Abstract
OBJECTIVE--To estimate the response rates and operating costs of three recruitment methods within a regional osteoporosis screening programme. DESIGN--Randomised trial of three types of invitation letter: one offering fixed appointments with option to change time, one offering fixed appointments but requiring telephoned confirmation of intention to attend, and one inviting recipient to telephone to make an appointment. SETTING--Osteoporosis screening unit, Aberdeen. SUBJECTS--1200 women aged 45-49 years living within 32 km of Aberdeen and randomly selected from the community health index. 400 women were randomised to each appointment method. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Numbers attending for screening; default rate among women who confirmed appointments; social class of attenders; cost per appointment slot and per completed scan. RESULTS--299 (75%), 277 (69%), and 217 (54%) women were scanned after fixed, confirmable, and open invitations respectively. Women who attended were given a questionnaire, and 694 (87.5%) returned it. No significant differences were found in the social class of attenders among the three methods. Of the 514 women who made or confirmed appointments, 494 attended for a scan. Total costs per scan were 25.00 pounds, 21.40 pounds, and 21.00 pounds for fixed, confirmable, and open invitations respectively. CONCLUSIONS--The offer of a fixed appointment requiring telephoned confirmation has the potential to reduce the costs of scanning without exaggerating any social bias or significantly reducing response rates provided that empty appointments can be rebooked at short notice.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- George W. D., Gleave E. N., England P. C., Wilson M. C., Sellwood R. A., Asbury D., Hartley G., Barker P. G., Hobbs P., Wakefield J. Screening for breast cancer. Br Med J. 1976 Oct 9;2(6040):858–860. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.6040.858. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hobbs P., Kay C., Friedman E. H., St Leger A. S., Lambert C., Boggis C. R., Howard T. M., Owen A. W., Asbury D. L. Response by women aged 65-79 to invitation for screening for breast cancer by mammography: a pilot study. BMJ. 1990 Dec 8;301(6764):1314–1316. doi: 10.1136/bmj.301.6764.1314. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hobbs P., Smith A., George W. D., Sellwood R. A. Acceptors and rejectors of an invitation to undergo breast screening compared with those who referred themselves. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1980 Mar;34(1):19–22. doi: 10.1136/jech.34.1.19. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Irwig L., Turnbull D., McMurchie M. A randomised trial of general practitioner-written invitations to encourage attendance at screening mammography. Community Health Stud. 1990;14(4):357–364. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.1990.tb00046.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pierce M., Lundy S., Palanisamy A., Winning S., King J. Prospective randomised controlled trial of methods of call and recall for cervical cytology screening. BMJ. 1989 Jul 15;299(6692):160–162. doi: 10.1136/bmj.299.6692.160. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ridsdale L. L. Cervical screening in general practice: call and recall. J R Coll Gen Pract. 1987 Jun;37(299):257–259. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Robertson A. J., Reid G. S., Stoker C. A., Bissett C., Waugh N., Fenton I., Rowan J., Halkerston R. Evaluation of a call programme for cervical cytology screening in women aged 50-60. BMJ. 1989 Jul 15;299(6692):163–166. doi: 10.1136/bmj.299.6692.163. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Roworth M. A., Jones I. G. The Community Health Index--how accurate is it? Community Med. 1988 Nov;10(4):327–330. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.pubmed.a042426. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Spenser J. T. A survey of cervical smear screening in general practice. Practitioner. 1967 Feb;198(184):274–280. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Williams E. M., Vessey M. P. Randomised trial of two strategies offering women mobile screening for breast cancer. BMJ. 1989 Jul 15;299(6692):158–159. doi: 10.1136/bmj.299.6692.158. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wilson A., Leeming A. Cervical cytology screening: a comparison of two call systems. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1987 Jul 18;295(6591):181–182. doi: 10.1136/bmj.295.6591.181-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]