Published in:
01-11-2013 | Letter to the Editor
Handwritten versus scanned signature on the invitation letter: does it make any difference in participation in a population-based study?
Authors:
Marcela Fu, Jose M. Martínez-Sánchez, Xisca Sureda, Cristina Martínez, Montse Ballbè, Lucía Baranda, Anna Riccobene, Esteve Fernández
Published in:
European Journal of Epidemiology
|
Issue 11/2013
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Excerpt
Research based on surveys requires considering some strategies aimed at increasing participation and minimizing potential bias attributable to nonresponse. Some methods have been used in the cover letter accompanying postal questionnaires, including the use of a personalized salutation, a personal approach, a postscript, a colored signature, different number of signatures of the principal investigators, or handwritten versus scanned/printed signatures of the principal investigator [
1‐
7]. We are unaware of studies using these strategies on the invitation letter to promote participation in face-to-face surveys. Thus, we aimed to ascertain if there are differences in participation rates in a population-based face-to-face survey when the invitation letters include handwritten or scanned signatures. …
