Randomized trial within a trial of yellow 'post-it notes' did not improve questionnaire response rates among participants in a trial of treatments for neck pain

Helen E. Tilbrook; Taeko Becque; Hannah Buckley; Hugh MacPherson; Mathew Bailey; David J. Torgerson

doi:10.1111/jep.12284

Randomized trial within a trial of yellow 'post-it notes' did not improve questionnaire response rates among participants in a trial of treatments for neck pain

Helen E. Tilbrook, Taeko Becque, Hannah Buckley, Hugh MacPherson, Mathew Bailey, David J. Torgerson

Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

RATIONALE: Attrition is a threat to the validity of randomized trials. Few randomized studies have been conducted within randomized trials to test methods of reducing attrition.

AIM: To test whether using yellow post-it notes on follow-up questionnaires in the ATLAS treatment trial for neck pain reduces attrition.

METHOD: Nested trial within a trial. ATLAS participants were randomized to have their 6-month follow-up questionnaire have a 3' yellow post-it note with a handwritten message encouraging return of questionnaire.

RESULTS: 499 participants were independently randomized using simple allocation to receive the post-it notes or not. Two hundred fifteen of the 256 (84.0%) participants in the intervention group returned their questionnaire compared with 205 of the 243 (84.4%) in the control group. There was no difference in time to response.

CONCLUSION: Yellow post-it notes do not enhance questionnaire return rates for participants in a randomized trial of neck pain.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	202-204
Number of pages	3
Journal	Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice
Volume	21
Issue number	2
Early online date	14 Nov 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.12284
Publication status	Published - Apr 2015

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Attrition
Questionnaire response rates
Trial within a trial

Access to Document

10.1111/jep.12284

Cite this

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title = "Randomized trial within a trial of yellow 'post-it notes' did not improve questionnaire response rates among participants in a trial of treatments for neck pain",

abstract = "RATIONALE: Attrition is a threat to the validity of randomized trials. Few randomized studies have been conducted within randomized trials to test methods of reducing attrition.AIM: To test whether using yellow post-it notes on follow-up questionnaires in the ATLAS treatment trial for neck pain reduces attrition.METHOD: Nested trial within a trial. ATLAS participants were randomized to have their 6-month follow-up questionnaire have a 3' yellow post-it note with a handwritten message encouraging return of questionnaire.RESULTS: 499 participants were independently randomized using simple allocation to receive the post-it notes or not. Two hundred fifteen of the 256 (84.0%) participants in the intervention group returned their questionnaire compared with 205 of the 243 (84.4%) in the control group. There was no difference in time to response.CONCLUSION: Yellow post-it notes do not enhance questionnaire return rates for participants in a randomized trial of neck pain.",

keywords = "Attrition, Questionnaire response rates, Trial within a trial",

author = "Tilbrook, {Helen E.} and Taeko Becque and Hannah Buckley and Hugh MacPherson and Mathew Bailey and Torgerson, {David J.}",

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Randomized trial within a trial of yellow 'post-it notes' did not improve questionnaire response rates among participants in a trial of treatments for neck pain. / Tilbrook, Helen E.; Becque, Taeko ; Buckley, Hannah et al.
In: Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, Vol. 21, No. 2, 04.2015, p. 202-204.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Randomized trial within a trial of yellow 'post-it notes' did not improve questionnaire response rates among participants in a trial of treatments for neck pain

AU - Tilbrook, Helen E.

AU - Becque, Taeko

AU - Buckley, Hannah

AU - MacPherson, Hugh

AU - Bailey, Mathew

AU - Torgerson, David J.

PY - 2015/4

Y1 - 2015/4

N2 - RATIONALE: Attrition is a threat to the validity of randomized trials. Few randomized studies have been conducted within randomized trials to test methods of reducing attrition.AIM: To test whether using yellow post-it notes on follow-up questionnaires in the ATLAS treatment trial for neck pain reduces attrition.METHOD: Nested trial within a trial. ATLAS participants were randomized to have their 6-month follow-up questionnaire have a 3' yellow post-it note with a handwritten message encouraging return of questionnaire.RESULTS: 499 participants were independently randomized using simple allocation to receive the post-it notes or not. Two hundred fifteen of the 256 (84.0%) participants in the intervention group returned their questionnaire compared with 205 of the 243 (84.4%) in the control group. There was no difference in time to response.CONCLUSION: Yellow post-it notes do not enhance questionnaire return rates for participants in a randomized trial of neck pain.

AB - RATIONALE: Attrition is a threat to the validity of randomized trials. Few randomized studies have been conducted within randomized trials to test methods of reducing attrition.AIM: To test whether using yellow post-it notes on follow-up questionnaires in the ATLAS treatment trial for neck pain reduces attrition.METHOD: Nested trial within a trial. ATLAS participants were randomized to have their 6-month follow-up questionnaire have a 3' yellow post-it note with a handwritten message encouraging return of questionnaire.RESULTS: 499 participants were independently randomized using simple allocation to receive the post-it notes or not. Two hundred fifteen of the 256 (84.0%) participants in the intervention group returned their questionnaire compared with 205 of the 243 (84.4%) in the control group. There was no difference in time to response.CONCLUSION: Yellow post-it notes do not enhance questionnaire return rates for participants in a randomized trial of neck pain.

KW - Attrition

KW - Questionnaire response rates

KW - Trial within a trial

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DO - 10.1111/jep.12284

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VL - 21

SP - 202

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JO - Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice

JF - Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice

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