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Bar coding--a functional tool in survey research
M Siivola1, A Rimpelä, S Karvonen
1Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Finland.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
|April 1, 1992
Summary
Bar coding streamlines survey response handling for large adolescent studies. This technology reduces errors and manual work, improving efficiency in data collection and processing.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Survey Methodology
- Adolescent Health Research
Background:
- Large-scale surveys are crucial for understanding adolescent health.
- Efficient data handling is essential for timely and accurate research findings.
- Traditional methods for processing mailed questionnaires can be time-consuming and prone to errors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of bar coding and microcomputer programs in accelerating the processing of mailed survey responses.
- To assess the impact of bar coding on response rates and data accuracy in a large adolescent survey.
- To determine the utility of bar coding as a tool for improving the efficiency of large-scale survey data management.
Main Methods:
- Bar codes were implemented to represent questionnaire identification numbers, response alternatives, and question numbers.
- A hand-held wand scanner connected to a microcomputer was used to read the bar codes.
- Data from the bar code scans were automatically entered into a computer data file for processing.
Main Results:
- Bar coding did not significantly alter adolescent response patterns compared to previous surveys.
- The implementation of bar coding led to a reduction in manual handling steps for survey responses.
- An improvement in the error rate associated with data entry was observed.
- Bar coding facilitated better control over the workflow of processing returned questionnaires.
Conclusions:
- Bar coding offers a valuable technological solution for enhancing the efficiency of large-scale survey data management.
- The technology is recommended for future large-scale surveys due to its ability to save labor and reduce errors.
- Bar coding improves the overall process of handling and analyzing survey data, particularly in research involving large populations like adolescents.