Avoiding Common Pitfalls in REDCap
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Transcript Avoiding Common Pitfalls in REDCap
Avoiding Common Pitfalls in
REDCap
By
J. Kevan Essmyer
Special Thanks to
Jack Baty
REDCap Goals
Easy to use
Metadata Driven
Adaptable Features
Data entry validation
Self service tool
Public HTTPS Access
Biostatistics Secure Domain
Tiresias
Server
File Server
Authenticated Access
Sync
MySQL Server
WUCON
Sidedoor
Server
Data Entry /Admin
WEB Server
MySQL Slave Server
Host Server
Project Creation Flow Chart
Create Project
–Project Name, Longitudinal or CrossSectional/ Survey
MoveMove
to Production
to Production
Status on
Production
Status and start
Server
Dataand
start Data
Collection
Collection
Excel Spreadsheet
Or
Online Form Designer
Data Entry
Forms
Add Users
and
Set User
Rights
Define
Study Events
(Longitudinal)
add Schedule (optional)
REDCap Best Practices for Data
Collection of Clinical Trials
The Why?
Design better studies
Utilize previously proven techniques and forms
Effeciencies
Costs of not following good guidelines
The When?
Data form should be developed during the Protocol design and development,
not afterward
The What?
Design forms to capture the pertinent and necessary information
Define variables, classes, elements and attributes as well as labels
Define workflows and timelines for the data capture
(https://sweb.biostat.lan/wiki/index.php/Best_Practices)
(https://sidedoor.biostat.wustl.edu/wiki/index.php/Best_Practices)
Production Server
“Real Data”
http://www.biostat.wustl.edu/redcap
REDCap Project Request form (Fax or email)
Sponsoring PI
IRB Approval or Waiver
Only PI or Project Admin can create projects
Production “Status”
Data Dictionary
Changes saved
Review of submitted changes to avoid unintended data corruption
Delete all records function disallowed
Common Pitfalls
Deleting Records
Deleting Events
Renaming Fields
Corrupting Data Through Enumeration Changes
Moving to Production Status Too Early
Exotic Meta-Characters
Project Account Request Paperwork
Calculated fields
Deleting Records
Record Deletion in REDCap is “record” based not “form”
based
Removing a records removes all associated forms within the
current treatment arm
Current solution(s):
Export Data Delete Re-Import record (not the entire
database)
Contact Administrators
Target Form
Forms
Actually
Deleted
Target Form
Forms
Actually
Deleted
Delete Record button located at
bottom of REDCap forms
Feature should be turned off when
not needed
Deleting Events (Longitudinal)
Events lists in REDCap are auto-numbered unlike form
fields.
Removed fields can be restored by creating the same variable
again.
Removed Events cannot be restored without administrator help.
Changes to Event grids can now only be performed by the
REDCap administrators
Renaming Form Fields
Form field names are linked directly to REDCap data values
?????
Changing field names results in new variables.
Data will still be linked to the old variable name.
Data must be transferred to the new variable
Manual entry
Data Export / Import
Restoring the original field name will restore access to the data.
!!!First data field in the first form is the project data index!!!
Renaming this field will cause all existing data to be in accessible.
Date fields not recommended here.
Old variable name
Blood_draw
1/20/2011
New variable names
Blood_draw_1
Blood_draw_2
Blood_draw_3
Corrupting Data Through Enumeration
Changes
Dropdown list and Radio Button enumeration
Dropdown list or set of radio buttons can be in any order regardless of the numeric value assigned.
For example, they can have
1=Yu
3=Kevan
2=Jack
Choices will show in the order declared rather than numeric order.
Danger -- Overwriting Choices
Safer Option
1=Yu
3=Bobby
2=Jack
1=Yu
3=Kevan
2=Jack
4=Bobby
Better Option -- Overwriting Choices
10=Yu
20=Jack
25=Bobby
30=Kevan
Moving to Production Status Too Early
Testing Forms!
Critical both for avoiding delays and preventing data errors
Test data is recommended to test calculated fields and branching logic
Branching logic Errors can disable forms and inadvertently Erase
data.
REDCap Deletes existing data in hidden fields.
Use <>” ”
Production Status on the Production Server
Changes to forms must be approved by Administrators before they are
committed to the project.
Changes to the Forms/ Event Grid must be preformed by the
Administrators.
Branching logic warning about
hiding existing data
Can be a dangerous situation and is best avoided.
Exotic Metacharacters
Non-standard symbolic characters typically used by office
software such as MS Word.
Usually benign but can sometimes cause problems with the
data dictionary
Best to avoid using these Characters
Alternatives
HTML Codes for field label display.
Comma -,
@
-@
Project Account Request Paperwork
Project Request Form
Required for Each IRB Study in REDCap
Identifies the PI and Project Administrators
Used to verify request for project access in special cases.
Person who setup the project leaves their position
PI wants to gain access to their project data
REDCap Administrator is requested to make design changes to the
project
Reminder that data collection is regulated by the appropriate
IRB not REDCap.
Calculations
Calculations should be considered a tool not data.
Calculation should be reapplied during data analysis.
Multiple calculations on a form.
Order of execution is determined by the alphabetical ordering of it’s
associated variable/field name.
Calculation 1 [weight_met] =[weight]*.45359237
Calculation 2 [BMI]=[weight_met]/([height]^2)
!!!Calculation 2 will occur before calculation 1
Calculate BMI in one step (Best Solution)
or
Rename variable to change order (only other option)
“?!!?”
User Rights
REDCap Lifelines
Built-in tutorial videos
Built-in Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) guide
Demonstration Databases (Some Online, more to come)
WUSM Biostat REDCap Email Help Queue
[[email protected]]
Monitored by 4 to 5 Administrators
REDCap Email Support
[email protected]
REDCap Goals
Deleting Records -- Becareful!! Record based
Deleting Events -- Makes all existing event data inaccessible
Renaming Fields – Creates new variable and hides data
Corrupting Data Through Enumeration Changes
Moving to Production Status Too Early
Exotic Meta-Characters
Project Account Request Paperwork
Calculated fields
Questions?