Paperless registration during survey enumerations and large oral cholera mass vaccination in Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanzania.
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.
Ali
Mohammad
M
International Vaccine Institute, Kwanak PO Box-14, Seoul, 151-600, Republic of Korea. mali@ivi.int
Deen
Jaqueline L
JL
Khatib
Ahmed
A
Enwere
Godwin
G
von Seidlein
Lorenz
L
Reyburn
Rita
R
Ali
Said Mohammed
SM
Chang
Na Yoon
NY
Perroud
Valérie
V
Marodon
Frédérique
F
Saleh
Abdul A
AA
Hashim
R
R
Lopez
Anna Lena
AL
Beard
James
J
Ley
Benedikt N
BN
Thriemer
Kamala
K
Puri
Mahesh K
MK
Sah
Binod
B
Jiddawi
Mohamed Saleh
MS
Clemens
John D
JD
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
D022121:Cholera Vaccines