Citation | Comparison | Outcome definition | Design | Setting (Country) | Topic | Delay Length | Pre-Contact Method | Survey Delivery | Foot-in-the-door? |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bergen 1957 [16] | Pre-contact or Control | final follow-up | experiment | primary school teachers (Netherlands) | options and attitudes towards public opinion researcher | Â | Postal | have to return a pre-paid return card | |
Albaum 1989 [17] | (Pre-contact or Control)x(leaflet or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | Business firms who do international market activities. (Denmark) | questions about work | Â | Postal | send description | |
Drummond 2008 [18] | (Pre-contact vs Control) x(questionnaire or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | GPs. (Ireland) | Health: views and practices about prostate-specific testing (PSA) | 3 weeks | Postal | none stated | |
Napoles-Springer 2004 [19] | Pre-contact or Control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Nested in satisfaction survey of ambulatory care clinics. Have to use primary care and be older than 50 (USA) | about hospital experience year before/stratification | 2 weeks | Postal | none stated | |
Newby 2003 [20] | Pre-contact, Control, colour follow up, or monetary incentive | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | random sample of business in Perth. exclude gov. enterprises and publicly owned firms (Australia) | about business: expectations and attitudes of the self employed | 2 weeks | telephone | Postal | Asked relevant questions |
Ogbourne 1986 [21] | Pre-contact or Control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | health and social workers (Canada) | about work | Â | telephone | Postal (phone option in intervention) | offer a telephone interview if better than mail |
Whiteman 2003 [22] | ×2 types of incentives, Pre-contact or Control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | women age 40–60 and in Baltimore (USA) | women’s health | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Cycyota 2002 [23] | (Pre-contact or Control) x(incentive or cont.) x (personalisation or cont.) x(follow-up or cont.) x (postage or cont.) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | chamber of commerce survey to business (USA) | business climate | 2 weeks | Postal | none stated | |
Childers 1979 [24] | ×2 types Pre-contact or Control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | agents of a large Midwest-based insurance company (USA) | insurance |  | Postal | one group given return cards | |
Eaker 1998 [25] | (Pre-contact or Control) x (length or control) x (mention of telephone contact or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | Men and women living in Sweden in 1995 20–79 yrs. Old (Sweden) | health risk factors | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Etter 1998 [26] | (Pre-contact or control) x (layout or control) | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | annual insurance questionnaire; residents of Geneva, valid address (Switzerland) | health insurance survey | 2 weeks | Postal | none stated | |
Ford 1967 A [27] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | experimental design | Residents of Chenoa (USA) | shopping survey | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Ford 1967 B [27] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | experimental design | Residents of Beardstown (USA) | shopping survey | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Hansen 1980 [28] | ×2 Pre-contact, questionnaire length, or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | People who bought cars in past year in Ohio (USA) | consumer’s attitudes towards recent new car purchases | 3 days | telephone | Postal | Asked if willing to enter study. |
Harrison 2004 [29] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | patients referred to exercise referral scheme in past 12 months by primary care ( | survey on relation between service expectations and outcomes | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Hornik 1982 [30] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Sample from telephone directly (USA) | about TV/advertising | under 1 week | telephone | Postal | none stated |
Kephart 1958 [31] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | experiment | women who had taken state nursing exam in 1950 (USA) | Attitudes towards nursing profession | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Mann 2005 [32] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | experiment | registered voters in 3 states (USA) | election survey | Â | telephone | none stated | |
Parsons 1972 A [33] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | experiment | MBA alumni (USA) | politics and religion | 4 days | Postal | none stated | |
Parsons 1972 B [33] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | experiment | leaders of 2 religious sects (USA) | politics and religion | 5 days | Postal | none stated | |
Pirotta 1999 [34] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | GPs. From health insurance In Victoria; have to have had 1500 consultations in prior year (Australia) | work | 5 days | Postal | ask for prompt return | |
Shiono 1991 [35] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | physician who graduated from med school in 1985 (USA) | survey of pregnancy in physicians. Mailed was personalised | 1 week | Postal | toll free phone number to call if any questions about the survey | |
Spry 1989 [36] | Pre-contact or control × 3 | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | residence of San Diego (USA) | survey on health related behaviour. Enrolments from medical school director | under 1 week | phone or post card | Postal | none stated |
Wiseman 1972 [37] | 2 types of Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | experiment | residents of Boston (USA) | political issue polling | under 1 week | Telephone or mail | Postal | describes survey |
Dillman 1974 [38] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | sample of general public (USA) | feelings and concerns about Washington State University | na | telephone | Postal | ask questions to raise salience |
Furst 1979 [39] | (Pre-contact or control) x (Personalisation or contorl) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | head teachers (USA) | personality test | under 1 week | mailed | Postal | none stated |
Gillpatick 1994 [40] | (Pre-contact or control) x (2 types of monetary incentive or control) | only one mailing | factorial experiment | engineers who subscribe to a trade journal (USA) | market research (how good a CAD program is). One condition is personally pre-contacted, the other gets a referral from a colleague | Â | Â | Postal | none stated |
Heaton 1965 [41] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | experiment | people who bought a Chevrolet in Philadelphia | car sales survey. Attempt to show importance of survey. Also personalised (e.g. hadn’t signed) | 1 week | mailed | Postal | none stated |
Jobber 1985 [42] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | UK textile companies executives | Explore the design and extent of implementation of marketing information system | Â | telephone | Postal | none stated |
Jobber 1983 [43] | (Pre-contact or control) x (colour or control) | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | UK textile companies | marketing practices | Â | mailed | Postal | none mentioned |
Kindra 1985 [44] | (Pre-contact or control) x (incentive or control) | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | telephone directory (Canada) | response to advertising | Â | telephone | Postal | Asked questions in pre-contact |
Myers 1969 [45] | follow up, Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | telephone directory (USA) | reaction to bank advertisement | 1 week | mailed | Postal | none stated |
Nichols 1988 [46] | Pre-contact or control) | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | sample of electoral role (UK) | mailed was a leaflet on nutrition + cover mailed | 5 weeks | mailed | Postal | none stated |
Osborne 1996 [47] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | GPs (Australia) | view on pathology test | Â | telephone | Postal | none stated |
Pucel 1971 [48] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | graduates from 24 post-high schools (USA) | effect of training | 1 week | mailed | Postal | none stated |
Duhan 1990 [49] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | marketing executives (USA) | work related | 1 week | mailed | Postal | Asked questions |
Faria 1990 [50] | ×2 types of Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Homeowners residing on the property owners’ listing (USA) |  | under 1 week | phone or mailed | Postal | Asked if they will participate |
Stafford 1966 [51] | ×2 types of Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | students (USA) | collegiate clothing | under 1 week | phone or mailed | Postal | none stated |
Sutton 1992 [52] | (personalisation or control) x (Pre-contact or control) | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | customers of a utility company, and contractors (USA) | reaction to an established energy rebate program | 10–14 days: phone, 1 week: card | mailed | Postal | none stated |
Taylor 1998 [53] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Young people in the Youth Cohort Study 8 sample, (UK) | Attitudes and behaviour | 1 week | mailed | Postal | none stated |
Martin 1989 [54] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) x (personalisation or control) x (cover mailed or control) x (return postage or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | students in an urban university (USA) | views on the university | Â | mailed | postal | none stated |
Chebat 1991 [55] | (Pre-contact or control) x (incentive or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | The Quebec population within the legal driving age (Canada) | Â | Â | Â | Postal | none stated |
Xie 2013 [56] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | female nurses, age 35–65. with correct contact information (Hong Kong) | work and health | 1 week | Postal | asked to send reply slip | |
Mitchell 2012 [57] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | nested in follow up of the SCOOP clinical trial. Women aged between 70 and 84, at high risk of osteoporotic features (UK) | Trail questions | 6 weeks | Postal | none stated | |
Maclennan 2014 [58] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | nested in RECORD clinical trial. Patients who had not responded to annual follow ups. Over 70, history of fracture, not in other methodological study (UK) | self-reported fracture and quality of life | ≥ two weeks | telephone | Postal | none stated |
Keding 2016 [59] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | nested in ACUDep trial, primary care patients in N England. Have mobile phone | quality of life | 4 days | sms | Postal | none stated |
Hammink 2010 [60] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | nested in survey of GP patients (Netherlands) | quality of care/experience | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Felix 2011 [61] | (Pre-contact or control) x (tone or control) | only one mailing | factorial experiment | authors of published maternal health research (UK) | applying their research to LIC | 1 week | online | none stated | |
Bauman 2016 [62] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | nested in 45 and Up Study. adults 45 to 100 living in New South Wales. (Australia) | socio-environmental causes of health | 2 weeks | Postal | none stated | |
Barra 2016 [63] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | patients discharged in stated time who had not responded to previous survey, involved in other studies/care and had a phone number (Norway) | post stroke questionnaire | 1 week | Postal | ask for consent to receive survey | |
Bosnjak 2008 [64] | (×2 types Pre-contact or control) x (invitation or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | university students (Germany) | psychometrics, e.g. personality test | 1 week | email or sms | online | none stated |
Boyd 2015 [65] | (Pre-contact or control) ×2 follow up or control) x (design or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | ALSPAC follow up (UK) | consent to patients in follow up. | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Dykema 2011 [66] | (Pre-contact or control) x (incentive or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | physicians, (USA) | assess knowledge of genetic variation. | 1 week | online | none stated | |
Grande 2016 [67] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (Australia) | epidemiological facts about the workplace | same day | sms | phone | none stated |
Mclean 2014 [68] | (Pre-contact or control) x (design or control) | only one mailing | factorial experiment | the electoral roll (Australia) |  | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Rao 2010 [69] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) x (incentive or control) x (recurrent mode or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | Random digit dialling | opinion poll survey | 1 week | Postal | none stated | |
Starr 2015 [70] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | nested in epilepsy rct, provided phone number (UK) | Â | under a week | sms | Postal | none stated |
van Veen 2016 [71] | ×2 types Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | university students (Germany) | cheating in exams | 1 week | online | none stated | |
Ho-A-Yun 2007 [72] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | GPs in Scotland (UK) | Â | under a week | telephone | Postal | none stated but uses phone to call receptionist |
Porter 2007 A [73] | (×2 types Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | high school students who contacted liberal arts college but did not apply (USA) | perceptions of college | 1 week | email or post | online | none stated |
Porter 2007 B [73] | (×2 types Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | alumni of liberal arts collage (USA) | career post-graduation | 1 week | email or post | online | none stated |
Atinc 2012 [74] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | university staff and faculty (USA) | Â | under a week | online | none stated | |
Walker 1977 [75] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | credit card holders (USA) | consumer credit survey/purchase history | under a week | mailed | none stated | |
Snow 1986 [76] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | People existing job training partnership program (USA) | outcome of state-wide job training program | 1.5 weeks | mailed | phone | none stated |
Pitiyanuwat 1991 [77] | (Pre-contact or control) x (deadline or control) x (design or control) | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | public school teachers, (Thailand) | desirable characteristics of a teacher | Â | mailed | none stated | |
Nicolaas 2015 [78] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) x (design or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | embedded in a GP patient survey: over 18, registered with GP for >6mths (UK) | expense of patients of the NHS | 1 week | mailed | none stated | |
Link 2005 [79] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | House holds in Behaviour Risk Factor Survey (USA) | health behaviours | under a week | mailed | phone | none stated |
Kulka 1981 [80] | (Pre-contact or control) x (incentive or control) x (extra follow up or control) x (postage or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | registered nurses enrolled in a survey (USA) |  | 2 weeks | mailed | none stated | |
Kaplowitz 2004 [81] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | university students (USA) | Â | Â | mailed | none stated | |
Groves 1987 [82] | X3 types of Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | nested in NHIS survey (USA) | Health care | Â | mailed | phone | none stated |
Furse 1981 [83] | Pre-contact, incentive or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Tennessee population (USA) | Â | Â | phone | none stated | |
Chebat 1993 [84] | (questionnaire type or control) x (Pre-contact, incentive or control) | first and final follow-up | factorial experiment | (Canada) |  | 2 weeks | mailed | none stated | |
Boser 1990 [85] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | Graduates (USA) | emphasise value of participation | 1 week | mailed | none stated | |
Bergsten 1984 [86] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Medicare beneficiaries 65+ (USA) | access to health care | 1 week | phone | interview | arrange time for interview |
Baulne 2009 [87] | Pre-contact or control) | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | people over 15 and live in a household. (Canada) | health | Â | phone | none stated | |
Henri 2012 [88] | X2 types Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | listed companies (Canada) | management accounting research | 2 weeks | telephone or mail | none stated | |
Lalasz 2014 [89] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | alumni 1 year post graduation (USA) | graduate careers etc. | 2 weeks | online | none stated | |
von der Lippe 2011 [90] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | nested in German Health Update Survey 2009. | health | 2 weeks | phone | none stated | |
Lusinchi 2007 [91] | Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | electrical engineers (USA) | Â | under a week | online | none stated | |
McCallister 2008 [92] | X2 types Pre-contact or control | first and final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | university staff (USA) | Â | under a week | post or email | none stated | |
Miner 1983 [93] | X2 types Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | parents/carers of people who had used a child psychiatry unit (USA) | Â | under a week | post or phone | none stated | |
Mitchell 2012 [57] | (Pre-contact or control) x (follow up or control) | only one mailing | factorial experiment | Academics in Northern UK |  | 6 weeks | none stated | ||
Steeh 2007 [94] | sms + called back (passive), sms + user has to call (active) or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Nexel subscribers. (USA) |  | Under 1 week | sms | phone | one treatment group have to call rather than be called to do interview |
Vogl 2018 [5] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (Germany) | Partner violence | 1 week | phone | none stated | |
Woodruff 2006 [95] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | info about study/importance of patients. Parents/children for NIH study on teenage health | 2 weeks | phone | none stated | |
Traugott 1993 [96] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | Â | Â | mailed | phone | none stated |
(Pre-contact or control) x (personalisation or control) | only one mailing | factorial experiment | Random digit dialling (USA) | Â | Â | mailed | phone | none stated | |
Brehm 1994 [99] | inactive + Pre-contact, Pre-contact, logo, or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | Attitudes to war | 1–2 weeks | mailed | phone | none stated |
Camburn 1995 [100] | X3 types Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA). Non house hold and non-working numbers excluded | child immunisation | Â | mailed | phone | none stated |
Dillman 1976 [101] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | Â | Â | mailed | phone | none stated |
Eyerman 2003 [102] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | Health risk factors | under a week | mailed | phone | none stated |
Goldstein 2002 [103] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | Political polling | under a week | mailed | phone | none stated |
Hembroff 2005 [104] | X2 types Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | Â | Â | Mailed | phone | none stated |
Iredell 2004 [105] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | electoral roll. Have to be over 60 (Australia) | road crossing behaviour | 2 weeks | mailed | phone | none stated |
Mickey 1999 [106] | (Pre-contact or control) x (survey administration or control) | final follow-up | factorial experiment | over 40 (USA) | Â | one week | mailed | in person or phone | none stated |
Smith 1995 [107] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (Australia). Exclude if non residential household, or non English speaking | health questions | Â | mailed | phone | none stated |
Singer 2000 [108] | Pre-contact or control | only one mailing | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | consumer attitudes | Â | mailed | phone | none stated |
Gerritsen 2002 A [109] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (Netherlands) | meat consumption, non-commercial | one week | mailed | phone | none stated |
Gerritsen 2002 B [109] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | people who had not answered their phone | meat consumption, non-commercial | one week | answer phone message | phone | none stated |
Brick 1997 [110] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Random digit dialling (USA) | Â | Â | mailed | phone | Asked questions |
Goulao 2020 [111] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Scotland | dentist patients | under a week | Postal | Postal | none stated |
Rodgers 2018 [112] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | UK | RCT outcomes | under a week | Postal | Postal | none stated |
Sakshaug 2019 [113] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up & before | Randomised control trail. | Germany | companies | one week | Postal | Had to send an email | |
von Allmen 2019 [114] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Switzerland | aneurysm repairs | under a week | Postal | Phone | none stated |
Griggs 2019 [115] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | USA | Add Health wave V | under a week | Postal | Online | none stated |
Vogl 2019 [116] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | Germany | Violence survey | under a week | Postal | Phone | none stated |
Gooden 2021 [117] | Pre-contact or control | final follow-up | Randomised control trail. | UK | mental health survey | under a week | Postal | Postal | none stated |