A Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis identified several key methods to enhance response rates to postal questionnaires, including a more versus less interesting questionnaire, recorded delivery, and receipt of a monetary incentive[ 2].
61 Using a less comprehensive questionnaire and fewer telephone calls might have increased the number of participants in the intervention group.
Johnson et al (2000), with a somewhat less comprehensive questionnaire, reported odds ratios for both pre- and postmenopausal women, which, when combined, are 1.43 (95% CI, 1.01 2.02) for passive smoking and 1.7 (95% CI, 1.2 2.2) for active smoking.
The women in cohort 4 answered a less detailed questionnaire regarding working conditions with a short description of their work task and if they were exposed to pesticides or not.
As already mentioned earlier, HBM survey projects are often part of a larger study on environment and health, and as in general, participants are requested to fill in a more or less extensive questionnaire.
In the Dutch language, less specific questionnaires for the upper extremity, like the Disabilities for the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, exist.
The number of instruments used only in a single study could suggest these are more or less idiosyncratic questionnaires.
The average time measured for filling out the first TiC-P was 9.4 minutes (SD 5.5) and significantly less for questionnaires that were filled out during follow-up measurements (7.1 minutes; SD 4.7; p < 0.001).
Data retrieved from the postal questionnaires were less comprehensive: Sixty questionnaires were returned fully completed out of the 200 mailed to participants (Response rate: 30%).
Only male participants who scored both 9 points or less in CPQ questionnaire and 7 points or less in CTQ questionnaire were included in the control group.
