Harvest Collecting data for a field investigation FETP India

Competency to be gained from this lecture Collect data for a field investigation according to standard operating procedures

Key issues Data quality Field work

Data quality Reliability  Reproducibility/repeatability/precision  Ability of a measurement to give the same result or similar result with repeated measurements of the same thing  Refers to stability or consistency of information Accuracy Ability of a measurement to be correct on the average Data quality

Reliable Accurate  Not reliable Accurate Reliable  Not accurate  Not reliable  Not accurate Reliability and accuracy Data quality

Seven steps to data collection 1.Draft question-by-question guide 2.Train staff members who will collect data 3.Standardize the data collection procedure 4.Initiate field work 5.Control instruments 6.Debrief to trouble shoot difficulties 7.Validate Data collection

1. The question by question guide (q-by-q) Short document to be understood as a guide for field workers Consider each question, number by number Provide guidance as to how the data should be collected Used as a road map for good data collection  Drafted initially  Revised as issues arise and are addressed Data collection

Example of q-by-q Question 6 (Housing):  Observe the house and note if made of mud or bricks Question 12 (Household income) :  Identify all the person with financial income in the household  Estimate each source of income  Sum up to generate household income Data collection

2. Train field workers Select good, experienced field workers Present the study and its objectives  Slide presentation Distribute the q-by-q Walk people through the q-by-q List tasks to be conducted Answer questions Simulate interviews within the team Data collection

3. Standardize data collection Interviewers  Take field workers by teams in the field  Conduct interviews as a small group  Note issues that may come us, resolve them as a group  Continue until the procedure is clear to everyone Instruments  Calibration, standardization Data collection

4. Field work Send field workers by team of at least two persons  Interviewer (Speak the local language)  Note taker Initiate data collection Be available to answer questions Visit teams in the field Do not press for quick completion Data collection

5. Checking the instruments Each team checks the instrument before leaving the household  Cross check: The one who did not fill checks The supervisor checks the instruments before leaving the location All take responsibility for the instrument:  Names and signatures Investigator checks instruments as they come Data collection

Checks to conduct Completeness  Did the field worker fill all items? Readability  Is the writing readable? Consistency  Do the answer make sense?  Is there internal consistency? Data collection

Auto-coding Q.25: Where did you go when your child had diarrhoea? 1.Hospital 2.Public clinic 3.Private clinic 4.Pharmacist 2 Data collection in the field Coding right after field work Data collection

6. Debrief to trouble shoot difficulties Regular meetings  Evening or morning Facilitate a discussion about  Issues identified  Clarification needed Make note of decisions on the q-by-q if needed Data collection

7. Validate Select a number of study participants at random Conduct a second interview Compare results Debrief discrepancies with:  Field worker if individual issue  Group if general issue Data collection

Take home messages Understand the concepts of data quality Supportive supervision and team work are key to good quality data collection