Improving Methods for Better Data Collection in Community Research Settings: Developing and Testing Health Literate Materials

Collecting data in large group settings presents several challenges. The SWIFT (Stroke Warning Information and Faster Treatment) community study aims to test the effectiveness of an interactive stroke education intervention in a community setting to decrease emergency room arrival time after onset of stroke symptoms. The study is conducted in a multi-ethnic bilingual population, primarily of older adults. Collecting individual information through interviews, including baseline stroke knowledge and health behavior information, is a key part of the study. This type of data collection is useful to thoroughly evaluate multiple components of the intervention and to tailor the education to target groups.

Initial implementation of the intervention was difficult due to the length of the interview, varying levels of health literacy and lack of continuous engagement. In addition, the large number of participants presented issues related to contamination and reliability of data collected. To address these issues the study team developed a series of health literate self-report answer sheets that could be administered to a group. These forms help decrease interview time, increase fidelity of data, and foster a less stressful research environment. This presentation will provide strategies for developing health literate interview materials.