Alternative Data Collection Methods Research Articles

Use of Mobile Applications to Collect Data in Sport, Health, and Exercise Science: A Narrative Review

Peart, DJ, Balsalobre-Fernández, C, and Shaw, MP. Use of mobile applications to collect data in sport, health, and exercise science: A narrative review. J Strength Cond Res 33(4): 1167-1177, 2019-Mobile devices are ubiquitous in the population, and most have the capacity to download applications (apps). Some apps have been developed to collect physiological, kinanthropometric, and performance data; however, the validity and reliability of such data is often unknown. An appraisal of such apps is warranted, as mobile apps may offer an alternative method of data collection for practitioners and athletes with money, time, and space constraints. This article identifies and critically reviews the commercially available apps that have been tested in the scientific literature, finding evidence to support the measurement of the resting heart through photoplethysmography, heart rate variability, range of motion, barbell velocity, vertical jump, mechanical variables during running, and distances covered during walking, jogging, and running. The specific apps with evidence, along with reported measurement errors are summarized in the review. Although mobile apps may have the potential to collect data in the field, athletes and practitioners should exercise caution when implementing them into practice as not all apps have support from the literature, and the performance of a number of apps have only been tested on 1 device.

Feasibility of parent communication training with remote coaching using smartphone apps.

Communication training for parents of young children with neurodisability is often delivered in groups and includes video coaching. Group teaching is problematic when there is wide variation in the characteristics and needs amongst participants. To assess the potential feasibility and acceptability of delivering one-to-one parent training supported by remote coaching using smartphone apps and of conducting further trials of the intervention. We aimed to recruit eight children aged 12-48 months with motor disorders and communication difficulties and to provide families with individual parent training in six weekly home visits supplemented by remote coaching via smartphone apps. For outcome measurement, parents recorded their interaction with their child thrice weekly during baseline (3 weeks), intervention, post-intervention (3 weeks) and follow-up (1 week). Measures comprised parent responsiveness and counts of children's communication and vocalization. Research design feasibility was measured through rates of recruitment, attrition, outcome measure completion and agreement between raters on outcome measurement. Intervention feasibility was assessed through the proportion of therapy sessions received, the number of videos and text messages shared using the apps in remote coaching, and message content. Parents were interviewed about the acceptability of the intervention and trial design. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Nine children were recruited over 16 weeks. All fitted the inclusion criteria. Four families withdrew from the study. Five families completed the intervention. No family submitted the target number of video recordings for outcome measurement. Interrater agreement was moderate for child communication (K = 0.46) and vocalization (K = 0.60) and high for The Responsive Augmentative and Alternative Communication Style scale (RAACS) (rs = 0.96). Parents who completed the intervention reported positive experiences of the programme and remote coaching via the apps. Therapist messages via the app contained comments on parent and child behaviour and requests for parental reflection/action; parental messages contained reflections on children's communication. The intervention and study design demanded high levels of parental involvement and was not suitable for all families. Recording shorter periods of interaction via mobile phones or using alternative methods of data collection may increase feasibility of outcome measurement.

Response rate differences between web and alternative data collection methods for public health research: a systematic review of the literature.

To systematically review the literature and compare response rates (RRs) of web surveys to alternative data collection methods in the context of epidemiologic and public health studies. We reviewed the literature using PubMed, LILACS, SciELO, WebSM, and Google Scholar databases. We selected epidemiologic and public health studies that considered the general population and used two parallel data collection methods, being one web-based. RR differences were analyzed using two-sample test of proportions, and pooled using random effects. We investigated agreement using Bland-and-Altman, and correlation using Pearson's coefficient. We selected 19 studies (nine randomized trials). The RR of the web-based data collection was 12.9 percentage points (p.p.) lower (95% CI = - 19.0, - 6.8) than the alternative methods, and 15.7 p.p. lower (95% CI = - 24.2, - 7.3) considering only randomized trials. Monetary incentives did not reduce the RR differences. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.83) between the RRs was observed. Web-based data collection present lower RRs compared to alternative methods. However, it is not recommended to interpret this as a meta-analytical evidence due to the high heterogeneity of the studies.

Survey research with a random digit dial national mobile phone sample in Ghana: Methods and sample quality.

IntroductionGenerating a nationally representative sample in low and middle income countries typically requires resource-intensive household level sampling with door-to-door data collection. High mobile phone penetration rates in developing countries provide new opportunities for alternative sampling and data collection methods, but there is limited information about response rates and sample biases in coverage and nonresponse using these methods. We utilized data from an interactive voice response, random-digit dial, national mobile phone survey in Ghana to calculate standardized response rates and assess representativeness of the obtained sample.Materials and methodsThe survey methodology was piloted in two rounds of data collection. The final survey included 18 demographic, media exposure, and health behavior questions. Call outcomes and response rates were calculated according to the American Association of Public Opinion Research guidelines. Sample characteristics, productivity, and costs per interview were calculated. Representativeness was assessed by comparing data to the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and the National Population and Housing Census.ResultsThe survey was fielded during a 27-day period in February-March 2017. There were 9,469 completed interviews and 3,547 partial interviews. Response, cooperation, refusal, and contact rates were 31%, 81%, 7%, and 39% respectively. Twenty-three calls were dialed to produce an eligible contact: nonresponse was substantial due to the automated calling system and dialing of many unassigned or non-working numbers. Younger, urban, better educated, and male respondents were overrepresented in the sample.ConclusionsThe innovative mobile phone data collection methodology yielded a large sample in a relatively short period. Response rates were comparable to other surveys, although substantial coverage bias resulted from fewer women, rural, and older residents completing the mobile phone survey in comparison to household surveys. Random digit dialing of mobile phones offers promise for future data collection in Ghana and may be suitable for other developing countries.

Web-based questionnaires to assess perinatal outcome proved to be valid

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to validate a Web-based questionnaire completed by the mother to assess perinatal outcome used in a prospective cohort study. Study Design and SettingFor 882 women with an estimated date of delivery between February 2012 and February 2015 who participated in the PRegnancy and Infant DEvelopment (PRIDE) Study, we compared data on pregnancy outcome, including mode of delivery, plurality, gestational age, birth weight and length, head circumference, birth defects, and infant sex, from Web-based questionnaires administered to the mothers 2 months after delivery with data from obstetric records. For continuous variables, we calculated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), whereas sensitivity and specificity were determined for categorical variables. ResultsWe observed only very small differences between the two methods of data collection for gestational age (ICC, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.90–0.92), birth weight (ICC, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.95–0.96), birth length (ICC, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.87–0.92), and head circumference (ICC, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.80–0.93). Agreement between the Web-based questionnaire and obstetric records was high as well, with sensitivity ranging between 0.86 (termination of pregnancy) and 1.00 (four outcomes) and specificity between 0.96 (term birth) and 1.00 (nine outcomes). ConclusionOur study provides evidence that Web-based questionnaires could be considered as a valid complementary or alternative method of data collection.

A family intervention to reduce delirium in hospitalised ICU patients: A feasibility randomised controlled trial

BackgroundFamily members could play an important role in preventing and reducing the development of delirium in Intensive Care Units (ICU) patients. This study sought to assess the feasibility of design and recruitment, and acceptability for family members and nurses of a family delivered intervention to reduce delirium in ICU patients. MethodA single centre randomised controlled trial in an Australian medical/surgical ICU was conducted. Sixty-one family members were randomised (29 in intervention and 32 in non-intervention group). Following instructions, the intervention comprised the family members providing orientation or memory clues (family photographs, orientation to surroundings) to their relative each day. In addition, family members conducted sensory checks (vision and hearing with glasses and hearing aids); and therapeutic or cognitive stimulation (discussing family life, reminiscing) daily. Eleven ICU nurses were interviewed to gain insight into the feasibility and acceptability of implementing the intervention from their perspective. ResultsRecruitment rate was 28% of eligible patients (recruited n=90, attrition n=1). Following instruction by the research nurse the family member delivered the intervention which was assessed to be feasible and acceptable by family members and nurses. Protocol adherence could be improved with alternative data collection methods. Nurses considered the activities acceptable. ConclusionThe study was able to recruit, randomise and retain family member participants. Further strategies are required to assess intervention fidelity and improve data collection.

Paired Comparisons or Sorting? Comparing Web-Based Methods for Collecting Similarity Data for Large Stimulus Sets for Destination Image Positioning

Destination image is among the most studied constructs in tourism research. Many researchers are still convinced that the rating scale method is the most accurate for assessing destination image. This study presents alternative methods of data collection, namely, free-sorting and reduced paired comparisons, and investigates their applicability in a Web-based environment. The study then subjects these data collection methods to empirical analysis and compares the judgment task’s effects on perceived difficulty, fatigue, and boredom, on data quality, and on perceptual maps derived with MDS. The findings demonstrate that these methods are more accurate whenever a large number of objects have to be judged, which is particularly the case for positioning and competitiveness studies.

Estimating Induced Abortion and Foreign Irregular Presence Using the Randomized Response Crossed Model

We present the theoretical framework and the results of a pilot survey conducted in Calabria, a region in the south of Italy, to investigate the prevalence of two sensitive characteristics, namely induced abortion among foreign women residing in this region, and irregular immigrant status. Collecting data on these two attributes by means of traditional survey modes typically produces underestimates of the diffusion of the phenomena due to the stigmatizing nature of the investigated topics. In order to overcome this problem, we employ an alternative data collection method known as the Randomized Response Technique. In particular, we focus on the implementation of the crossed model recently proposed by Lee et al. (Stat Probab Lett 83:399–409, 2013) to estimate two sensitive characteristics and some related measures of association.

Results and Lessons from Local Calibration Process of the Highway Safety Manual for the State of Maryland

This paper discusses Maryland's experience in developing local calibration factors (LCFs) in the application of the Highway Safety Manual (HSM), which is the required process for adjusting predicted crashes estimated by the HSM's safety performance functions (SPFs) to local jurisdictions. The LCFs for 18 facility types were calculated with data for the period 2008 to 2010. Additional variables were gathered by alternative data collection methods. Because HSM's crash proportion was different from Maryland's, Maryland's crash proportion was used to predict crash frequency and calculate the LCFs. Maryland in general had fewer crashes than predicted crash frequency generated by the HSM's SPFs. The LCFs for 15 of 18 facility types were less than 1.0. In particular, intersection LCFs were extremely low. Because of potential issues with unreported minor and property damage only crashes, the authors recommend using the LCFs for fatal and injury crashes where available. The pairwise comparison of Maryland LCFs with the LCFs of nine case studies showed statistically significant differences between states, providing grounds for jurisdiction-specific LCF development.

Seeing Experiences of Interdisciplinarity through Student Artwork

This paper explores visual response methods as a representation of student learning in a college-level interdisciplinary curriculum integrating art and engineering. The visual response methods, specifically visual journals and postcards, are examples of authentic assessment and alternative data collection methods embedded in a mixed-methods (qualitative dominant) practitioner research case study. In the paper, we focus on different means for analyzing these visual responses (e.g., through hermeneutic analysis, document analysis, and narrative analysis) and deliberate the contribution of diverse analysis methods to the researchers’ understanding of students’ experiences of interdisciplinarity in this course.

PRM21 - Comparison of Alternative Methods of Resource-Use Data Collection for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Interventions: A Case Study in Frail Older People

PRM21 - Comparison of Alternative Methods of Resource-Use Data Collection for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Interventions: A Case Study in Frail Older People

Temporal variation of residential pesticide use and comparison of two survey platforms: a longitudinal study among households with young children in Northern California

BackgroundPesticide use patterns are essential inputs into human pesticide exposure models. Currently, data included for modeling purposes have mostly been collected in cross-sectional surveys. However, it is questionable whether responses to one-time surveys are representative of pesticide use over longer periods, which is needed for assessment of health impact. This study was designed to evaluate population-wide temporal variations and within-household variations in reported residential pesticide use patterns and to compare alternative pesticide data collection methods – web surveys versus telephone interviews.MethodA total of 481 households in Northern California provided up to 3 annual telephone interviews on residential pesticide use; 182 of these households provided up to 6 quarterly web surveys that covered the same topics for some of the same time periods. Information on frequency and areas of application were collected for outdoor and indoor sprays, indoor foggers, professional applications, and behind-the-neck treatments for pets. Population-wide temporal variation and within-household consistency were examined both within telephone surveys and within web surveys, and quantified using Generalized Estimating Equations and Mixed Effect Modeling. Reporting between the two methods, the telephone survey and the web survey, was also compared.ResultsUse prevalence of outdoor sprays across the population reported in both the annual telephone surveys and the quarterly web surveys decreased over time, as did behind-the-neck treatment of pets reported in the quarterly web survey. Similarly, frequencies of use of these products decreased in the quarterly web surveys. Indoor sprays showed no statistically significant population-wide temporal variation in either survey. Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated consistent use within a household for behind-the-neck treatment on pets and outdoor sprays but great variability for the use of indoor sprays. Indoor sprays were most consistently applied in the bathroom and kitchen. Outdoor sprays were consistently more often applied by male household members, while indoor sprays were not. The two survey approaches obtained fairly similar results on the prevalence of using pesticides, but found discrepancies in use frequencies. In addition, the number of products purchased was positively correlated with application frequency for outdoor sprays (R = 0.51, p = 0.0005) but not for indoor sprays.ConclusionsIn this population, repeated surveys are necessary either to obtain a reliable estimate of the average household use of pesticides or to project potential temporal changes of pesticide use. Web surveys could collect comparable data to traditional telephone surveys for some information. However, researchers need to consider the internet acceptability among the target population and balance lower participant burden against the need for sufficiently accurate time-varying measurement, to improve subject retention in longitudinal surveys.

Evaluating the Feasibility of Utilizing the Automated Self-administered 24-hour (ASA24) Dietary Recall in a Sample of Multiethnic Older Adults

The ASA24 is a web application which enables the collection of self-administered dietary recalls thus utilizing technology to overcome some of the limitations of traditional assessment methodologies. Older adults, particularly those from certain ethnic groups may have less access to and may be less receptive to technology. This research sought to determine the level of access to the internet as well as evaluate the feasibility of using a web-based alternative dietary data collection method in older, multiethnic adults. Participants completed three telephone administered diet recalls (n=347), and were asked to complete a one day recall via the ASA24. They were also asked to evaluate their experience with using the ASA24 system. Almost 60% of the participants reported no access to a computer or internet access, with African Americans and Latinos less likely than non-Hispanic Whites and Japanese-Americans to have access. Of those with access to the internet (n=100), 44% of the participants accessed the ASA24 system and 37% successfully launched the ASA24 program. However, most respondents preferred the traditional diet recall methodology over the ASA24. Further research is needed to investigate recruitment and use of electronic data collection methodologies in older adults.

A systematic review of the effect of retention methods in population-based cohort studies

BackgroundLongitudinal studies are of aetiological and public health relevance but can be undermined by attrition. The aim of this paper was to identify effective retention strategies to increase participation in population-based cohort studies.MethodsSystematic review of the literature to identify prospective population-based cohort studies with health outcomes in which retention strategies had been evaluated.ResultsTwenty-eight studies published up to January 2011 were included. Eleven of which were randomized controlled trials of retention strategies (RCT). Fifty-seven percent of the studies were postal, 21% in-person, 14% telephone and 7% had mixed data collection methods. A total of 45 different retention strategies were used, categorised as 1) incentives, 2) reminder methods, repeat visits or repeat questionnaires, alternative modes of data collection or 3) other methods. Incentives were associated with an increase in retention rates, which improved with greater incentive value. Whether cash was the most effective incentive was not clear from studies that compared cash and gifts of similar value. The average increase in retention rate was 12% for reminder letters, 5% for reminder calls and 12% for repeat questionnaires. Ten studies used alternative data collection methods, mainly as a last resort. All postal studies offered telephone interviews to non-responders, which increased retention rates by 3%. Studies that used face-to-face interviews increased their retention rates by 24% by offering alternative locations and modes of data collection.ConclusionsIncentives boosted retention rates in prospective cohort studies. Other methods appeared to have a beneficial effect but there was a general lack of a systematic approach to their evaluation.

Everyday serendipity as described in social media

Serendipity has received much attention from library and information science, psychology, and computer science. Yet not much is known about serendipity in the context of everyday information behavior. In general, a key challenge in the study of serendipity is obtaining accounts of serendipitous experiences that provide insight into the phenomenon. The exploratory research reported here approaches this problem by examining naturally occurring descriptions of serendipity as found on blogs. The paper shows how these data can be collected, stored, and analyzed. We also discuss strengths of the proposed approach in comparison to the use of descriptions elicited in controlled settings for the purposes of research. Through a grounded theory approach, we develop a model of serendipity that can inform the design of information systems. The paper contributes to the LIS field by discussing an alternative data collection method for serendipity research, outlining a tentative conceptual model of serendipity, and showing the utility of this model for the analysis of everyday accounts of serendipity found on blogs.

Saving the National Children's Study

Saving the National Children's Study

Feasibility of Internet-Based Health-Related Quality of Life Data Collection in a Large Patient Cohort

BackgroundPatient registries are commonly used to track survival and medical outcomes in large cohorts. However, large-scale collection of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) data is more challenging because such data must be collected directly from patients. Internet-based HRQOL questionnaires are a potential solution, allowing home data collection with immediate storage in a central database.ObjectivesOur objectives were to investigate the sociodemographic predictors of Internet use and willingness to convey HRQOL information over the Internet in a Canadian tertiary care patient population and to determine whether Internet use patterns of tertiary care patients differ from those of the general Canadian population. Additionally, we sought to identify the success of home completion of Internet-based HRQOL questionnaires, as well as factors hindering home completion.MethodsWe surveyed 644 patients at the Toronto General and St. Michael’s Hospitals from November 2003 through July 2006 within a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of HRQOL in patients with lung disease or lung transplants. Using multiple logistic regression, we assessed patient age, gender, rurality, marital status, and employment or education status as potential sociodemographic predictors of having an Internet-accessible home computer, using email at least weekly, and willingness to complete a quality of life questionnaire over the Internet. Patients electing to complete questionnaires over the Internet were followed from September 2005 through March 2008 to assess completion of HRQOL questionnaires from home, identify barriers for noncompletion, and determine sociodemographic predictors for home completion.ResultsOf the 644 patients, the median age was 51 years, with a similar number of males and females. Most were urban Ontario residents, were unemployed, and were married or in a common-law relationship. Having an Internet-accessible home computer was reported by 79.7% (513/644) of patients and use of email at least weekly by 66.5% (414/623) of patients. A majority of patients (57.1% 368/644) were willing to complete HRQOL questionnaires over the Internet via an emailed link. Of the participating 644 patients, 368 elected to complete future questionnaires from home and, as part of a gradual roll-out of the home HRQOL questionnaire, 211 were sent emails inviting them to do so. Of the invited patients, 78% (165/211) completed at least one questionnaire from home. The most common reason for noncompletion was a lack of or an inability to find time to complete the questionnaire. No statistically significant sociodemographic predictors of Internet use were associated with completion or noncompletion of questionnaires from home.ConclusionsHome, Internet-based HRQOL assessment is feasible in tertiary care patient populations with a high predicted rate of Internet usage based on sociodemographic parameters. A large minority of patients were unwilling or unable to take part in home HRQOL assessments indicating that alternative methods of data collection are still required. However, the majority of patients electing to complete home HRQOL assessments went on to do so over the Internet.

Developing a GIS-based inventory for the implementation of cave management protocols in Withlacoochee State Forest, Florida

The type of data collected during cave inventories includes a myriad of different parameters; however, the actual practice of field data collection lacks a modern, standardized method. The integration of GIS with methods associated with the inventory of cave resources and utilization patterns improve upon the previously utilized paper-form of inventory. This article discusses the development of a GIS-based method of cave inventory and how its implementation advanced cave management protocols in Withlacoochee State Forest (WSF), Florida. After realizing the need for a more sophisticated and secure method to inventory caves in WSF, an alternative data collection, storage, and manipulation method was expanded that allowed the input and storage of large amounts of spatially-referenced data. The overarching purpose of this study was to create a modernized and user-friendly GIS-based method of cave inventory that encompassed all aspects of the inventory (i.e., data collection, storage, manipulation, and post-processing) for the efficient management of caves in WSF. The GIS-based inventory developed for WSF caves is easily applied by state forest personnel and is aiding in the drafting of management plans for each cave they manage. Having rigorously tested this method in 19 caves, we feel it is applicable to cave systems in all karst areas.

Playing with food. A novel approach to understanding nutritional behaviour development

This study explored the use of a novel method of collecting data on nutritional behaviour development in young children: videos posted on the Internet site YouTube. YouTube videos (n=115) of children alone and interacting with parents in toy kitchen settings were analyzed using constant comparison analysis. Results revealed that in the videos of play nutritional behaviours, children showed influences of their real social environments, and that this medium enabled the observation of parent–child interactions in a more natural context without the researcher's presence. These findings encourage further research in the development and validity of alternative methods of data collection.

Measuring mobile service usage: methods and measurement points

A comprehensive understanding of mobile service usage is increasingly difficult as a fragmented user base is accessing internet-based services using multiple wireless networks. In this paper, alternative data collection methods are reviewed. Surveys and end-user monitoring provide very detailed sample-based data, whereas wireless network data are less granular but cover an operator's entire subscriber base. Servers give detailed data on a focused user base. In future, survey-based methods will be increasingly complemented with automated measurements. Multifunctional mobile handsets and servers of internet-based service providers seem the most promising measurement points, whereas 2G/3G mobile networks are less useful as traffic leaks to alternative networks.