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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Comparison of fieldworker interview and a pictorial diary method for recording morbidity of infants in semi-urban slums

Authors: Rahul Jacob Thomas, Karthikeyan Ramanujam, Vasanthakumar Velusamy, Saravanakumar Puthupalayam Kaliappan, Deepthi Kattula, Jayaprakash Muliyil, Gagandeep Kang

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Cohort studies conducted in low-income countries generally use trained fieldworkers for collecting data on home visits. In industrialised countries, researchers use less resource intensive methods, such as self-administered structured questionnaires or symptom diaries. This study compared and assessed the reliability of the data on diarrhoea, fever and cough/cold in children as obtained by a pictorial diary maintained by the mother and collected separately by a fieldworker.

Methods

A sample of 205 children was randomly selected from an ongoing birth cohort study. Pictorial diaries were distributed weekly to mothers of study children who were asked to maintain a record of morbidity for four weeks. We compared the reliability and completeness of the data on diarrhoea, fever and cough/cold obtained by the two methods.

Results

Of 205 participants, 186 (91%) ever made a record in the diary and 62 (30%) mothers maintained the diary for all 28 days. The prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted kappa statistics for diarrhoea, fever, cough/cold and for a healthy child were 92%, 79%, 35% and 35% respectively.

Conclusion

Diary recording was incomplete in the majority of households. When recorded, the morbidity data by the pictorial diary method for acute illnesses were reliable. Strategies are needed to address behavioural factors affecting maternal recording such that field studies can obtain accurate morbidity measurements with limited resources.
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Metadata
Title
Comparison of fieldworker interview and a pictorial diary method for recording morbidity of infants in semi-urban slums
Authors
Rahul Jacob Thomas
Karthikeyan Ramanujam
Vasanthakumar Velusamy
Saravanakumar Puthupalayam Kaliappan
Deepthi Kattula
Jayaprakash Muliyil
Gagandeep Kang
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1372-7

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