Comparing Paper and Tablet Modes of Retrospective Activity Space Data Collection

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Human Geography
• Health Research

Background:

• Understanding human behavior requires accurate social context data, but collecting this data, especially activity spaces, is challenging.
• Existing methods for mapping activity spaces often lack precision, limiting research on behavior and well-being.
• Research on the influence of spatial context on human actions and health is hindered by data collection difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of a computer-assisted interviewing (CAI) tablet-based approach for collecting activity space data.
• To compare the accuracy of the tablet approach against a traditional paper map-based method.
• To identify respondent subgroups that benefit most from the tablet-based data collection method.

Main Methods:

• A study was conducted in Chitwan, Nepal, comparing tablet-based CAI with paper map-based methods for activity space data collection.
• On-the-ground staff verified the accuracy of respondent-indicated locations against known locations.
• Statistical analysis examined differences in data accuracy between the two methods and across different respondent demographics.

Main Results:

• The tablet-based CAI approach demonstrated higher accuracy in recording activity space data compared to the paper map method.
• Verification by on-the-ground staff confirmed the superior accuracy of the tablet-derived location data.
• Older respondents and those reporting poorer health showed a greater improvement in data accuracy when using the tablet mode.

Conclusions:

• Tablet-based computer-assisted interviewing offers a more accurate method for collecting activity space data in diverse populations.
• This technology enhances data precision, particularly for vulnerable subgroups like older or less healthy individuals.
• Improved activity space data collection can facilitate more robust research into the links between spatial context, human behavior, and well-being.