A brief guide to survey methodology for vascular surgeons

Abstract

Survey methodologies seek to answer questions regarding a set population's perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, or knowledge base, often pertaining to matters dealing with human behavior, social and psychological factors, or educational research. However, they can also provide information on patient perceptions regarding disease processes or therapies. As such, questionnaires are valuable tools that researchers can use to answer specific questions. Despite this value, there is often little guidance provided to investigators or reviewers on how to use or interpret findings from these instruments. This article reviews survey terminology and provides a context from which to operate when deciding to use surveys in vascular surgery research.