Survey response in colorectal surgery. A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Health Services Research
• Survey Methodology

Background:

• Survey research is crucial for value-based management in colorectal surgery.
• Declining response rates in surveys pose a significant threat to the validity of research findings.
• Understanding factors influencing survey response is essential for improving data quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors affecting response rates in colorectal surgical surveys.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for optimizing future survey designs in this field.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted using MEDLINE for survey studies in colorectal surgery published between 2007 and 2020.
• 128 studies were included from an initial pool of 5693 identified articles.
• Data on response rates, patient demographics, survey methods, and influencing factors were extracted and analyzed.

Main Results:

• Colorectal cancer patients had a lower response rate (62.8%) compared to patients with benign conditions (75.5%).
• Response rates varied significantly by survey mode: in-person (76%), postal (68%), email (61%), and web-based (44%).
• Patients responded more frequently than doctors; reminders improved postal patient survey response rates, and web-based doctor surveys have increased but yield low response.

Conclusions:

• In-person surveys are recommended as a primary method, particularly for colorectal cancer patients and doctors.
• Reminders are effective for boosting response rates in postal patient surveys.
• The declining trend in survey response necessitates careful consideration of these factors in the design and review of colorectal surgical studies.