Abstract
BackgroundPostal questionnaires are often used to assess the results of nasal septoplasty, but response rates vary widely. This study assesses strategies designed to increase the response rate.MethodsPostoperative questionnaires using visual analogue scales (VAS) for nasal obstruction were mailed to 160 consecutive patients alternately allocated to one of two groups. Group A received the questionnaire in the usual manner and group B received a modified cover letter with hand-written name and signature and a hand-stamped return envelope.ResultsOf the 80 patients in each group, 47 (58.8%) in group A and 54 (67.5%) in group B returned the questionnaire (p = 0.25). There were no age or gender differences between the groups, nor did the pre- and postoperative VAS scores differ between the groups.ConclusionThe strategies used in this study increased the response rate to postal questionnaires by 8.7% points, but this was not a statistically significant or clinically meaningful improvement.
Highlights
Postal questionnaires are often used to assess the results of nasal septoplasty, but response rates vary widely
We use the Nasal Surgical Questionnaire (NSQ) [6], which has both a preoperative and a postoperative version, for ongoing evaluation of the nasal septoplasty performed in our hospital
From October 2015 to April 2016 the postoperative version of the Nasal Surgical Questionnaire (NSQ) was mailed to the 160 patients (80 assigned to each group) who had been operated with nasal septoplasty with or without turbinectomy
Summary
Postal questionnaires are often used to assess the results of nasal septoplasty, but response rates vary widely. This study assesses strategies designed to increase the response rate. Response rates to postal questionnaires vary widely from 47 to 98% [2,3,4,5]. The monthly response rate to the postal questionnaires usually varies between 64 and 67%, but in some months, it has been as low as 58%. A Cochrane review [7] evaluated a variety of methods to increase return rates of surveys and postoperative inquiries, such as the use of hand-written patient names, physician signatures, and address on envelopes; statements in the cover letter about the confidentiality of the patient’s responses and an obligation to
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