Going beyond the technology: Considerations in translating electronic case report forms

Area of Science:

• Clinical Research
• Data Management
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Increasingly diverse study populations necessitate multilingual data collection tools.
• Traditional translation methods can be time-consuming and lack standardization.
• Adapting to evolving electronic case report form (eCRF) technologies is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate a refined process for translating case report forms (CRFs).
• To enhance language diversity within research study populations.
• To highlight the implications of translated CRFs for data collection and analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing example research studies to demonstrate the translation process.
• Implementing a systematic approach to manage, contextualize, and certify CRF translations.
• Leveraging the Northwestern University Data Analysis and Coordinating Center's established workflow.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated an efficient workflow for managing certified CRF translations.
• Facilitated streamlined data capture across multiple languages.
• Showcased the successful integration of translated participant-facing documents into study protocols.

Conclusions:

• A refined translation process improves efficiency and accuracy in multilingual data capture.
• Certified translations of electronic case report forms are vital for diverse study populations.
• This workflow supports robust data collection and analysis in global health research.