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[Comparison of software programs for data analysis of complex surveys].
1Centro de Pesquisas das Doenças Materno-infantis de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil. mhsousa@usp.br
Revista De Saude Publica
|February 15, 2001
Summary
For complex survey data analysis, Epi Info is user-friendly and free but limited. Stata and WesVarPC offer more features but have costs, making the choice dependent on user needs.
Area of Science:
- Biostatistics
- Survey Methodology
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Complex survey data analysis requires specialized software for accurate results.
- Evaluating software efficiency, ease of use, and accuracy is crucial for researchers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare Epi Info, Stata, and WesVarPC for complex survey data analysis.
- Assess software based on ease of application, computer efficiency, and result accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Utilized secondary data from the 1996 National Survey on Demography and Health (women aged 15-49).
- Employed a two-stage stratified probabilistic subsampling method.
- Analyzed mean age and proportions of qualitative variables using Epi Info, Stata, and WesVarPC.
Main Results:
- All programs efficiently imported dBASE and text files (analysis < 3 seconds).
- Epi Info required the most steps (21), followed by Stata (11) and WesVarPC (9).
- Epi Info and Stata yielded identical standard errors; WesVarPC's were generally higher.
Conclusions:
- Epi Info is a free, easy-to-use option but has analytical limitations.
- Stata and WesVarPC are more comprehensive but involve costs.
- Software selection should align with specific user requirements and analytical needs.