@article{ref1,
title="What is the price of perfection? The hidden costs of using detailed assessment instruments to measure alcohol consumption",
journal="Journal of studies on alcohol",
year="1999",
author="Cunningham, J. A. and Ansara, D. and Wild, T. C. and Toneatto, T. and Koski-Jännes, A.",
volume="60",
number="6",
pages="756-758",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: This article describes results from a study investigating the effects of using long assessment instruments on attrition rates in mailed-out surveys. METHOD: Participants were randomly assigned to receive one of two versions of a mailed-out survey; one version incorporated a detailed assessment of drinking using the Timeline Follow back method (TLFB; n = 46) and the other employed a brief graduated frequency measure of alcohol consumption (n = 49). RESULTS: 29% fewer respondents who received the TLFB returned any of their survey materials as compared to those respondents who received just the graduated frequency measure (22% vs 51%). CONCLUSIONS: In some situations, e.g., mailed-out surveys, employing detailed survey instruments may not be justified as the increased respondent burden may result in increased attrition rates.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0096-882X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}