Questionnaire development

The mail questionnaire is one of the most common forms of research conducted in applied health. It is used primarily for assessing community health needs, exploring opinions on health issues, determining self-reports of health behavior, and aiding program evaluations (Torabi, 1991). The accuracy of conclusions based on questionnaire responses depends upon many factors, including the wording of questions, the physical appearance of the questionnaire (Berdie, Anderson & Niebuhr, 1986; Sudman & Bradburn, 1982), and the response rate (Jones, 1993). Therefore, careful planning must precede the development and administration of any questionnaire. This article, providing a summary of some of the issues and techniques to consider when developing and administering a questionnaire, is organized into two main topics: Writing the questions and increasing response rate. Several subtopics are discussed within each of these two main topics, and suggestions for improving questionnaires are made throughout.