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Abstract Background The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of modifying the published scoring system to address identified potential weaknesses in the published scoring system for the Evaluation of Activity Surveys in Youth (EASY). A secondary purpose was to evaluate the EASY on children in Grades 1–5. The EASY is a self-report physical activity instrument for youth. Methods Original EASY survey results were collected at one time point from an online panel from participants across the United States as part of a larger cross-sectional University of Minnesota project looking at children’s specific activity and sports participation between June and August 2019. Data was evaluated using three common scoring methods: simple summation, mean, and transformed summation. Data was compared by Grades 1–5 and 6–8. Results The summary statistics of the scores show that there is no statistically significant difference across the scoring methods by population. A paired t-test evaluation of the different scoring methods shows that while the scores are very similar within methodology (simple summation, mean, transformed sum) they are all statistically significantly different from one another, which demonstrates that for any given individual the specific scoring methodology used can result in meaningful differences. The transformed sum provided the strongest methodologic result. Analysis also concluded that administering the scale by proxy to children from grades 1–5 resulted in similar responses to those in Grades 6–8 broadening the appropriate populations able to use this scale. Conclusion The transformed sum is the preferred scoring method. Trial registration Not applicable.

Abstract Background Bladder health is an understudied state and difficult to measure due to lack of valid and reliable instruments. While condition specific questionnaires assess presence, severity and degree of bother from lower urinary tract symptoms, the absence of symptoms is insufficient to assume bladder health. This study describes the methodology used to validate a novel bladder health instrument to measure the spectrum of bladder health from very healthy to very unhealthy in population based and clinical research. Methods Three samples of women are being recruited: a sample from a nationally representative general population and two locally recruited clinical center samples—women with a targeted range of symptom severity and type, and a postpartum group. The general population sample includes 694 women, 18 years or older, randomly selected from a US Postal delivery sequence file. Participants are randomly assigned to electronic or paper versions of the bladder health instrument along with a battery of criterion questionnaires and a demographic survey; followed by a retest or a two-day voiding symptom diary. A total of 354 women around 7 clinical centers are being recruited across a spectrum of self-reported symptoms and randomized to mode of completion. They complete the two-day voiding symptom diary as well as a one-day frequency volume diary prior to an in-person evaluation with a standardized cough stress test, non-invasive urine flowmetry, chemical urine analysis and post void residual measurement. Independent judge ratings of bladder health are obtained by interview with a qualified health care provider. A total of 154 postpartum women recruited around 6 of the centers are completing similar assessments within 6–12 weeks postpartum. Dimensional validity will be evaluated using factor analysis and principal components analysis with varimax rotation, and internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha. Criterion validity will be assessed using multitrait-multimethod matrix including correlations across multiple data sources and multiple types of measures. Discussion We aim to validate a bladder health instrument to measure the degree of bladder health within the general population and among women (including postpartum) recruited from local clinical centers. Trial registration NCT04016298 Posted July 11, 2019 ( https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04016298?cond=bladder+health&draw=2&rank=1 ).

Abstract Background There is evidence that the physician response rate is declining. In response to this, methods for increasing the physician response rate are currently being explored. This paper examines the response rate and extent of non-response bias in a mixed-mode study of Minnesota physicians. Methods This mode experiment was embedded in a survey study on the factors that influence physicians’ willingness to disclose medical errors and adverse events to patients and their families. Physicians were randomly selected from a list of licensed physicians obtained from the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice. Afterwards, they were randomly assigned to either a single-mode (mail-only or web-only) or mixed-mode (web-mail or mail-web) design. Differences in response rate and nonresponse bias were assessed using Fischer’s Exact Test. Results The overall response rate was 18.60%. There were no statistically significant differences in the response rate across modes (p – value = 0.410). The non-response analysis indicates that responders and non-responders did not differ with respect to speciality or practice location. Conclusions The mode of administration did not affect the physician response rate.