Despite technical problems personal digital assistants outperform pen and paper when collecting patient diary data
Abstract
Objectives 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.Study design and setting 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.Conclusion 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.
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Electronic data collection increases the speed, accuracy, and user acceptability of the process.
“Research has indicated the electronic data collection increases the speed, accuracy, and user acceptability of the process [197–199].”
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- Authors
- Dale, O., & Hagen, K. B.
- Affiliations
- Diakonhjemmet Hospital (NO)
- Venue
- Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-01
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 8-17
- ISSN
- 0895-4356 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2065142464
- Cited by
- 191
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 12 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 21.99
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Clinical Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Survey Methodology and Nonresponse
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Electronic Health Records Systems
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Keywords
- personal digital assistants, electronic data collection, patient-reported outcomes, health diary, protocol adherence, data accuracy, feasibility, chronic disease, technical failure
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Feasibility Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Patient Compliance, Research Design, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Medical Records Systems, Computerized, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Computers, Handheld
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