Recruiting general practitioners for surveys: reflections on the difficulties and some lessons learned

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Medical Surveys
• General Practice Research

Background:

• General practitioner (GP) surveys are vital for health service planning.
• Declining GP response rates pose a significant challenge to research validity.
• Effective recruitment strategies are needed to improve participation in GP research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors influencing general practitioner (GP) recruitment in a survey.
• To evaluate strategies aimed at improving GP response rates in Australian research.
• To understand reasons for GP non-participation in health surveys.

Main Methods:

• Examined GP response rates across different survey waves.
• Compared response rates with cited reasons for non-participation from GPs and network leaders.
• Implemented and assessed various recruitment strategies, including questionnaire inclusion, source modification, targeted approach, and financial incentives.

Main Results:

• Initial GP response rates below 1% improved significantly with implemented strategies.
• Final wave response rates reached 14.5%.
• Key facilitators included using local network leaders, targeting GPs with research interests, and offering financial compensation.

Conclusions:

• Trusted professional networks and financial incentives are critical for enhancing GP survey participation.
• Persuading GPs and gatekeepers of the value of their time is essential for achieving high response rates.
• Effective recruitment strategies are necessary to ensure the external validity of GP research.