Despite technical problems personal digital assistants outperform pen and paper when collecting patient diary data.
OBJECTIVE
To assess how personal digital assistants (PDAs) perform as collection tools of patient-reported outcomes in clinical research compared to pen and paper (P&P) diaries in terms of feasibility, protocol compliance, data accuracy, and subject acceptability.


METHODS
A systematic review of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials comparing the PDA and P&P methods in a health diary context involving repeated measures in persons with chronic health problems.


RESULTS
Nine studies were included. Their methodological quality was variable. Five studies reported on feasibility, and all reported technical difficulties with the PDA technology. Two studies reported that electronic collection leads to a substantial reduction in time used for data handling. Five studies reported that the PDA method results in better compliance, whereas one study reported the opposite. All three articles reporting on data accuracy indicated that there are fewer errors in the PDA records. Four articles scrutinized subject preference, and the PDA method came out favorably in all four.


CONCLUSIONS
The PDA method seems to perform better than P&P in most of the selected outcomes. Technical malfunction is the chief disadvantage with the PDA method. Further research comparing PDA with paper data collection using more stringent methodology is needed.
Dale
Oystein
O
Norwegian National Centre for Assistive Technology, SIKTE, Rikstrygdeverket, Pb 5200 Nydalen, 0425 Oslo, Norway. oysteindale@yahoo.no
Hagen
Kaare Birger
KB
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D012107:Research Design