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Collecting saliva samples by mail

J F Etter1, T V Perneger, A Ronchi

  • 1Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland.

American Journal of Epidemiology
|February 11, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Mailed saliva sample collection is feasible for epidemiologic research. However, requesting saliva samples in mail surveys may decrease overall participation rates, though incentives can slightly improve response.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health Research

Background:

  • Mailed saliva samples are valuable for epidemiologic research.
  • Assessing participation rates and the impact of incentives is crucial for optimizing mail survey methodologies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the proportion of participants providing saliva samples in a mail survey.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of incentives (lottery, pen) in improving participation for saliva collection via mail.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized trial involving 2,994 university students, faculty, and staff in Geneva, Switzerland.
  • Participants received a smoking questionnaire with or without a saliva vial, pen, lottery offer, or combinations.
  • Response rates were tracked after initial mailing and reminder letters.

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Main Results:

  • Response rates were lower when saliva collection was requested (52%) compared to controls (63%).
  • The majority of respondents (98%) provided saliva samples when requested.
  • Lottery incentives significantly increased participation (+11%), while pen incentives showed a smaller, non-significant increase (+6%).

Conclusions:

  • Mailed saliva sample collection is a feasible method for large-scale studies.
  • Requesting saliva samples in mail surveys can negatively impact overall response rates.
  • Incentives can partially mitigate decreased participation, particularly for the lottery offer.