The Global Health Data Toolkit (GHDT) working group aims to create a high-quality, detailed repository of data collection tools for health research. <\/p>\n
Data collection tools, both paper and paper and electronic versions, are critical components of data capture and well-constructed tools improve the quality, consistency, and comparability of data available for analyses.\u00a0 The GHDT working group has developed a set of data collection tools with defined topic areas that are publicly available to investigators.\u00a0 Tools have been vetted by researchers, who have reviewed previously used questions and forms, and made modifications and additions to improve breadth and depth of questions, question clarity, and comprehensiveness of responses.<\/p>\n
GHDT strives to accelerate research progress by giving study investigators data collection tools and databases that can serve as a template to jump start development efforts, but can easily be modified and customized to suit individual research projects with additions and deletions.\u00a0 Furthermore, the common design of instruments and tools will also enable easier linkage between independent datasets, expanding utility of research data.\u00a0 The GHDT team has reviewed selected topical areas and created a bank of questions and responses.\u00a0 Some tools have accompanying data dictionaries and tools for electronic data collection with REDCap and\/or Open Data Kit (ODK).\u00a0 While tools were initially designed for low-resource settings, many tools have wider applicability and may also be used for research conducted anywhere in the world.\u00a0 GHDT is continually adapting existing data collection forms and developing new forms.\u00a0 Therefore, the accompanying data dictionary, ODK and RedCap versions of these tools will be released as they are available.<\/p>\n