Data Quality Assurance for Health and Demographic Research

The study sought to improve research data quality in the data management life cycle processes within the Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) Site at Vadu, Pune in rural India. The primary objective was to assess the effect of the current research data captured, processing and analysis for data cycle rounds of the HDSS data capture on data quality. The secondary objective was to develop a standard operating procedure for data collection using an information assurance policy. This was a qualitative study, conducted over a 3-month period. Twenty-one data management staff were interviewed to identify existing data quality lapses. A standard operating procedure that stemmed from an information assurance policy was developed to guide the data management life cycle processes. Results revealed that there were no detailed documentations of the data management processes that was outlined in theme 2 hence an information assurance policy and proposed standard operating procedure document was developed to guide data management life cycle processed at Vadu HDSS site; this was to improve research data quality.