title: Paperless registration during survey enumerations and large oral cholera mass vaccination in Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanzania.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Field trials require extensive data preparation and complex logistics. The use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) can bypass many of the traditional steps that are necessary in a paper-based data entry system.
  
  
  METHODS
  We programmed, designed and supervised the use of PDAs for a large survey enumeration and mass vaccination campaign.
  
  
  METHODS
  The project was implemented in Zanzibar in the United Republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar is composed of two main islands, Unguja and Pemba, where outbreaks of cholera have been reported since the 1970s.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PDAs allowed us to digitize information at the initial point of contact with the respondents. Immediate response by the system in case of error helped ensure the quality and reliability of the data. PDAs provided quick data summaries that allowed subsequent research activities to be implemented in a timely fashion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Portability, immediate recording and linking of information enhanced structure data collection in our study. PDAs could be more useful than paper-based systems for data collection in the field, especially in impoverished settings in developing countries.
authors.affiliation: International Vaccine Institute, Kwanak PO Box-14, Seoul, 151-600, Republic of Korea. mali@ivi.int
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Jaqueline L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Deen
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khatib
authors.forename: Godwin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Enwere
authors.forename: Lorenz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: von Seidlein
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reyburn
authors.forename: Said Mohammed
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Na Yoon
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perroud
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marodon
authors.forename: Abdul A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hashim
authors.forename: Anna Lena
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beard
authors.forename: Benedikt N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Ley
authors.forename: Kamala
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thriemer
authors.forename: Mahesh K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Puri
authors.forename: Binod
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sah
authors.forename: Mohamed Saleh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jiddawi
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Clemens
mesh_terms: D022121:Cholera Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016494:Computer Security; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D006801:Humans; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized; D013636:Tanzania
chemical_list: D022121:Cholera Vaccines