The use of microcomputers for data management in a large epidemiological survey.
A data management system designed around microcomputers and commercial software packages was employed for a large epidemiological study. Management involved the tracking of subjects through several stages of the study and the generation of subject listings, personalized letters of invitation, daily worklists for the field teams, and a checklist for the laboratories. These processes were controlled using a continually updated subject data base which in final form provided the core of the management system for the collected data. Data management presented major problems because of the volume of data which were received from several sources over a period of months. A key feature to emerge was the importance of an accurate serial number on all items for which a check digit was employed. The system had a short development time and was found to be inexpensive and flexible and to cope easily with the demands made of it.
D003201:Computers; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D008838:Microcomputers; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012984:Software