Response rates for mailout survey-driven studies in patients with head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND Mailout survey studies are becoming more prevalent in the head and neck literature. The objective of this paper is to summarize response rates in patients with head and neck cancer, and to provide recommendations surrounding methodology used to design and implement mailout survey questionnaires. METHODS The results of this paper are from a study assessing the measurement properties of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) in head and neck cancer patients. A modified Dillman tailored design approach was used. RESULTS The methods used yielded a response rate of 80% with this patient population. CONCLUSION This is a considerably higher response rate than other reports in the oncology literature.