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A low response rate does not necessarily indicate non-response bias in gastroenterology survey research: a population-based study

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Abstract

Aim

To estimate the potential for response bias in standard mailed questionnaires used in surveys of GI symptoms in a community.

Subjects and methods

Validated self-report tools have been developed to measure functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders but response rates in community surveys have been rapidly declining in many parts of the world. Whether a lower community response rate introduces significant response bias in GI survey research is unknown. A questionnaire was mailed to a total of 5,069 randomly selected subjects. The overall response rate was 52 %. A random sample of 723 of these subjects (428 responders and 295 non-responders, stratified by age and gender) was selected for medical record abstraction (including both inpatient and outpatient history).

Results

The odds for response increased in those with a higher body mass index (odds ratio (OR):1.02 [95 % CI: 1.01, 1.03]), more health care seeking behavior for non-GI problems (OR: 1.97 [95 % CI: 1.43, 2.72]), and for those who had responded to a previous survey (OR: 4.84 [95 % CI: 2.84, 8.26]). Responder status was not significantly associated with any GI symptoms or a diagnosis of GI or non-GI disease (with two exceptions, diverticulosis and skin disease).

Conclusions

Despite a response rate of only 52 %, the results of a community-based GI survey do not appear to be impacted by non-response bias in a major way. A low survey response rate does not necessarily indicate non-response bias.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Johannes von Blumenthal, who was a medical student of Paracelsus Medizinische Privatuniversitat, Austria, for his assistance with the chart reviews.

Financial Support

This study was made possible in part by the Rochester Epidemiology Project (Grant no. R01-AR30582 from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases).

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Enteric Neuroscience Program, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Rok Seon Choung & G. Richard Locke III

  2. Division of Biomedical Statistics and Informatics, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Cathy D. Schleck & Alan R. Zinsmeister

  3. Division of Health Care Policy and Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Jeanette Y. Ziegenfuss & Timothy J. Beebe

  4. Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, BB2-06, Bowman Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia

    Nicholas J. Talley

  5. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Korea

    Rok Seon Choung

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  1. Rok Seon Choung
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  2. G. Richard Locke III
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Correspondence to Nicholas J. Talley.

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Choung, R.S., Locke, G.R., Schleck, C.D. et al. A low response rate does not necessarily indicate non-response bias in gastroenterology survey research: a population-based study. J Public Health 21, 87–95 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-012-0513-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-012-0513-z

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