title: Developing and validating a tablet version of an illness explanatory model interview for a public health survey in Pune, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mobile electronic devices are replacing paper-based instruments and questionnaires for epidemiological and public health research. The elimination of a data-entry step after an interview is a notable advantage over paper, saving investigator time, decreasing the time lags in managing and analyzing data, and potentially improving the data quality by removing the error-prone data-entry step. Research has not yet provided adequate evidence, however, to substantiate the claim of fewer errors for computerized interviews.
  
  
  METHODS
  We developed an Android-based illness explanatory interview for influenza vaccine acceptance and tested the instrument in a field study in Pune, India, for feasibility and acceptability. Error rates for tablet and paper were compared with reference to the voice recording of the interview as gold standard to assess discrepancies. We also examined the preference of interviewers for the classical paper-based or the electronic version of the interview and compared the costs of research with both data collection devices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 95 interviews with household respondents, total error rates with paper and tablet devices were nearly the same (2.01% and 1.99% respectively). Most interviewers indicated no preference for a particular device; but those with a preference opted for tablets. The initial investment in tablet-based interviews was higher compared to paper, while the recurring costs per interview were lower with the use of tablets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An Android-based tablet version of a complex interview was developed and successfully validated. Advantages were not compromised by increased errors, and field research assistants with a preference preferred the Android device. Use of tablets may be more costly than paper for small samples and less costly for large studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Joseph G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Giduthuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maire
authors.affiliation: The Maharashtra Association of Anthropological Sciences, Centre for Health Research and Development, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Saju
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: The Maharashtra Association of Anthropological Sciences, Centre for Health Research and Development, Pune, India.
authors.forename: Abhay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kudale
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schaetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Neisha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sundaram
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schindler
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mitchell G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D034201:Computers, Handheld; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines