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Randomized Trial of $5 Versus $10 Monetary Incentives, Envelope Size, and Candy to Increase Physician Response Rates to Mailed Questionnaires

Medical CarePublished 1 September 2002
Scott D. Halpern, Peter A. Ubel, Jesse A. Berlin, David A. Asch
Citations101
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score1.57
SNIP1.38

TL;DR

Three strategies to increase response rates to mailed physician surveys are assessed: including a $10 versus a $5 cash incentive in the initial mailing, including a mint candy or not, and using a large versus small outgoing envelope.

Abstract

Investigators may increase response rates by including more money in the initial questionnaire packet, but there may be diminishing returns to serial increments in incentives greater than 5 dollars. Including smaller incentives in more questionnaires may maximize total responses.

Keywords

Social SciencesEconomics, Econometrics and FinanceBusiness, Management and Accounting