Grantee Research Project Results
2005 Progress Report: Data Collection Platforms for Integrated Longitudinal Surveys of Human Exposure-Related Behavior
EPA Grant Number: R831541Title: Data Collection Platforms for Integrated Longitudinal Surveys of Human Exposure-Related Behavior
Investigators: Whitmore, Roy , Kizakevich, Paul
Institution: Desert Research Institute
EPA Project Officer: Aja, Hayley
Project Period: May 1, 2004 through April 30, 2008
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2005 through April 30,2006
Project Amount: $4,998,513
RFA: Aggregate Exposure Assessment: Longitudinal Surveys of Human Exposure - Related Behavior (2003) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health
Objective:
We are developing and validating innovative methods for accurately collecting exposure factor data in longitudinal surveys, including time/activity/location/exertion-level (TALE) data; dietary consumption data; and data on use of consumer products, including pesticide products, household cleaning products, and personal care products. We are investigating innovations including voice diaries, passive microenvironment identification, wireless interfaces, intelligent prompting, and automated daily review to collect the data both accurately and with low participant burden. We are assembling integrated data collection platforms and will test the methodology in three phases: (1) with individual volunteers, (2) pilot testing in forty homes, and (3) field testing through collection of data for 7 consecutive days in each quarter for 1 year in each of 150 homes.
Progress Summary:
The first year of the grant was devoted to development of a Systems Requirements Document, consultation with an advisory Panel of Experts and Stakeholders, and initial development of survey instruments and technologies. Year 2 was devoted to refinement of the instruments and technologies and to obtaining approval for the pilot test from RTI’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the EPA’s Human Subjects Research Review Officer (HSRRO). At the end of year 2, we expect to submit a revised IRB package and begin recruiting subjects for the 40-person pilot study within weeks. We will submit the revised IRB package as soon as we have successfully tested all methodologies through dress rehearsals of the following experimental data collection modes:
- Collection of activity, location, diet, and product use questionnaire data via pocket PC (PPC) menus, while simultaneously collecting automated product use, heart rate, and GPS data.
- Collection of activity, location, and diet data via voice, and collection of product use questionnaire data via paper questionnaires, while simultaneously collecting automated product use, heart rate, and GPS data.
The primary technical problem remaining at the end of the second year is a Bluetooth communication issue, primarily for the GPS data.
Future Activities:
From May through August 2006, we plan to implement the 40-home pilot test of alternative data collection platforms using pocket PC menus, voice diaries, paper questionnaires, and wireless Bluetooth technologies to capture product use, in-home room locations, outdoor GPS locations, and heart rate. From August through December, we will analyze the pilot test data to compare participant burden, analyst burden, and data completeness/accuracy for the various alternative methodologies included in the pilot test. The results of the pilot test will be used to select a small number of methodologies to be refined and receive further testing in the 150-home field test starting in January 2007. The field test cohort will be recruited from households across North Carolina, as described in our original application, and one week of exposure-related TALE data will be collected for each participant during each season.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 12 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Health, Scientific Discipline, ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, Health Risk Assessment, Risk Assessments, Biology, Exposure, Biochemistry, Risk Assessment, dietary exposure, toxicity, micro environmental influences, data collection platforms, human exposure, long term exposure, food consumption habits, household study, human activities, food consumption behavior, human health riskProgress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.