title: In a randomized controlled trial, patients preferred electronic data collection of breast cancer risk-factor information in a mammography setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated patient acceptance of an electronic questionnaire to collect breast cancer risk-factor data in a mammography setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed an electronic questionnaire on a tablet computer incorporating prefilled answers and skip patterns. Using a randomized controlled study design, we tested the survey in a mammography clinic that administers a paper risk-factor questionnaire to every woman at her screening mammogram. We randomized 160 women to use the electronic survey (experimental group, n = 86) or paper survey (control group, n = 74). We evaluated patient acceptance and data completeness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 70.4% of the experimental group women thought the survey was very easy to use, compared to 55.6% of women in the control group. Ninety percent of experimental group women preferred using the tablet, compared to the paper questionnaire. Preference for the tablet did not differ by age; however, women > or = 60 years did not find the tablet as easy to use as did women < 60 years. The proportion of missing data was significantly lower on the tablet compared to the paper questionnaire (4.6% vs. 6.2%, P = .04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Electronic questionnaires are feasible to use in a mammography setting, can improve data quality, and are preferred by women regardless of age.
authors.affiliation: Group Health Cooperative, Center for Health Studies, 1730 Minor Ave, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA 98101, USA. aiello.e@ghc.org
authors.forename: Erin J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Aiello
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taplin
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hobbs
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seger
authors.forename: Hakim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kamel
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tufano
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ballard-Barbash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001292:Attitude to Computers; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008838:Microcomputers; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires