OTHER ELECTRONIC VERSIONS

Adaptation for electronic data capture Several methods are used to collect questionnaire data electronically. The ones we have tested include large screen computers, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone systems.

Adapting our questionnaires for large screen computers is quite easy because the questions and responses fit easily on a single screen. The screens on PDAs are much smaller which means that questions and response are on different screens and, in some situations, the questions themselves are too long to fit on a single screen and have to be split. For IVR systems, complete scripting is necessary.

Testing of Electronic Versions - Cognitive Debriefing
We work closely with all developers on the formatting and scripting of our questionnaires. Each one is tested in patients for ease and accuracy of understanding before undergoing a complete validation.

Validation of Electronic Versions
All authorised electronic versions of our questionnaires have been validated by comparing them to the original paper versions. The purpose of these validation studies is to provide evidence that the new electronic versions give data that is concordant with the original validated paper version. In these randomised, cross-over studies, patients complete both the paper version and the new electronic version of the questionnaire with a 2 hour separation between completions.

To date, only standardised versions of our quality of life questionnaires have been adapted for electronic data capture. For the AQLQ(S), the PAQLQ(S), and the RQLQ(S), we require the concordance (agreement) between paper and electronic to be high with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) greater than 0.95. For the ACQ, we require an ICC >0.90. These values are slightly lower than the test-retest reliability of the paper versions of these questionnaires completed a week apart. The tenet underpinning this approach to validation is that if patients give the same responses on the electronic version as they do on the original validated paper version, the electronic version must be valid too.

Even with careful formatting and cognitive debriefing, some electronic versions fail to reach the required level of concordance for validity. Both IVR systems that we have evaluated so far have failed in this test of validity.

Validated, Authorised Electronic Versions of our Questionnaires
The following electronic versions have reached the required level of concordance for validity and are now authorised for use:

PHT Corporation www.phtcorp.com Device: E2 AQLQ(S), ACQ Treo 650 AQLQ(S), RQLQ(S), ACQ Gigabyte T1000 SitePad Tablet AQLQ(S)	CRF www.crfhealth.com Device : E2 & HTC-HD2 AQLQ(S), ACQ , RQLQs HTC Desire AQLQ(S), ACQ Treo 650 : AQLQ(S) TrialMax Slate:  ACQ7 and AQLQ(S)
Vitalograph www.vitalograph.co.uk Device: Vitalograph 2120 In2itive eDiary	Exco InTouch www.excointouch.com Device: Grand Android Device (Exco Smart 1) AQLQ ACQ
ERT www.ert.com Device: AM3 ACQ VIAPad ACQ and AQLQ(S)