Evaluation of the Total Design Method in a survey of Japanese dentists

Background  

This study assessed the application of the Total Design Method (TDM) in a mail survey of Japanese dentists. The TDM was chosen because survey response rates in Japan are unacceptably low and the TDM had previously been used in a general population survey.     

Acceptability of a Touch Screen Tablet Psychosocial Survey Administered to Radiation Therapy Patients in Japan

Background

Studies in western clinical settings suggest that touch screen computer surveys are an acceptable mode of collecting information about cancer patients’ wellbeing

Purpose

We examined the acceptability of a touch screen tablet survey among cancer patients in Japan.

Methods

Eligible patients (n?=?262) attending a university hospital radiation therapy (RT) department were invited to complete a touch screen tablet survey about psychosocial communication and care. Survey consent and completion rates, the proportion and characteristics of patients who completed the touch screen survey unassisted, and patient-reported acceptability were assessed.

Results

Of 158 consenting patients (consent rate 60 % [95 % CI 54, 66 %] of eligible patients), 152 completed the touch screen computer survey (completion rate 58 % [95 % CI 52, 64 %] of eligible patients). The survey was completed without assistance by 74 % (n?=?113; 95 % CI 67, 81 %) of respondents. Older age was associated with higher odds of having assistance with survey completion (OR 1.09; 95 % CI 1.04, 1.14 %). Ninety-two percent of patients (95 % CI 86, 96 %) felt that the touch screen survey was easy to use and 95 % (95 % CI 90, 98 %) agreed or strongly agreed that they were comfortable answering the questions. Overall, 65 % (95 % CI 57, 73 %) of respondents would be willing to complete such a survey more than once while waiting for RT treatment.

Conclusions

Although patient self-reported acceptability of the touch screen survey was high, self-administered touch screen tablet surveys may not be entirely appropriate for older cancer patients or possibly for patients with lower educational attainment.

     

Using Online Social Media for Recruitment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Participants: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Background

There are many challenges in recruiting and engaging participants when conducting research, especially with HIV-positive individuals. Some of these challenges include geographical barriers, insufficient time and financial resources, and perceived HIV-related stigma.

Objective

This paper describes the methodology of a recruitment approach that capitalized on existing online social media venues and other Internet resources in an attempt to overcome some of these barriers to research recruitment and retention.

Methods

From May through August 2013, a campaign approach using a combination of online social media, non-financial incentives, and Web-based survey software was implemented to advertise, recruit, and retain participants, and collect data for a survey study with a limited budget.

Results

Approximately US $5,000 was spent with a research staff designated at 20% of full-time effort, yielding 2034 survey clicks, 1404 of which met the inclusion criteria and initiated the survey, for an average cost of US $3.56 per survey initiation. A total of 1221 individuals completed the survey, yielding 86.97% retention.

Conclusions

These data indicate that online recruitment is a feasible and efficient tool that can be further enhanced by sophisticated online data collection software and the addition of non-financial incentives.     

Randomised controlled comparison of the Health Survey Short Form (SF-12) and the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS) in telephone interviews versus self-administered questionnaires. Are the results equivalent?

Background  

The most commonly used survey methods are self-administered questionnaires, telephone interviews, and a mixture of both. But until now evidence out of randomised controlled trials as to whether patient responses differ depending on the survey mode is lacking. Therefore this study assessed whether patient responses to surveys depend on the mode of survey administration. The comparison was between mailed, self-administered questionnaires and telephone interviews.     

Proximity morality in medical school – medical students forming physician morality "on the job": Grounded theory analysis of a student survey

Background  

The value of ethics education have been questioned. Therefore we did a student survey on attitudes about the teaching of ethics in Swedish medical schools.     

Identifying obstacles to participation in a questionnaire survey on widowers' grief

Background  

The aim of this study was to determine if Icelandic widowers might foresee obstacles to responding to a questionnaire on bereavement. Also, we sought to compare the proportion of men reporting obstacles in a telephone interview to the actual response rate in the questionnaire survey.     

The use of mobile phones as a data collection tool: A report from a household survey in South Africa

Background  

To investigate the feasibility, the ease of implementation, and the extent to which community health workers with little experience of data collection could be trained and successfully supervised to collect data using mobile phones in a large baseline survey     

Developing a curriculum statement based on clinical practice: genetics in primary care

Background

Advances in medical genetics are increasingly being incorporated into clinical management outside specialist genetic services. This study was therefore undertaken to develop learning outcomes in genetics for general practice specialty training, using methods to ensure the knowledge, skills, and attitudes relevant to genetics in primary care were identified.

Aim

To identify key knowledge, skills, and attitudes in genetics and to synthesise these into learning outcomes to assist training in genetics for primary care.

Design of study

Delphi survey and review by expert group.

Setting

Primary care practices and Regional Genetics Centre in the West Midlands region of the UK.

Method

A modified Delphi survey involved GP trainers, programme directors, and geneticists (n = 60). The results, along with results from a survey of GP registrars, were reviewed by an expert group, which included GPs, geneticists, and educationalists.

Results

Core genetics topics for GPs were identified, prioritised, and developed into competency statements in the style of the curriculum structure of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Conclusion

The development of the GP curriculum statement Genetics in Primary Care was based on a study of educational needs, incorporating the views of practitioners (GP trainers, programme directors, and registrars) and specialists (clinical geneticists). This inclusive approach has enabled the identification of learning outcomes which directly reflect clinical practice.     

Development of a web-based survey for monitoring daily health and its application in an epidemiological survey

Background

Early detection of symptoms arising from exposure to pathogens, harmful substances, or environmental changes is required for timely intervention. The administration of Web-based questionnaires is a potential method for collecting information from a sample population.

Objective

The objective of our study was to develop a Web-based daily questionnaire for health (WDQH) for symptomatic surveillance.

Methods

We adopted two different survey methods to develop the WDQH: an Internet panel survey, which included participants already registered with an Internet survey company, and the Tokyo Consumers’ Co-operative Union (TCCU) Internet survey, in cooperation with the Japanese Consumers’ Co-operative Union, which recruited participants by website advertising. The Internet panel survey participants were given a fee every day for providing answers, and the survey was repeated twice with modified surveys and collection methods: Internet Panel Survey I was conducted every day, and Internet Panel Survey II was conducted every 3 days to reduce costs. We examined whether the survey remained valid by reporting health conditions on day 1 over a 3-day period, and whether the response rate would vary among groups with different incentives. In the TCCU survey, participants were given a fee only for initially registering, and health information was provided in return for survey completion. The WDQH included the demographic details of participants and prompted them to answer questions about the presence of various symptoms by email. Health information collected by the WDQH was then used for the syndromic surveillance of infection.

Results

Response rates averaged 47.3% for Internet Panel Survey I, 42.7% for Internet Panel Survey II, and 40.1% for the TCCU survey. During a seasonal influenza epidemic, the WDQH detected a rapid increase in the number of participants with fever through the early aberration reporting system.

Conclusions

We developed a health observation method based on self-reporting by participants via the Internet. We validated the usefulness of the WDQH by its practical use in syndromic surveillance.     

Cancer patients' attitudes towards Chinese medicine: a Hong Kong survey

Background  

This article reports a survey conducted in Hong Kong on the cancer patients' attitudes towards Chinese medicine treatment.     

Fitting multilevel models in complex survey data with design weights: Recommendations

Background  

Multilevel models (MLM) offer complex survey data analysts a unique approach to understanding individual and contextual determinants of public health. However, little summarized guidance exists with regard to fitting MLM in complex survey data with design weights. Simulation work suggests that analysts should scale design weights using two methods and fit the MLM using unweighted and scaled-weighted data. This article examines the performance of scaled-weighted and unweighted analyses across a variety of MLM and software programs.     

Risk taking in general practice: GP out-of-hours referrals to hospital

Background

Emergency admissions to hospital at night and weekends are distressing for patients and disruptive for hospitals. Many of these admissions result from referrals from GP out-of-hours (OOH) providers.

Aim

To compare rates of referral to hospital for doctors working OOH before and after the new general medical services contract was introduced in Bristol in 2005; to explore the attitudes of GPs to referral to hospital OOH; and to develop an understanding of the factors that influence GPs when they refer patients to hospital.

Design of study

Cross-sectional comparison of admission rates; postal survey.

Setting

Three OOH providers in south-west England.

Method

Referral rates were compared for 234 GPs working OOH, and questionnaires explored their attitudes to risk.

Results

There was no change in referral rates after the change in contract or in the greater than fourfold variation between those with the lowest and highest referral rates found previously. Female GPs made fewer home visits and had a higher referral rate for patients seen at home. One-hundred and fifty GPs responded to the survey. Logistic regression of three combined survey risk items, sex, and place of visit showed that GPs with low ‘tolerance of risk’ scores were more likely to be high referrers to hospital (P<0.001).

Conclusion

GPs'' threshold of risk is important for explaining variations in referral to hospital.     

Counseling for personal care options at neonatal end of life: a quantitative and qualitative parent survey

Background

The death of a newborn is a traumatic life changing event in the lives of parents. We hypothesized that bereaved parents of newborn infants want to have choices in the personal care of their infant at the end of life.

Methods

Parents who had suffered a perinatal or neonatal loss between 1 and 6 years before the survey in a regional level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and associated labor and delivery room were invited to participate. Parents chose between an online survey, paper survey or telephone interview. The survey included multiple choice and open ended questions.

Results

Parents prefer multiple options for the personal care of their infant at the end of life. Emergent themes were need for guidance by the medical team, memory making, feeling cared for and respected by staff, and regrets related to missed opportunities.

Conclusion

While parents differ in their preferences in utilizing specific personal care options for their infant’s end of life, they share a common preference for being presented with multiple options to choose from and in being guided and supported by healthcare providers, while being afforded the opportunity to make memories with their infant by bonding with and parenting them.

     

Early life factors,childhood cognition and postal questionnaire response rate in middle age: the Aberdeen <Emphasis Type="Italic">Children of the 1950s</Emphasis>study

Background  

Little is known about the relationship between early life factors and survey response in epidemiological studies of adults.     

Strategies for achieving a high response rate in a home interview survey

Background  

Response rates in surveys have been falling over the last 20 years, leading to the need for novel approaches to enhance recruitment. This study describes strategies used to maximise recruitment to a home interview survey of mothers with young children living in areas of high deprivation.     

Double–blind control of the data manager doesn't have any impact on data entry reliability and should be considered as an avoidable cost

Background  

Database systems have been developed to store data from large medical trials and survey studies. However, a reliable data storage system does not guarantee data entering reliability.     

Access to chronic disease care in general practice: the acceptability of implementing systematic waiting-room screening using computer-based patient-reported risk status

Background

Routine screening and advice regarding risky lifestyle behaviours is appropriate in the primary care setting, but often not implemented. Routine electronic collection of patients’ self-reported data may streamline the collection of such information.

Aim

To explore the perceptions of GPs and their attending patients regarding the acceptability of waiting-room touchscreen computers for the collection of health behaviour information. Uptake, ease of operation, and the perceived likelihood of future implementation were studied.

Design and setting

Cross-sectional health-risk survey. General practices in metropolitan areas in Australia.

Method

Practices were randomly selected by postcode. Consecutive patients who were eligible to take part in the study were approached in the waiting room and invited to do so. Participants completed the touchscreen health survey. A subsample of patients and GPs completed additional items regarding acceptability.

Results

Twelve general practices participated in the study, with 4058 patients (86%) and 51 of 68 (75%) GPs consenting to complete the health-risk survey, 596 patients and 30 GPs were selected to complete the acceptability survey. A majority of the 30 GPs indicated that the operation of the survey was not disruptive to practice and more than 90% of patients responded positively to all items regarding its operation. More than three-quarters of the patient sample were willing to consider allowing their responses to be kept on file and complete such surveys in the future.

Conclusion

As waiting-room-based collection of this information appears to be both feasible and acceptable, practitioners should consider collecting and incorporating routine patient-reported health behaviours for inclusion in the medical record.