Audio-Enhanced Tablet Computers to Assess Children’s Food Frequency From Migrant Farmworker Mothers

Abstract

This study sought to improve data collection in children’s food frequency surveys for non-English speaking immigrant/migrant farmworker mothers using audio-enhanced tablet computers (ATCs). We hypothesized that by using technological adaptations, we would be able to improve data capture and therefore reduce lost surveys. This Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), a paper-based dietary assessment tool, was adapted for ATCs and assessed consumption of 66 food items asking 3 questions for each food item: frequency, quantity of consumption, and serving size. The tablet-based survey was audio enhanced with each question “read” to participants, accompanied by food item images, together with an embedded short instructional video. Results indicated that respondents were able to complete the 198 questions from the 66 food item FFQ on ATCs in approximately 23 minutes. Compared with paper-based FFQs, ATC-based FFQs had less missing data. Despite overall reductions in missing data by use of ATCs, respondents still appeared to have difficulty with question 2 of the FFQ. Ability to score the FFQ was dependent on what sections missing data were located. Unlike the paper-based FFQs, no ATC-based FFQs were unscored due to amount or location of missing data. An ATC-based FFQ was feasible and increased ability to score this survey on children’s food patterns from migrant farmworker mothers. This adapted technology may serve as an exemplar for other non-English speaking immigrant populations.

User Perceptions of ¡Protéjase!: An Intervention Designed to Increase Protective Equipment Use Among Mexican Immigrant and Mexican American Farmworkers

“…Finally, we established that farmworkers were willing and able to fully participate in mHealth programs to increase PPE use. Others have previously suggested that as technology becomes increasingly familiar to farmworkers, that mHealth approaches/services have tremendous potential to provide access to a wide range of their health care needs [ 9 - 11 ]. In the future, mHealth interventions like ¡Protéjase!…”

“…Intervention strategies such as the use of mHealth (broadly defined as the use of mobile and wireless devices to improve health, health services, and health research) present a unique and viable intervention platform to improve PPE use. Moreover, there is preliminary evidence that Mexican and Latino farmworkers are likely to have mobile phones and are willing to receive health information in a mHealth format [ 9 - 11 ]. However, utilizing a mHealth approach for pesticide safety among a Mexican farmworker population has not yet been explored.…”

Effects of a Healthy Eating Intervention on Latina Migrant Farmworker Mothers

“…The selection of instruments showed adequate reliability, and the use of audio-enhanced PDAs and tablet computers in data collection was well received and resulted in good data quality. 21,22 Nursing research conducted in the rural community brings challenges in logistics. To keep travel expenses on budget, reasonably close migrant camps were scheduled on consecutive days and housing accommodations in rural areas needed to be found and paid.…”

“…The mother-reported children’s food frequency surveys were administered via audio-enhanced tablet computers or paper format. 22 Reports on data quality from the use of audio-enhanced PDAs and from the audio-enhanced tablet computers are reported elsewhere. 21,22 …”

Challenges in Community-based Research With Latino Migrant Farmworker Children and Families

“…All translated documents then need to be translated back into the original language, compared for differences, and corrections made. Survey questions with audio-enhanced voice files on tablets have demonstrated good data quality, and using voice files to ‘speak’ to participants decreases the number of bilingual research team members needed at data collection sites (Kilanowski & Trapl, 2010; Kilanowski, Trapl, & Kofron, 2013). Depending on the sensitivity of the data collected, an additional consideration with consent forms is obtaining a Certificate of Confidentiality (COC).…”