Geographic Information Collection for International Health Surveys
Over the past 20 years, Macro has completed 200 Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) surveys in more than 75 developing countries. Since the late 1990s, we have been collecting geographic information for most of our DHS surveys using hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) units. We collect latitude and longitude coordinates for the communities in which survey respondents live. Researchers can then use the latitude/longitude locations to link DHS data to external datasets such as road networks, health facility locations, land use and land cover information, climate, and rainfall.

Macro provides technical assistance to Ministries of Health in a number of countries to build health information geographic information systems (GIS). GIS allows the Ministries to make better use of data and surveys for decision making and resource targeting. Macro uses hand-held computers (PDAs) equipped with GPS units to carry out the household listing and cluster mapping tasks that are completed at the beginning of each DHS survey. Computerized sketch maps are used to send the survey teams back to the field, so they can easily and quickly locate the households selected for the survey. The detailed geographic information can be used for further analysis of the DHS data.

Peru Continuous DHS Survey

A full-scale implementation using HP and Dell PDAs with CSPRO software is being carried out in the Peru Continuous DHS.  Starting with cycle 4 of the survey, which covers approximately 7,000 households, the PDAs are being used for data capture during interviews with both a large household questionnaire and an extensive individual questionnaire as well as recording data from anthropometry and anemia testing.  No resistance to being interviewed with the PDAs has been found in Peru.  PDAs were chosen over laptops due to the power restrictions of the latter and simplified touchscreen entry, as well as decreased risk of theft (being less valuable and easier to hide).  The use of PDAs eliminates most of the cost of questionnaire printing, shipping both ways, and data entry.  Consistency checks are made in front of the respondents allowing for higher quality data. The relatively clean data are transferred electronically and are available for preliminary tabulation without the delays of headquarters entry, verification and consistency checking and editing. The PDAs will be reused in the next year’s cycle.

Food Aid Program Monitors Transport, Storage, and Distribution of Food via PDAs
Macro developed LAYERS, a PDA-based data collection, surveillance, and monitoring program that uses Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) principles to enhance the capacity of U.S. Agency for International Development Missions and private voluntary organizations (PVOs) to monitor the operational quality of their Title II food aid programs. Developed for the Academy of Educational Development’s FANTA (Food Nutrition Technical Assistance) project in Haiti, this handheld application is used for Nutrition Technical Assistance project in Haiti, this handheld application is used for managing food transport and storage as well as quality of services provided in conjunction with food distribution. It also is used in Madagascar and Ethiopia.

Project Hope Collects Survey Data on PocketPCs
Macro worked with Project Hope in Nicaragua to develop and implement an electronic version of the organization’s knowledge, practice, and coverage (KPC) questionnaire. This handheld application is used to gather maternal and child health information though interviews with mothers. Data is brought back to a central location and uploaded to a desktop PC.

Albania Red Cross Conducts Family Planning Survey using Pocket PCs

Macro provided in-country training and developed Pocket PC data entry programs for this USAID Flexible Fund Family Planning project.  The handheld application was developed for the baseline family planning survey conducted by the Red Cross in Peshkopi, Albania. Training was provided to nurse-midwives who served as interviewers.