Web Survey Bibliography
Background: Research in quality of life traditionally relies on paper-and-pencil questionnaires. Easy access to the Internet has inspired a number of studies that use the Internet to collect questionnaire data. However, Internet-based data collection may differ from traditional methods with respect to response rate and data quality as well as the validity and reliability of the involved scales.
Objective: We used a randomized design to compare a paper-and-pencil questionnaire with an Internet version of the same questionnaire with respect to differences in response rate and completeness of data.
Methods: Women referred for mammography at a Danish public hospital from September 2004 to April 2005, aged less than 67 years and without a history of breast cancer, were eligible for the study. The women received the invitation to participate along with the usual letter from the Department of Radiology. A total of 533 women were invited to participate. They were randomized to receive either a paper questionnaire, with a prepaid return envelope, or a guideline on how to fill in the Internet-based version online. The questionnaire consisted of 17 pages with a total of 119 items, including the Short Form-36, Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and questions regarding social status, education level, occupation, and access to the Internet. Nonrespondents received a postal reminder giving them the option of filling out the other version of the questionnaire.
Results: The response rate before the reminder was 17.9% for the Internet group compared to 73.2% for the paper-and-pencil group (risk difference 55.3%, P < .001). After the reminder, when the participant could chose between versions of the questionnaire, the total response rate for the Internet and paper-and-pencil group was 64.2% and 76.5%, respectively (risk difference 12.2%, P = .002). For the Internet version, 97.8% filled in a complete questionnaire without missing data, while 63.4% filled in a complete questionnaire for the paper-and-pencil version (risk difference 34.5%, P < .001).
Conclusions: The Internet version of the questionnaire was superior with respect to completeness of data, but the response rate in this population of unselected patients was low. The general population has yet to become more familiar with the Internet before an online survey can be the first choice of researchers, although it is worthwhile considering within selected populations of patients as it saves resources and provides more complete answers. An Internet version may be combined with the traditional version of a questionnaire, and in follow-up studies of patients it may be more feasible to offer Internet versions.
Journal of medical internet research(full text)
Web survey bibliography - Journal of Medical Internet Research (32)
- Rates, Delays, and Completeness of General Practitioners’ Responses to a Postal Versus Web-Based...; 2017; Sebo, P.; Maisonneuve, H.; Cerutti, B.; Pascal Fournier, J.; Haller, D. M.
- Comparing Twitter and Online Panels for Survey Recruitment of E-Cigarette Users and Smokers; 2016; Guillory, J.; Kim, A.; Murphy, J.; Bradfield, B.; Nonnemaker, J.; Hsieh, Y. P.
- Methods for Evaluating Respondent Attrition in Web-Based Surveys; 2016; Hochheimer, C. J.; Sabo, R. T.; Krist, A. H.; Day, T.; Cyrus, J.; Woolf, S. H.
- Using Visual Analogue Scales in eHealth: Non-Response Effects in a Lifestyle Intervention; 2016; Kuhlmann, T.; Reips, U.-D.; Wienert, J.; Lippke, S.
- Participation in an Intensive Longitudinal Study with Weekly Web Surveys Over 2.5 Years; 2016; Barber, J. S.; Kusunoki, Y.; Gatny, H. H.; Schulz, P.
- Online Focus Group Discussion is a Valid and Feasible Mode When Investigating Sensitive Topics Among...; 2016; Wettergren, L.; Eriksson, L. E.; Nilsson, J.; Jarvaeus, A.; Lampic, C.
- Assessing the Effects of Participant Preference and Demographics in the Usage of Web-based Survey Questionnaires...; 2016; Mlikotic, R.; Parker, B.; Rajapakshe, R.
- Improving Inpatient Surveys: Web-Based Computer Adaptive Testing Accessed via Mobile Phone QR Codes; 2016; Chien, T. S.; Lin, W.S.
- Surveying End-of-Life Medical Decisions in France: Evaluation of an Innovative Mixed-Mode Data Collection...; 2016; Legleye, S; Pennec, S.; Monnier, A.; Stephan, A.; Brouard, N.; Bilsen, J.; Cohen, J.
- Effect of Web-Based Versus Paper-Based Questionnaires and Follow-Up Strategies on Participation Rates...; 2015; Kilsdonk, E.; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, M. M.; van Dulmen-den Broeder, E.; van der Pal, H. J. H.; van...
- Validity of Internet-Based Longitudinal Study Data: The Elephant in the Virtual Room; 2015; Pugh, C. A.; Summers, K. M.; Bronsvoort, M. C.; Handel, I. G.; Clements, D. N.
- Online Recruitment Methods for Web-Based and Mobile Health Studies: A Review of the Literature; 2015; Lane, T. S.; Armin, J.; Gordon, Ju. S.
- Response Rates for Patient-Reported Outcomes Using Web-Based Versus Paper Questionnaires: Comparison...; 2015; Horevoorts, N. J.; Vissers, P. A. J.; Mols, F.; Thong, M. S. Y.; van de Poll-Franse, L. V.
- Nonprobability Web Surveys to Measure Sexual Behaviors and Attitudes in the General Population: A Comparison...; 2014; Erens, B.; Burkill, S.; Couper, M. P.; C., Clifton, S., Tanton, C., Phelps, A., Datta, J., Mercer,...
- Evaluating a Web-based health risk assessment with tailored feedback: What does an expert focus group...; 2014; Vosbergen, S., Mahieu, G. R. Laan, E. K., Kraaijenhagen, R. A., Jaspers, M. W. M., Peek, N.
- Does Self-Selection Affect Samples' Representativeness in Online Surveys? An Investigation in Online...; 2014; Khazaal, Y., van Singer, M., Chatton, A., Achab, S., Zullino, D., Rothen, S., Khan, R., Billieux, J.,...
- Using Online Social Media for Recruitment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Participants: A Cross...; 2014; Yuan, P., Bare, M. G., Johnson, M. O., Saberi, P.
- Online Survey on Twitter: A Urological Experience; 2013; Dal Moro, F.
- Internet-Based Recruitment to a Depression Prevention Intervention: Lessons From the Mood Memos Study...; 2013; Morgan, A. J., Jorm, A. F., Mackinnon, A. J.
- An Assessment of Incentive Versus Survey Length Trade-offs in a Web Survey of Radiologists; 2013; Ziegenfuss, J. Y., Niederhauser, B. D., Kallmes, D., Beebe, T. J.
- How Should Debriefing Be Undertaken in Web-Based Studies? Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial...; 2012; McCambridge, J., Kypri, K., Wilson, A.
- Use of Web 2.0 to Recruit Australian Gay Men to an Online HIV/AIDS Survey; 2012; Theriault, N., Bi, P., Hiller, J. E., Nor, M.
- Web-Based Recruiting for Health Research Using a Social Networking Site: An Exploratory Study; 2012; Fenner, Y., Garland, P., Moore, E. E., Jayasinghe, Y., Fletcher, A., Tabrizi, S. N., Gunasekaran, B.,...
- Impact of Length or Relevance of Questionnaires on Attrition in Online Trials: Randomized Controlled...; 2011; McCambridge, J., Kalaitzaki, E., White, I. R., Khadjesari, Z., Murray, E., Linke, S., Thompson, S. G...
- Methodological Issues in Internet-Mediated Research: A Randomized Comparison of Internet Versus Mailed...; 2011; Whitehead, L.
- Development of a Web-Based Survey for Monitoring Daily Health and its Application in an Epidemiological...; 2011; Sugiura, H., Ohkusa, Y., Akahane, M., Sano, T., Okabe, N., Imamura, T.
- A Comparison of Psychometric Properties Between Internet and Paper Versions of Two Depression Instruments...; 2010; Andersson, G., Engstroem, I., Hollaendare, F.
- Response rate and completeness of questionnaires: A randomized study of internet versus Paper-and-Pencil...; 2007; Holm- Christensen, K., Hjollund, H. N., Basnov, M., Kongsved, S. M.
- Following Up Nonrespondents to an Online Weight Management Intervention: Randomized Trial Comparing...; 2007; Couper, M. P., Peytchev, A., Strecher, V., Rothert, K., Anderson, K. J.
- Will Web Surveys Ever Become Part of Mainstream Research?; 2004; Schonlau, M.
- Survey of Doctors' Experience of Patients Using the Internet; 2002; Potts, H. W. W., Wyatt, J. C., Pagerey, P. D.
- Using the Internet for surveys and health research; 2002; Eysenbach, G., Wyatt, J. C.