using surveymonkey: advantages and problems

Using SurveyMonkey:

Advantages and Problems

• Jill Rosenbaum B.A.Jill Rosenbaum B.A.

Our Research• Describe how competing commitments, Describe how competing commitments,

adhering to protocol and providing good adhering to protocol and providing good clinical care, are managed in clinical clinical care, are managed in clinical trials (CTs)trials (CTs)

• Describe how this competition arises in Describe how this competition arises in different methodological domains (e.g., different methodological domains (e.g., recruitment, randomization), study recruitment, randomization), study designs and medical situations.designs and medical situations.

• Ascertain the frequency of perceived Ascertain the frequency of perceived conflicts.conflicts.

• Determine the correlates of violations of Determine the correlates of violations of the rules of the CT.the rules of the CT.

First Steps

• What questions should we ask?What questions should we ask?

Interview Physicians and Nurses about Interview Physicians and Nurses about competition between trial design and good competition between trial design and good care of subjectscare of subjects

• Pilot interview questions with both Pilot interview questions with both nurses and physicians nurses and physicians

• Develop list of survey subjects from Develop list of survey subjects from Centerwatch.comCenterwatch.com

The Dillman Method5 Necessary Elements For Achieving High Response Rate

1)1)A respondent-friendly surveyA respondent-friendly survey2)2) Inclusion of stamped return envelopes.Inclusion of stamped return envelopes.3)3) Five varied contacts with survey Five varied contacts with survey recipientsrecipients4) Personalized correspondence.4) Personalized correspondence.

5) Include token financial incentive in the 5) Include token financial incentive in the same mailing as the survey.same mailing as the survey.

A Respondent-friendly Survey

• Trial and ErrorTrial and Error

• Piloting survey on physicians and nursesPiloting survey on physicians and nurses

• Rewording questions for coherenceRewording questions for coherence

• Revamping surveyRevamping survey

• Eliminating complex questionsEliminating complex questions

We achieved this through:We achieved this through:

Inclusion of returned stamped envelopes

• Because ours was an internet survey, we Because ours was an internet survey, we eliminated this step.eliminated this step.

5 Varied contacts with survey recipients

• 11stst contact - letter requesting participation in contact - letter requesting participation in an online surveyan online survey

• 22ndnd contact - email with link to the survey contact - email with link to the survey

• 33rdrd contact - thank you letter / reminder contact - thank you letter / reminder

• 55thth contact - telephone call contact - telephone call

• 66thth contact - with link to the survey (not contact - with link to the survey (not traceable)traceable)

• 44thth contact - resend email with link to the survey contact - resend email with link to the survey

Personalized Correspondence

• Each letter was hand signed.Each letter was hand signed.

• Each letter was personalized with Each letter was personalized with recipient’s name and address.recipient’s name and address.

• Personal notes on some letters.Personal notes on some letters.

• Personal phone calls were made to track Personal phone calls were made to track down non-respondents. down non-respondents.

• Each envelope was stamped.Each envelope was stamped.

Token Financial Incentive

• We included a $10 Starbucks gift card with the We included a $10 Starbucks gift card with the original mailing.original mailing.

• The gift card was offered as an incentive for The gift card was offered as an incentive for completing the survey, not as a reward for completing the survey, not as a reward for completion of it.completion of it.

What is SurveyMonkey?

• An on-line survey systemAn on-line survey system• Automates much of the process of Automates much of the process of

designing and implementing designing and implementing surveyssurveys

• Basic analysis Basic analysis • Reasonable priceReasonable price

Designing Surveys

• Can be done on-lineCan be done on-line

• Can adjust appearanceCan adjust appearance

• Examples:Examples:

• There are 17 different There are 17 different question formats that you question formats that you can use.can use.

Many different Question Types

Single Answer Vertical

Multiple Answer

Matrices

Open-ended

Features of Questions

• On-line refusalOn-line refusal• Conditional Logic - Questions asked Conditional Logic - Questions asked

depending on other answersdepending on other answers• Require answers to essential questionsRequire answers to essential questions• Add your own logo to the SurveyAdd your own logo to the Survey• Send respondents to specific follow-up Send respondents to specific follow-up

page when completepage when complete

Data Collection

• Automatic invitation to Automatic invitation to uploaded list of emailsuploaded list of emails

• Automated remindersAutomated reminders

• Automatic Data Collection - Automatic Data Collection - No data entry!No data entry!

Analysis

• Output to Excel formatOutput to Excel format

• Prepared output of frequencies Prepared output of frequencies

• Specify simple bivariate Specify simple bivariate analysesanalyses

Our Results

Overall, we achieved a 75.4% response rate to Overall, we achieved a 75.4% response rate to our survey.our survey.

Response rate for M.D.s - 57%Response rate for M.D.s - 57%

Response rate for study coordinators, nurses, etc. Response rate for study coordinators, nurses, etc. 80.5%80.5%