The feasibility of web surveys for obtaining patient-reported outcomes from cancer survivors: a randomized experiment comparing survey modes and brochure enclosures

Abstract

BackgroundCentral cancer registries are often used to survey population-based samples of cancer survivors. These surveys are typically administered via paper or telephone. In most populations, web surveys obtain much lower response rates than paper surveys. This study assessed the feasibility of web surveys for collecting patient-reported outcomes via a central cancer registry.MethodsPotential participants were sampled from Utah Cancer Registry records. Sample members were randomly assigned to receive a web or paper survey, and then randomized to either receive or not receive an informative brochure describing the cancer registry. We calculated adjusted risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals to compare response likelihood and the demographic profile of respondents across study arms.ResultsThe web survey response rate (43.2%) was lower than the paper survey (50.4%), but this difference was not statistically significant (adjusted risk ratio = 0.88, 95% confidence interval = 0.72, 1.07). The brochure also did not significantly influence the proportion responding (adjusted risk ratio = 1.03, 95% confidence interval = 0.85, 1.25). There were few differences in the demographic profiles of respondents across the survey modes. Older age increased likelihood of response to a paper questionnaire but not a web questionnaire.ConclusionsWeb surveys of cancer survivors are feasible without significantly influencing response rates, but providing a paper response option may be advisable particularly when surveying older individuals. Further examination of the varying effects of brochure enclosures across different survey modes is warranted.

Utilizing SEER Cancer Registries for Population-Based Cancer Survivor Epidemiologic Studies: A Feasibility Study

“…For those registries offering both a Web-based option and a paper option of the survey, most participants completed the paper version which may reflect that the initial contact was via a mailed (paper) letter, since SEER registries do not routinely collect e-mail addresses for contact. In Utah, where potential participants were randomized to receive either the paper survey or Web-based survey only, there was a nonstatistically significant higher response rate for the paper versus Web-based survey (6).…”

“…Five registries exceeded their overall sample size target; Louisiana achieved 98% of their overall sample size goal. Among the 992 total participants, the majority completed paper surveys at five of the registries; in Utah, the randomized trial conducted within the study showed that offering a paper survey only yielded a nonstatistically significant higher response rate than offering the Web survey only (6). At Detroit, the majority of participants (66.9%) completed the survey via a phone interview with a registry staff member.…”

“…Different methods were used to administer the questionnaire across registries (Table 1A and B); these methods included paper questionnaires sent through the mail (all registries except Detroit), a Web-based platform (Iowa, LA, Utah, NJ, Detroit), and telephone (Iowa, LA, Utah, Detroit, NJ). Utah conducted a randomized trial within this study to assess the response rate when offering a Web-based versus paper survey; potential respondents, thus, were offered only the survey type associated with the experimental arm to which they were assigned (6). At NJ, LA, and Utah, the questionnaire was available in Spanish.…”

Safety Monitoring of mRNA Vaccines Administered During the Initial 6 Months of the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program: Reports to Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) and v-safe

“…33,34 Younger persons may be more comfortable with smartphonebased surveys and more likely to respond to surveys, generally. 35,36 Using v-safe data, we were able to assess the effects of mRNA vaccination on daily life activities for the first time in adults. Effects on daily activities were most frequently reported on day 1 after vaccination.…”

Challenges in Recruiting U.S. Farmers for Policy‐Relevant Economic Field Experiments

“…Despite evidence that e-mail results in lower response rates, e-mail is significantly less costly to test. Further, there is a need to test if the farmer respondents to e-mail differ than the respondents to postal mail-in the context of medical research they do not differ (Fowler et al 2019;Millar et al 2019). 2.…”