[Use of incentives to enhance response rates in questionnaire surveys]

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this article is to relate response rates in surveys among GPs to the use of conditional and non-conditional incentives.

Material and method: The data were gathered during a nation-wide survey among all Norwegian general practitioners.

Results: There was a higher response rate among respondents who received non-conditional incentives. Although not significant at the 5 percent level, the effect is sufficiently strong to be characterised as interesting.

Interpretation: The results indicate that non-conditional incentives are effective in enhancing the response rate in surveys among GPs.