Feskens, Remco

Identification of non-response in groups that are difficult to study and the development of tailor-made non-response reduction strategies

Remco Feskens PhD

Project at: Utrecht University

Supervisors: Prof. dr J.J. Hox, dr J.J.G. Schmeets, dr G.J.L.M. Lensvelt-Mulders

Project running from: 1 October 2003 – 1 October 2008

Summary:
Non-response is a serious and increasing problem in survey research. In recent years non-response rates have increased sharply, and compared to other countries the Netherlands are not doing very well (De Heer, 1999; De Leeuw and De Heer, 2002). For example the Dutch Labour Force Survey (LFS) has a response rate ranging between 55 and 60% (Schmeets and Janssen, 2003). The non-response rate in the other European countries is lower, but increasing. For instance Germany obtained large non-response rates in the Allgemeine Bevölkerungsumfrage (Schneekloth and Leven, 2003) and other countries in the European Social Survey (Stoop and Philippens, 2004).

Date of defence: 9 January 2009

Title of thesis: Difficult groups in survey research and the development of tailor-made approach strategies

ISBN: 978-90-393-4975-5