education, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe HospitalKadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research and Education, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe HospitalKadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research and Education, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe HospitalKadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research and Education, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe HospitalKadoorie Centre for Critical Care Research and Education, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe HospitalAbstract Background The effects of postal questionnaire burden on return rates and answers given are unclear following treatment on an intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to establish the effects of different postal questionnaire burdens on return rates and answers given. Methods Design: A parallel group randomised controlled trial. We assigned patients by computer-based randomisation to one of two questionnaire packs (Group A and Group B). Setting: Patients from 26 ICUs in the United Kingdom. Inclusion criteria: Patients who had received at least 24 h of level 3 care and were 16 years of age or older. Patients did not know that there were different questionnaire burdens. The study included 18,490 patients. 12,170 were eligible to be sent a questionnaire pack at 3 months. We sent 12,105 questionnaires (6112 to group A and 5993 to group B). Interventions: The Group A pack contained demographic and EuroQol group 5 Dimensions 3 level (EQ-5D-3 L) questionnaires, making four questionnaire pages. The Group B pack also contained the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS) and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Check List-Civilian (PCL-C) questionnaires, making eight questionnaire pages in total. Main outcome measure: Questionnaire return rate 3 months after ICU discharge by group. Results In group A, 2466/6112 (40.3%) participants responded at 3 months. In group B 2315/ 5993 (38.6%) participants responded (difference 1.7% CI for difference 0–3.5% p = 0.053). Group A reported better functionality than group B in the EQ-5D-3 L mobility (41% versus 37% reporting no problems p = 0.003) and anxiety/depression (59% versus 55% reporting no problems p = 0.017) domains. Conclusions In survivors of intensive care, questionnaire burden had no effect on return rates. However, questionnaire burden affected answers to the same questionnaire (EQ-5D-3 L). Trial registration ISRCTN69112866 (assigned 02/05/2006).http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12874-017-0319-3Health related quality of lifeEQ5DQuestionnaireResponse rateRandomised control trialIntensive care |
| spellingShingle | Robert Hatch Duncan Young Vicki Barber David A Harrison Peter Watkinson The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trial BMC Medical Research Methodology Health related quality of life EQ5D Questionnaire Response rate Randomised control trial Intensive care |
| title | The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_full | The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_short | The effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care: a randomised controlled trial |
| title_sort | effect of postal questionnaire burden on response rate and answer patterns following admission to intensive care a randomised controlled trial |
| topic | Health related quality of life EQ5D Questionnaire Response rate Randomised control trial Intensive care |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12874-017-0319-3 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT roberthatch theeffectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT duncanyoung theeffectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT vickibarber theeffectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT davidaharrison theeffectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT peterwatkinson theeffectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT roberthatch effectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT duncanyoung effectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT vickibarber effectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT davidaharrison effectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial AT peterwatkinson effectofpostalquestionnaireburdenonresponserateandanswerpatternsfollowingadmissiontointensivecarearandomisedcontrolledtrial |