Use of tablet personal computers for sensitive patient-reported information

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Health Informatics
• Patient-Reported Outcomes

Background:

• Electronic data collection (e.g., tablets) is replacing paper methods for patient information.
• Discrepancies between electronic and paper data collection exist, particularly for sensitive topics in oncology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To hypothesize causes for response discrepancies between electronic and paper data collection.
• To analyze the added value of electronic data collection for sensitive topics.

Main Methods:

• 56 breast cancer patients completed 5 survey instruments electronically and one survey on paper.
• Data were collected during visits to Duke Breast Clinic.
• Specific focus on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) Social Well-Being scale.

Main Results:

• 38% of participants (21/56) provided dissimilar responses on paper versus electronic surveys for a sexuality-related item.
• 80% answered the item on the e/Tablet, compared to 66% on paper.
• 29% did not respond to the item on either format.

Conclusions:

• Electronic systems may offer a safer environment for cancer patients to answer sensitive questions.
• e/Tablets may improve response rates and data accuracy for personal topics like sexuality.
• Further research is needed to understand causes of discrepancies and optimize electronic data collection.