Background: The effect of timing of incentive payments on the response rate of telephone surveys is unknown. This study examined whether up-front or delayed Incentive payments were associated with higher response rates for participation in a telephone interview administered longitudinal cohort study amongst primary care patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, and to compare the costs between the two timing methods. Methods: This study was conducted as part of a naturalistic observation study on the health-related quality of life and health outcomes of Chinese primary care patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. The Incentive payment was in the form of a supermarket gift voucher to the value of HD$50 (US$6.50) and could be used in lieu of cash at a major supermarket chain.720 subjects with lower urinary tract symptoms were randomly assigned into two groups. One group was offered an Incentive of supermarket cash voucher at time of recruitment ('up-front' payment). The other group was told that the voucher would be sent to them after the complete of their 1-year follow-up telephone interview ('delayed' payment). Primary outcomes were the baseline and 1-year follow-up telephone survey response rates. Results: There was no statistical difference in response rates at baseline (p-value = 0.938) or at the 1-year follow-up (p-value = 0.751) between groups. Cost per completed subject interviews for the up-front payment method was USD16.64, whilst cost for the delayed payment was USD 13.85. Conclusions: It appears the timing of Incentive payments does not affect response rates for telephone interview surveys conducted on primary care patients in Hong Kong at baseline or at 1-year follow-up. Delayed Incentive payments can reduce the overall cost per successful case. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02307929 Registered 28 August 2013.
CITATION STYLE
Chin, W. Y., Choi, E. P., & Lam, C. L. (2015). The effect of timing of incentive payments on response rates for cohort study telephone interviews in primary care setting with cost-minimization analysis, a randomized controlled trial. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-015-0073-3
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