Android based data collection in a nutritional survey: a feasibility study in Chad France
1 Broillet ,
Ludovic 1 Nutrition
Introduction
2 Rossel ,
referent -
Method
Médecins Sans Frontières OCG
2 Medical
data manager
Results
Quality of data collected + Systematic comparison between the two datasets showed a low rate of discrepancy:
Household surveys are regularly carried out in difficult environments by MSF. Objectives are becoming ambitious, questionnaires are longer and more complex.
New technologies such as tablets and electronic questionnaires offer a potential to save time and money compared to paper based data collection while also improving data quality and allowing immediate data control.
For these reasons, MSF decided to evaluate the feasibility of using touch-screen questionnaires in a regular nutritional survey in Chad.
There were 5 teams of 2 surveyors with a car at disposal.
Handling & acceptance by staff
In each team, one surveyor worked with paper based questionnaires, the other with Nexus 07 Android 4.1 tablet. To recharge the tablets, an external battery was provided, to be charged during the day through the car power adapter.
+ Staff got quickly acquainted with the device and the electronic version of the questionnaires.
All staff were already accustomed to the survey itself. Surveyors using tablets benefited from a three hours training on the use of the device and close coaching during the first days of the survey. Data was downloaded to a USB keys by surveyors on a daily basis and then transferred by the survey manager to a data analysis software (QlickView ) for immediate data quality check. During the ten days of the survey, the survey manager observed the data collection process. At the end, an analysis was performed on EpiData to compare the quality of data collected via paper questionnaires and that of data collected with tablets.
+ They felt empowered using this equipment, taking good care of it.
< 1% of all values from a selection of key fields. + No missing entries and/or erroneous values were observed in data electronically collected while there were in paper questionnaires.
+ Staff confirmed workload reduction compared to paper questionnaires.
- Staff reported some difficulties using the stylus. Finger was preferred.
Technical aspects + No technical bugs observed while using tablets, nor data loss.
Dynamic rules prevent erroneous values and bypass of questions.
+ Heat and dust did not affect the functioning of the tablets.
Aim Evaluate the feasibility of electronic data collection for household surveys in difficult environments, in particular in relation to handling and acceptance by staff, technical constraints, data collection, management and quality.
+ Strong sunlight did not affect the capacity to read forms on the screens.
- Problems were encountered with power autonomy: recharging time revealed to be different from a battery/a tablet to another, creating uncertainty about autonomy. As tablets must be switched off to be charged, there was always a risk of having to stop working to recharge if autonomy was not sufficient.
Data collection & management
- Adaptation of electronic questionnaires after pilot testing was not possible without HQ IT intervention.
Conclusion Although challenges remain regarding power autonomy and supply, the study shows that it is possible and beneficial to use electronic devices for data collection in a difficult environment. In that respect, use of solar batteries will soon be tested. The study also confirms that electronic data collection minimizes risk of of error (through dynamic rules), while allowing immediate data quality check and faster use of data. Even though tablets require an initial investment, in the long term, they can substantially reduce expenses and time required to conduct traditionnal survey (duplication of forms, filing, stationary expenses, secondary data entry, etc.).
- Once entries had been saved, corrections on the tablets were not possible anymore. + Instant availability of electronic data allowed immediate quality data control and direct feedback to the staff when needed.
Ethical review was not required for this study. There was no conflict of interest and no external funding. Contacts: france.broillet@geneva.msf.org ludovic.rossel@geneva.msf.org