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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 72(3), 2005, pp. 301-303
Copyright © 2005 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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SHORT REPORT: PILOTING PAPERLESS DATA ENTRY FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH IN AFRICA

MICHEL A. MISSINOU, CHRISTOPHER H. O. OLOLA, SAADOU ISSIFOU, PIERRE-BLAISE MATSIEGUI, AYOLA A. ADEGNIKA, STEFFEN BORRMANN, DAVID WYPIJ, TERRIE E. TAYLOR, AND PETER G. KREMSNER
Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Lambaréné, Gabon; Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Kilifi, Kenya; Clinical Research Program, Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Blantyre Malaria Project, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi; Department of Internal Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

 

ABSTRACT

Direct data entry, using handheld computers, may simplify and streamline data management, especially in remote settings. We compared the accuracy of data entry using the current standard practice (a paper-based case report form with double data entry) with that using a personal digital assistant (PDA) in a clinical study in rural Gabon. The rate of discrepant entries was 1.7%. Categorical data (presented in "pull down" menus on the PDA) were more commonly discrepant than were continuous "typed in" data (2.4% versus 1.2%; P = 0.001). Both systems functioned smoothly and no data were lost. The clinicians involved in this study preferred the handheld computers, and their use will be considered in future studies in an African clinical research network.

Received March 23, 2004. Accepted for publication August 11, 2004.

Acknowledgments: We thank the children and the parents for their patience. We acknowledge the immense collaborative efforts accorded by all Severe Malaria in African Children clinical network members.

Financial support: The study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (U19 AI45955).

Authors’ addresses: Michel A. Missinou, Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, BP 118 Lambaréné, Gabon, Telephone: 241-58-10-99, Fax: 241-58-11-96 and Sektion Humanparasitologie, Institut für Tropenmedizin, Wilhelmstrasse 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany, Telephone: 49-7071-29-82195, Fax: 49-7071-29-5189, E-mail: michel.missinou{at}uni-tuebingen.de. Christopher H. O. Olola, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Geographic Medicine Research, Coast, Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya, Telephone: 254-41-522-063, Fax : 254-41-522-390 or 254-20-271-1673 , E - mail : colola{at}kilifi.mimcom.net. Saadou Issifou, Pierre-Blaise Matsiégui, and Akim A. Adégnika, Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, BP 118 Lambaréné, Gabon, Telephone: 241-58-10-99, Fax: 241-58-11-96, E-mails: issifou{at}lambarene.mimcom.net, matsiegpb{at}yahoo.fr, and aadegnika{at}yahoo.fr. Steffen Borrmann, Sektion Humanparasitologie, Institut für Tropenmedizin, Wilhelmstrasse 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany, Telephone: 49-7071-29-80234, Fax: 49-7071-29-5189, E-mail: steffen.borrmann{at}uni-tuebingen.de. David Wypij, Clinical Research Program, Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, Telephone: 617-355-2641, Fax: 617-355-2312, E-mail: david.wypij{at}childrens.harvard.edu. Terrie E. Taylor, Department of Internal Medicine, B309-B West Fee Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1315, Telephone: 517-353-3211, Fax: 517-432-1062, E-mail: taylort{at}msu.edu. Peter G. Kremsner, Medical Research Unit, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, BP 118 Lambaréné, Gabon, Telephone: 241-58-10-99, Fax: 241-58-11-96 and Sektion Humanparasitologie, Institut für Tropenmedizin, Wilhelmstrasse 27, 72074 Tübingen, Germany, Telephone: 49-7071-29-87179, Fax: 49-7071-29-5189, E-mail: peter. kremsner{at}uni-tuebingen.de.




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Copyright © 2005 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.