HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) In Brief TRACK Comments: Submit a response TRACK Comments: View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when TRACK Comments are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Google Scholar Articles by Galliher, J. M. Articles by Hickner, J. M. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Galliher, J. M. Articles by Hickner, J. M.

Data Collection Outcomes Comparing Paper Forms With PDA Forms in an Office-Based Patient Survey

¹ AAFP National Research Network, Leawood, Kansas
² Department of Sociology, University of Missouri, Kansas City
³ Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center, Denver
⁴ Department of Epidemiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing
⁵ Department of Family Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
⁶ Department of Family Medicine, University of Chicago, Illinois

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: James M. Galliher, PhD, National Research Network, American Academy of Family Physicians, 11400 Tomahawk Creek Pkwy, Leawood, KS 66211, jgallihe{at}aafp.org

PURPOSE We compared the completeness of data collection using paper forms and using electronic forms loaded on handheld computers in an office-based patient interview survey conducted within the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network.

METHODS We asked 19 medical assistants and nurses in family practices to administer a survey about pneumococcal immunizations to 60 older adults each, 30 using paper forms and 30 using electronic forms on handheld computers. By random assignment, the interviewers used either the paper or electronic form first. Using multilevel analyses adjusted for patient characteristics and clustering of forms by practice, we analyzed the completeness of the data.

RESULTS A total of 1,003 of the expected 1,140 forms were returned to the data center. The overall return rate was better for paper forms (537 of 570, 94%) than for electronic forms (466 of 570, 82%) because of technical difficulties experienced with electronic data collection and stolen or lost handheld computers. Errors of omission on the returned forms, however, were more common using paper forms. Of the returned forms, only 3% of those gathered electronically had errors of omission, compared with 35% of those gathered on paper. Similarly, only 0.04% of total survey items were missing on the electronic forms, compared with 3.5% of the survey items using paper forms.

CONCLUSIONS Although handheld computers produced more complete data than the paper method for the returned forms, they were not superior because of the large amount of missing data due to technical difficulties with the hand-held computers or loss or theft. Other hardware solutions, such as tablet computers or cell phones linked via a wireless network directly to a Web site, may be better electronic solutions for the future.

Key Words: Practice-based research • data collection • health surveys • questionnaires • Internet • PDA computers • computers, handheld • office visits • primary care

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. C. Stange In This Issue: What Patients Value and How to Provide It Ann. Fam. Med, March 1, 2008; 6(2): 98 - 99. [Full Text] [PDF]

TRACK Comments: