A pilot, multisite, randomized controlled trial of a self-directed coping skills training intervention for couples facing prostate cancer : accrual, retention, and data collection issues

PURPOSE: To examine the acceptability of the methods used to evaluate Coping-Together, one of the first self-directed coping skill intervention for couples facing cancer, and to collect preliminary efficacy data. METHODS: Forty-two couples, randomized to a minimal ethical care (MEC) condition or to Coping-Together, completed a survey at baseline and 2 months after, a cost diary, and a process evaluation phone interview. RESULTS: One hundred seventy patients were referred to the study. However, 57 couples did not meet all eligibility criteria, and 51 refused study participation. On average, two to three couples were randomized per month, and on average it took 26 days to enrol a couple in the study. Two couples withdrew from MEC, none from Coping-Together. Only 44 % of the cost diaries were completed, and 55 % of patients and 60 % of partners found the surveys too long, and this despite the follow-up survey being five pages shorter than the baseline one. Trends in favor of Coping-Together were noted for both patients and their partners. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified the challenges of conducting dyadic research, and a number of suggestions were put forward for future studies, including to question whether distress screening was necessary and what kind of control group might be more appropriate in future studies.

Monitoring and evaluating surgical care: defining perioperative mortality rate and standardising data collection

BACKGROUND: Case volume per 100 000 population and perioperative mortality rate (POMR) are key indicators to monitor and strengthen surgical services. However, comparisons of POMR have been restricted by absence of standardised approaches to when it is measured, the ideal denominator, need for risk adjustment, and whether data are available. We aimed to address these issues and recommend a minimum dataset by analysing four large mixed surgical datasets, two from well-resourced settings with sophisticated electronic patient information systems and two from resource-limited settings where clinicians maintain locally developed databases. METHODS: We obtained data from the New Zealand (NZ) National Minimum Dataset, the Geelong Hospital patient management system in Australia, and purpose-built surgical databases in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (PMZ) and Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea (PNG). Information was sought on inclusion and exclusion criteria, coding criteria, and completeness of patient identifiers, admission, procedure, discharge and death dates, operation details, urgency of admission, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score. Date-related errors were defined as missing dates and impossible discrepancies. For every site, we then calculated the POMR, the effect of admission episodes or procedures as denominator, and the difference between in-hospital POMR and 30-day POMR. To determine the need for risk adjustment, we used univariate and multivariate logistic regression to assess the effect on relative POMR for each site of age, admission urgency, ASA score, and procedure type. FINDINGS: 1 365 773 patient admissions involving 1 514 242 procedures were included, among which 8655 deaths were recorded within 30 days. Database inclusion and exclusion criteria differed substantially. NZ and Geelong records had less than 0·1% date-related errors and greater than 99·9% completeness. PMZ databases had 99·9% or greater completeness of all data except date-related items (94·0%). PNG had 99·9% or greater completeness for date of birth or age and admission date and operative procedure, but 80-83% completeness of patient identifiers and date related items. Coding of procedures was not standardised, and only NZ recorded ASA status and complete post-discharge mortality. In-hospital POMR range was 0·38% in NZ to 3·44% in PMZ, and in NZ it underestimated 30-day POMR by roughly a third. The difference in POMR by procedures instead of admission episodes as denominator ranged from 10% to 70%. Age older than 65 years and emergency admission had large independent effects on POMR, but relatively little effect in multivariate analysis on the relative odds of in-hospital death at each site. INTERPRETATION: Hospitals can collect and provide data for case volume and POMR without sophisticated electronic information systems. POMR should initially be defined by in-hospital mortality because post-discharge deaths are not usually recorded, and with procedures as denominator because details allowing linkage of several operations within one patient's admission are not always present. Although age and admission urgency are independently associated with POMR, and ASA and case mix were not included, risk adjustment might not be essential because the relative odds between sites persisted. Standardisation of inclusion criteria and definitions is needed, as is attention to accuracy and completeness of dates of procedures, discharge and death. A one-page, paper-based form, or alternatively a simple electronic data collection form, containing a minimum dataset commenced in the operating theatre could facilitate this process. FUNDING: None.

The influence of visual stimuli in ethnobotanical data collection using the listing task method

The listing task, a method used in social and behavioral sciences, is frequently used in ethnobotanical research to constructfolk taxonomies and select relevant itemsfor subsequent research. The objective of the present study was to determine whether visual stimuli are associated with responses to the theme plants or if context influences the answers. Interviews were conducted with 400 women in Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil, in four different locations: three with a visible presence of plants (a plant store, a supermarket, and a public plaza) and one with no plants (a street corner in the center of the city). The women were asked to name plants. Analysis indicates that visual stimuli influenced responses and that this is more marked in the plant store than in the other locations. The plants cited most often-roses, orchids, ferns, violets, and daisies-were, with little variation, the same in all the locales studied.

Response Bias Using Two-Stage Data Collection: A study of elderly participants in a program.

Researchers examining the effects of programs, in this case a state-level pharmaceutical assistance program for the elderly, sometimes must rely on multiple methods of data collection. Two-stage data collection (e.g., a telephone interview followed by a mail questionnaire) was used to obtain a full range of information. Older age groups were found to participate less frequently in the telephone interview, while certain demographic factors characterized mail questionnaire nonparticipants, all of which supports past research. Results also show that those in the poorest health are less likely to participate in the mail survey. Combining the two methods did not result in high attrition, suggesting that innovation can be successfully employed. Knowledge of the bias associated with each method will aid in targeting special groups.

Validation of an instrument for injury data collection in strength training

Purpose: To provide for the basis for collecting strength training data using a rigorously validated injury report form. Methods: A group of specialist designed a questionnaire of 45 item grouped into 4 dimensions. Six stages were used to assess face, content, and criterion validity of the weight training injury report form. A 13 members panel assessed the form for face validity, and an expert panel assessed it for content and criterion validity. Panel members were consulted until consensus was reached. A yardstick developed by an expert panel using Intraclass correlation technique was used to assess the reability of the form. Test-retest reliability was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).The strength training injury report form was developed, and the face, content, and criterion validity successfully assessed. A six step protocol to create a yardstick was also developed to assist in the validation process. Both inter-rater and intra rater reliability results indicated a 98% agreement. Inter-rater reliability agreement of 98% for three injuries. Results: The Cronbach?s alpha of the questionnaire was 0.944 (pmenor que0.01) and the ICC of the entire questionnaire was 0.894 (pmenor que0.01). Conclusion: The questionnaire gathers together enough psychometric properties to be considered a valid and reliable tool for register injury data in strength training, and providing researchers with a basis for future studies in this area. Key Words: data collection; validation; injury prevention; strength training

Expert systems for crash data collection.

Federal Highway Administration, Office of Safety and Traffic Operations, Washington, D.C.

Safety status data collection methodology. Volume II - technical report on development and validation of evaluation procedures. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Crash Avoidance Research Division, Washington, D.C.

Development of roadside safety data collection plan. Final report.

Federal Highway Administration, Office of Safety and Traffic Operations Research and Development, McLean, Va.

National Governors' Association Truck Accident Data Collection Program - officer's manual. Final report.

Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C.

Quantitative neuropathology:data collection and statistical analysis

The use of quantitative methods has become increasingly important in the study of neuropathology and especially in neurodegenerative disease. Disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and the frontotemporal dementias (FTD) are characterized by the formation of discrete, microscopic, pathological lesions which play an important role in pathological diagnosis. This chapter reviews the advantages and limitations of the different methods of quantifying pathological lesions in histological sections including estimates of density, frequency, coverage, and the use of semi-quantitative scores. The sampling strategies by which these quantitative measures can be obtained from histological sections, including plot or quadrat sampling, transect sampling, and point-quarter sampling, are described. In addition, data analysis methods commonly used to analysis quantitative data in neuropathology, including analysis of variance (ANOVA), polynomial curve fitting, multiple regression, classification trees, and principal components analysis (PCA), are discussed. These methods are illustrated with reference to quantitative studies of a variety of neurodegenerative disorders.

Site-restricted web searches for data collection in regional dialectology

This article presents a new method for data collection in regional dialectology based on site-restricted web searches. The method measures the usage and determines the distribution of lexical variants across a region of interest using common web search engines, such as Google or Bing. The method involves estimating the proportions of the variants of a lexical alternation variable over a series of cities by counting the number of webpages that contain the variants on newspaper websites originating from these cities through site-restricted web searches. The method is evaluated by mapping the 26 variants of 10 lexical variables with known distributions in American English. In almost all cases, the maps based on site-restricted web searches align closely with traditional dialect maps based on data gathered through questionnaires, demonstrating the accuracy of this method for the observation of regional linguistic variation. However, unlike collecting dialect data using traditional methods, which is a relatively slow process, the use of site-restricted web searches allows for dialect data to be collected from across a region as large as the United States in a matter of days.

Investigating Race and Ethnicity on Data Collection and Analysis

This paper details the research methods an introductory qualitative research class used to both study an issue related to race and identity, and to familiarize themselves with data collection strategies. Throughout the paper the authors attempt to capture the challenges, disagreements, and consensus building that marked this unusual research endeavor.

Use of Remote Sensing for Collection of Data Elements for Linear Referencing Systems, 2002

This report evaluates the use of remotely sensed images in implementing the Iowa DOT LRS that is currently in the stages of system architecture. The Iowa Department of Transportation is investing a significant amount of time and resources into creation of a linear referencing system (LRS). A significant portion of the effort in implementing the system will be creation of a datum, which includes geographically locating anchor points and then measuring anchor section distances between those anchor points. Currently, system architecture and evaluation of different data collection methods to establish the LRS datum is being performed for the DOT by an outside consulting team.