Publication Abstract

Authors: Aiello EJ, Taplin S, Reid R, Hobbs M, Seger D, Kamel H, Tufano J, Ballard-Barbash R

Title: In a randomized controlled trial, patients preferred electronic data collection of breast cancer risk-factor information in a mammography setting.

Journal: J Clin Epidemiol 59(1):77-81

Date: 2006 Jan

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We evaluated patient acceptance of an electronic questionnaire to collect breast cancer risk-factor data in a mammography setting. METHODS: We developed an electronic questionnaire on a tablet computer incorporating prefilled answers and skip patterns. Using a randomized controlled study design, we tested the survey in a mammography clinic that administers a paper risk-factor questionnaire to every woman at her screening mammogram. We randomized 160 women to use the electronic survey (experimental group, n = 86) or paper survey (control group, n = 74). We evaluated patient acceptance and data completeness. RESULTS: Overall, 70.4% of the experimental group women thought the survey was very easy to use, compared to 55.6% of women in the control group. Ninety percent of experimental group women preferred using the tablet, compared to the paper questionnaire. Preference for the tablet did not differ by age; however, women > or = 60 years did not find the tablet as easy to use as did women < 60 years. The proportion of missing data was significantly lower on the tablet compared to the paper questionnaire (4.6% vs. 6.2%, P = .04). CONCLUSION: Electronic questionnaires are feasible to use in a mammography setting, can improve data quality, and are preferred by women regardless of age.