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Efficiencies of Internet-based digital and paper-based scientific surveys and the estimated costs and time for different-sized cohorts
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, PLoS ONE, Vol 9, Iss 10, p e108441 (2014)
- Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- AimsTo evaluate the relative efficiencies of five Internet-based digital and three paper-based scientific surveys and to estimate the costs for different-sized cohorts.MethodsInvitations to participate in a survey were distributed via e-mail to employees of two university hospitals (E1 and E2) and to members of a medical association (E3), as a link placed in a special text on the municipal homepage regularly read by the administrative employees of two cities (H1 and H2), and paper-based to workers at an automobile enterprise (P1) and college (P2) and senior (P3) students. The main parameters analyzed included the numbers of invited and actual participants, and the time and cost to complete the survey. Statistical analysis was descriptive, except for the Kruskal-Wallis-H-test, which was used to compare the three recruitment methods. Cost efficiencies were compared and extrapolated to different-sized cohorts.ResultsThe ratios of completely answered questionnaires to distributed questionnaires were between 81.5% (E1) and 97.4% (P2). Between 6.4% (P1) and 57.0% (P2) of the invited participants completely answered the questionnaires. The costs per completely answered questionnaire were $0.57-$1.41 (E1-3), $1.70 and $0.80 for H1 and H2, respectively, and $3.36-$4.21 (P1-3). Based on our results, electronic surveys with 10, 20, 30, or 42 questions would be estimated to be most cost (and time) efficient if more than 101.6-225.9 (128.2-391.7), 139.8-229.2 (93.8-193.6), 165.8-230.6 (68.7-115.7), or 188.2-231.5 (44.4-72.7) participants were required, respectively.ConclusionsThe study efficiency depended on the technical modalities of the survey methods and engagement of the participants. Depending on our study design, our results suggest that in similar projects that will certainly have more than two to three hundred required participants, the most efficient way of conducting a questionnaire-based survey is likely via the Internet with a digital questionnaire, specifically via a centralized e-mail.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Paper
Computer and Information Sciences
Operations Research
Adolescent
Epidemiology
Clinical Research Design
Science Policy
Economics
Science
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Economic Models
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Social Sciences
Research and Analysis Methods
Systems Science
Computer Applications
Cohort Studies
Hospitals, University
Young Adult
Cost Models
Science Policy and Economics
Surveys and Questionnaires
Medicine and Health Sciences
Humans
ddc:610
Postal Service
Prospective Studies
Allocative Efficiency
Aged
Demography
Internet
Survey Research
Electronic Mail
Data Collection
Middle Aged
Research Assessment
Economic Analysis
Resource Management (Economics)
Research Design
Medicine and health
Web-Based Applications
Medicine
Computer-Aided Design
Female
Research Article
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 10
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PloS one
- Accession number :
- edsair.pmid.dedup....5d08ddf1411c3ce8d9d1c34175498a53