scholarly journals Who Gets Lost, and What Difference Does It Make? Mixed Modes, Nonresponse Follow-up Surveys and the Estimation of Turnout

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 520-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas C Goldberg ◽  
Pascal Sciarini
Keyword(s):  
Voter Turnout ◽  
Measurement Errors ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Politically Active

Abstract This article assesses whether—and to what extent—turnout bias in postelection surveys is reduced by adding a short nonresponse follow-up (NRFU) survey to a mixed-mode survey. Specifically, we examine how the NRFU survey influences response propensities across demographic groups and political factors and whether this affects data quality. We use a rich dataset on validated voter turnout data, collected across two different ballots. In addition to the main survey that comprises computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) and web respondents, both studies include a short follow-up mail survey for nonrespondents. The results demonstrate that collecting extra information from additional respondents on so-called “central” questions is worth the effort. In both studies, the NRFU survey substantially increases representativeness with respect to sociodemographic and participation variables. In particular, voters and politically active citizens are more accurately represented in the NRFU survey. This tends to result in better estimates of turnout determinants in the final (combined) sample than is seen from CATI/web respondents only. Moreover, the increase in response rate and the decrease in nonresponse bias comes at almost no price in terms of measurement errors. Vote overreporting is only slightly higher in the mail follow-up survey than in the main CATI/web survey.

Longitudinal study of prosthesis use in veterans with upper limb amputation

2020 ◽  
pp. 030936462095792
Author(s):  
Linda Resnik ◽  
Matthew Borgia ◽  
Sarah Biester ◽  
Melissa A Clark
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Upper Limb ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Longitudinal Survey ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Upper Limb Amputation ◽  
Upper Limb Prostheses ◽  
Device Type

Background: Little is known about the patterns of prosthesis use and satisfaction of those who cease use or begin to use upper limb prostheses. Objectives: Among a longitudinal sample of Veterans with upper limb amputation, (1) describe changes in prosthesis use over 1 year, (2) examine rates of receipt of new prostheses, and (3) compare prosthesis satisfaction in respondents who received a new prosthesis to those who did not. Study Design: Longitudinal survey. Methods: 808 Veterans who had participated in a baseline interview 1 year earlier were invited to participate in structured telephone interviews. Results: A total of 562 persons with unilateral and 23 with bilateral amputation participated in the interviews (Response rate = 72.4% and 85.2%, respectively). Prosthesis use, frequency and intensity of use, and types of prostheses used were stable over 1 year. About 24% reported using a different primary terminal device type at follow-up than baseline. Prosthesis use was less frequent/intense at baseline among those who discontinued use compared with those who did not ( P < 0.05), and less frequent/intense for those who started compared with those who continued using a prosthesis ( P < 0.0001). Rates of prosthetic training were higher among those who received a different prosthesis type compared with those using the same type ( P = 0.06). Satisfaction scores were higher ( P < 0.01) for new prosthesis recipients, and lower at baseline for prosthesis abandoners compared with continued users ( P = 0.03). Conclusion: Prosthesis abandonment appears to be predicated on dissatisfaction with the device, as well as less frequent/intense prosthesis use. These findings can be used to identify those at risk for prosthesis abandonment and improve their prosthesis experience.

A Nationwide Investigation of a Possible Protamine Drug-Product Defect

1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 643-644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos R. Herrera ◽  
Thaddeus H. Grasela ◽  
Cynthia A. Walawander
Keyword(s):  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Adverse Events ◽  
Coronary Artery Bypass ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Artery Bypass ◽  
Drug Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Network ◽  
Serious Adverse Events ◽  
Telephone Interviews

OBJECTIVE: To follow-up a report submitted to FDA Spontaneous Reporting System, we investigated the hypothesis that there was not a striking increase in unexpected deaths within four hours after elective coronary artery bypass surgery associated with protamine sulfate use. DESIGN: Surveys were mailed to clinical pharmacists at 521 hospitals participating in the Drug Surveillance Network. Questionnaires were to be completed with the assistance of cardiac surgeons and anesthesiologists. Hospitals responding with a suspected problem with protamine were contacted via telephone. RESULTS: Surveys were received from clinical pharmacists at 380 hospitals (73 percent response rate) and 29 hospitals reported the occurrence of potential problems associated with protamine during coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Telephone interviews of the positive responders yielded six cases of possible myocardial decomposition potentially associated with protamine. There was no association with a specific distributor, however, and none of the hospitals reported a dramatic increase in serious adverse events around the time of index cases. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of a widespread public health problem with protamine and a product recall was not necessary. The high response rate and the ability to follow-up with telephone interviews suggests that the Drug Surveillance Network is an effective mechanism for investigating possible outbreaks of serious adverse events in the hospital setting.

scholarly journals Automated and Interviewer-Administered Mobile Phone Surveys in Burkina Faso: Sociodemographic Differences Among Female Mobile Phone Survey Respondents and Nonrespondents (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail R Greenleaf ◽  
Aliou Gadiaga ◽  
Yoonjoung Choi ◽  
Georges Guiella ◽  
Shani Turke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Telephone Interview ◽  
Interactive Voice Response ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Telephone Interview ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Phone Survey ◽  
Voice Response

BACKGROUND The remarkable growth of cell phone ownership in low- and middle-income countries has generated significant interest in using cell phones for conducting surveys through computer-assisted telephone interviews, live interviewer-administered surveys, or automated surveys (ie, interactive voice response). OBJECTIVE This study aimed to compare, by mode, the sociodemographic characteristics of cell phone owners who completed a follow-up phone survey with those who did not complete the survey. METHODS The study was based on a nationally representative sample of women aged 15 to 49 years who reported cell phone ownership during a household survey in Burkina Faso in 2016. Female cell phone owners were randomized to participate in a computer-assisted telephone interview or hybrid interactive voice response follow-up phone survey 11 months after baseline interviews. Completion of the phone survey was defined as participants responding to more than 50% of questions in the phone survey. We investigated sociodemographic characteristics associated with cell phone survey completion using multivariable logistic regression models, stratifying the analysis by survey mode and by directly comparing computer-assisted telephone interview and hybrid interactive voice response respondents. RESULTS A total of 1766 women were called for the phone survey between November 5 and 17, 2017. In both the computer-assisted telephone interview and hybrid interactive voice response samples, women in urban communities and women with secondary education or higher were more likely to complete the survey than their rural and less-educated counterparts. Compared directly, women who completed the hybrid interactive voice response survey had higher odds of having a secondary education than those who completed computer-assisted telephone interviews (odds ratio 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.6). CONCLUSIONS In Burkina Faso, computer-assisted telephone interviews are the preferred method of conducting cell phone surveys owing to less sample distortion and a higher response rate compared with a hybrid interactive voice response survey.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Response Rate and Response Speed in a Mail Survey of Part-Time University Students

1981 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-89
Author(s):  
Gwenna M. Moss
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Response Time ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Speed ◽  
Increase Response Rate ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Mean Response Time ◽  
Part Time

This paper reports the results of an experiment to determine the effects of questionnaire format, reminder format, and followup format on both response rate and response speed in a mail survey. Complete responses were received from 2212 of a sample of 2638 part- time university students, a rate of 83.8%. Mean response time was 16.09 days. Results indicated that: (1) typeset questionnaires were more effective than photocopied question- naires in terms of both response rate and speed; (2) the use of reminder postcards signifi- cantly increased both rate and speed; (3) there was no advantage in hand-addressed reminders over computer-produced labels; and (4) sending a replacement questionnaire as opposed to only a followup letter did not significantly increase response rate, but follow- up format interacted with questionnaire format in influencing response speed.

An Investigation into the Effects of Questionnaire Format and Color Variations on Mail Survey Response Rates

1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond Lagarce ◽  
Judith Washburn
Keyword(s):  
Response Rate ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Response Rates ◽  
Survey Response ◽  
Color Design ◽  
Incentive Program ◽  
Questionnaire Version ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Monitoring Response

This study examines the effect on mail survey response rates of variations in questionnaire color and format. A follow-up mail survey to a corporate incentive program was sent to more than 3,500 participants. Monitoring response rates by questionnaire version showed that a user-friendly format, followed by a two-color design, significantly increased response rates. Question wording and sequencing remained the same across questionnaire versions while format and color varied. A literature review revealed three issues addressed by past studies—structural, functional, and incentive—that impact response rates. Previous studies have found no response rate increases due to altering the color of a questionnaire. However, this study found that a user-friendly format, and to some extent color, was valuable for increasing mail survey response rates. Implications for writers of all forms of communication are drawn.

scholarly journals Cervical cancer prevention among long-term screening non-attendees by vaginal self-collected samples for hr-HPV mRNA detection

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Avalon Ernstson ◽  
Annika Urdell ◽  
Ola Forslund ◽  
Christer Borgfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Cancer Screening ◽  
Cervical Cancer Screening ◽  
Response Rate ◽  
The Self ◽  
Mrna Detection ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Hpv Mrna

Abstract Background The efficacy of cervical cancer screening programs is dependent on the participation rate. To increase participation among women not attending cervical cancer screening, self-collected samples for detection of high-risk human papillomavirus (hr-HPV) may be an option. The aims of this study were: to investigate the response rate to sending a self-collected vaginal sample for hr-HPV mRNA detection to long-term non-attendees; the compliance with follow-up among women positive for HPV in the self-sample; the prevalence of cervical dysplasia (high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL), atypical squamous cells that cannot exclude HSIL (ASC-H) or adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS)) or cancer among the responders; as well as to explore reasons for not returning a self-sample. Methods A vaginal self-sampling kit was sent to 6023 women aged 30–70 years who had not provided a cervical screening sample for ≥7 years in the Region of Skåne, Sweden in November and December 2017. The self-sample was analyzed by Aptima HPV mRNA assay (Hologic). All vaginal self-samples returned no later than May 31, 2018 were included in the study. Follow-up of the results was registered until January 31, 2019 with a follow-up time varying between eight to 14 months. Women positive for hr-HPV mRNA were invited for a follow-up examination. This examination consisted of a cervical sample for cytological analysis and renewed Aptima HPV mRNA testing. Two hundred thirty-five women who had not returned the self-sample were randomly selected for telephone interviews, in order to explore their reasons. Results The response rate for the self-collected vaginal hr-HPV sample was 13.2% [(797/6023), 95% CI 12.4–14.1%] and 9.9% [(79/796), 95% CI 7.9–12.2%] were positive for hr-HPV mRNA. The prevalence of severe dysplasia or cancer in the whole group of responders was 1.3% [(10/796), 95% CI 0.6–2.3%], with a cervical cancer prevalence of 0.4% [(3/796), 95% CI 0.1–1.1%]. Only 27 women participated in the telephone interviews, no particular reason for not returning self-samples was observed. Conclusions Self-collected vaginal hr-HPV samples increased participation in the cervical cancer screening among long-term non-attendees. The prevalence of cervical cancer was almost seven times higher for long-term non-attendees than in the organized screening population.

Effect of Discharge Samples on Duration of Breast-Feeding

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-237
Author(s):  
Claibourne I. Dungy ◽  
Jay Christensen-Szalanski ◽  
Mary Losch ◽  
Daniel Russell
Keyword(s):  
Infant Formula ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Breast Feed ◽  
Breast Pump ◽  
Nighttime Feeding

The breast-feeding patterns of 146 women who initiated breast-feeding during their hospital stay were evaluated to determine whether those women who received a hospital discharge package containing a manual breast pump breast-fed their infants for a longer period of time than did women who received a discharge package containing an infant formula. Women were randomly assigned to receive either a specially prepared pack containing a manual breast pump but no infant formula or a commercially available infant formula package. The women were interviewed in the hospital and by computer-assisted telephone interviews at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks postdischarge. Information obtained included infant-feeding practices, sociodemographic characteristics, and attitudinal data. Follow-up interviews were completed for nearly 85% of eligible women at each time period. Women who received a discharge pack containing a breast pump but no infant formula continued exclusive breast-feeding for a greater number of weeks (mean = 4.18 weeks) than did women receiving infant formula in their discharge package (mean = 2.78 weeks) (P &lt; .05). Also, women who indicated that ease of nighttime feeding was an important consideration were more likely to breast-feed over the entire 8-week period if they received the breast pump rather than infant formula (P &lt; .05). The conclusion is that an easily implemented, low-cost intervention, the inclusion of a breast pump in discharge packages, may increase the duration of breast-feeding.

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