José S Marcano Belisario|Jan Jamšek|Kit Huckvale|John O’Donoghue|Cecily Morrison|Josip Car
Comparison of self-administered survey questionnaire responses collected using mobile apps versus other methods
Imperial College London|University of Ljubljana|Imperial College London|Imperial College London|Imperial College London|Nanyang Technological University
selfadministered survey questionnaires important data collection tool clinical practice public health research epidemiology ideal achieving wide geographic coverage target population dealing sensitive topics less resourceintensive data collection methods survey questionnaires delivered electronically maximise scalability speed data collection reducing cost recent years use apps running consumer smart devices ie smartphones tablets purpose received considerable attention however variation mode delivering survey questionnaire could affect quality responses collectedto assess impact smartphone tablet apps delivery mode quality survey questionnaire responses compared alternative delivery mode paper laptop computer tablet computer manufactured 2007 short message service sms plastic objectswe searched medline embase psycinfo ieeexplore web science cabi cab abstracts current contents connect acm digital eric sociological abstracts health management information consortium campbell library central also searched registers current ongoing clinical trials clinicaltrialsgov world health organization international clinical trials registry platform also searched grey literature opengrey mobile active proquest dissertation theses lastly searched google scholar reference lists included studies relevant systematic reviews performed searches 12 13 april 2015we included parallel randomised controlled trials rcts crossover trials paired repeated measures studies compared electronic delivery selfadministered survey questionnaires via smartphone tablet app delivery mode included data obtained participants completing healthrelated selfadministered survey questionnaire validated nonvalidated also included data offered healthy volunteers clinical diagnosis included studies reported following outcomes data equivalence data accuracy data completeness response rates differences time taken complete survey questionnaire differences respondents adherence original sampling protocol acceptability respondents delivery mode included studies published 2007 devices became available time compatible mobile operating system os framework focuses appstwo review authors independently extracted data included studies using standardised form created systematic review redcap compared forms reach consensus initial systematic mapping included studies identified two settings survey completion took place controlled uncontrolled settings differed terms location surveys completed ii frequency intensity sampling protocols iii level control potential confounders eg type technology level help offered respondents conducted narrative synthesis evidence metaanalysis appropriate due high levels clinical methodological diversity reported findings outcome according setting studies conductedwe included 14 studies 15 records total 2275 participants although included 2272 participants final analyses missing data three participants one included studyregarding data equivalence controlled uncontrolled settings included studies found significant differences mean overall scores apps delivery modes correlation coefficients exceeded recommended thresholds data equivalence concerning time taken complete survey questionnaire controlled setting one study found app faster paper whereas study find significant difference two delivery modes uncontrolled setting one study found app faster sms data completeness adherence sampling protocols reported uncontrolled settings regarding former app found result complete records paper significantly data entries smsbased survey questionnaire regarding adherence sampling protocol apps may better paper different sms identified multiple definitions acceptability respondents inconclusive results preference ease use willingness use delivery mode satisfaction effectiveness system informativeness perceived time taken complete survey questionnaire perceived benefit delivery mode perceived usefulness delivery mode perceived ability complete survey questionnaire maximum length time participants would willing use delivery mode reactivity delivery mode successful integration respondents daily routine finally regardless study setting none included studies reported data accuracy response ratesour results based narrative synthesis evidence suggest apps might affect data equivalence long intended clinical application survey questionnaire intended frequency administration setting validated remain unchanged data data accuracy response rates findings time taken complete selfadministered survey questionnaire contradictory furthermore although apps might improve data completeness enough evidence assess impact adherence sampling protocols none included studies assessed elements user interaction design survey questionnaire design intervention design might influence mode effects conducting research public health epidemiology assume mode effects relevant delivery modes apply apps running consumer smart devices conducting methodological research might wish explore issues highlighted systematic review