Quest markup for developing FAIR questionnaire modules for epidemiologic studies

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Software

Daniel E. Russ¹  Bhaumik Patel¹  Brian Shen¹  Montserrat García-Closas¹  Amy Berrington de González¹  Nicole M. Gerlanc¹  Julie M. Cusack¹  Neal D. Freedman¹  Jonas S. Almeida¹  Mia M. Gaudet¹ 

[1] Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, 20892, Bethesda, MD, USA;

关键词: Surveys and questionnaires;    Data collection;    Data commons;    Data science;    Epidemiologic methods;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12911-023-02338-6

 received in 2023-01-03, accepted in 2023-10-13,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundOnline questionnaires are commonly used to collect information from participants in epidemiological studies. This requires building questionnaires using machine-readable formats that can be delivered to study participants using web-based technologies such as progressive web applications. However, the paucity of open-source markup standards with support for complex logic make collaborative development of web-based questionnaire modules difficult. This often prevents interoperability and reusability of questionnaire modules across epidemiological studies.ResultsWe developed an open-source markup language for presentation of questionnaire content and logic, Quest, within a real-time renderer that enables the user to test logic (e.g., skip patterns) and view the structure of data collection. We provide the Quest markup language, an in-browser markup rendering tool, questionnaire development tool and an example web application that embeds the renderer, developed for The Connect for Cancer Prevention Study.ConclusionA markup language can specify both the content and logic of a questionnaire as plain text. Questionnaire markup, such as Quest, can become a standard format for storing questionnaires or sharing questionnaires across the web. Quest is a step towards generation of FAIR data in epidemiological studies by facilitating reusability of questionnaires and data interoperability using open-source tools.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2023

【 图 表 】

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