Enabling distributed electronic research data collection for a rural Appalachian tobacco cessation study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Rural Health

Background:

• Tobacco use is high in rural Appalachian communities.
• Limited internet access hinders electronic data capture in these areas.
• Community-based research faces challenges with traditional data collection methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enable electronic data collection and sharing in rural settings with limited internet.
• To integrate the REDCap application with a custom synchronization tool.
• To ensure secure data storage for community-based research.

Main Methods:

• Integrated REDCap with a custom synchronization tool.
• Enabled field staff to electronically collect and share research data.
• Ensured near real-time data exchange and secure storage on encrypted laptops and central servers.

Main Results:

• A functional workflow for electronic data collection was established for field staff.
• Data could be exchanged in near real-time among distributed staff.
• Data were securely stored on field laptops and behind a medical center firewall.

Conclusions:

• The developed system facilitates electronic data collection in challenging rural environments.
• This approach enhances data sharing and security in community-based research.
• The methodology is adaptable to similar study designs and settings.