Abstract
Background With the increasing use of smartphones or tablets due to wide availability and costs use for such devices in data capturing and storage becomes more advantageous especially in healthcare and research across the world.Objective To present the development and usage of a specially designed app for data collection of the Maternal Antecedents of Adiposity and Studying the Trans generational role of Hyperglycaemia and Insulin MAASTHI cohort. Methods We designed an android-based application app for a large cohort study ndash ldquoMaternal Antecedents of Adiposity and Studying the Trans generational role of Hyperglycaemia and Insulin MAASTHI currently on going in public sector prenatal clinics in Bangalore India. Through this paper we highlight the advantages of app-based data collection along with the detailed process of app-development and usage at field-level in Bangalore.Results Research staff have shown preference for using the Android app-based tablets for data collection with the real-time monitoring of data and the secured nature of storage appreciated by the supervisors over paper-based system. Highlighted features include individual login features easy-to-use navigation in-built skip patterns both online and offline usage especially for the high number of variables involved. The Android app is designed for compatibility with devices of multiple screen-sizes that is linked to the server and website that allows continuous monitoring for senior research staff and the principal investigator. The development costs along with the on-going maintenance costs are comparatively much less thus cost-effective over the course of our study.Conclusions App-based data collection and storage offers many opportunities for efficient data collection as compared to paper-based system. This mode of data collection explores the usability and acceptability of real-time data by rapidly developing technology used for large cohort studies that has potential for following participants over the years. We highly recommend the use of technology as such for future cohort studies and other population-based studies in similar settings.
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