Feasibility of comparing risk profiles for cervical cancer between participants and nonparticipants in a screening programme

Abstract

Objective - Feasibility of comparing risk profiles by questionnaire of participants and nonparticipants in a cervical screening programme:- does asking information on sexual behaviour by means of a questionnaire lead to high non-response?- is the non-response selective (related to participation in the screening) and if so how can we limit this? Design -A postal survey on risk factors for cervical cancer, including sexual behaviour, in a group of participants and nonparticipants. Setting - Two villages, Wijchen and Beuningen, situated near Nijmegen in The Netherlands. Subjects - 139 participants and 99 nonparticipants in the national screening programme in 1989 or 1990. Results - Overall, the response to the questionnaire was high: 83% Collecting the questionnaire by asking the women to return it by mail in a stamped addressed envelope and one reminder by phone showed a response rate of 79% This response was selective: 93% of the participants in the screening responded and 61% of the nonparticipants. Collecting them personally showed an extremely high response of 96% which was not selective. Main Conclusion - Obtaining information on sexual behaviour by questionnaire is feasible.- Selective response can be limited by an extremely high response rate, which can be achieved by collecting the questionnaires personally. © 1994 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.