Approaches that will yield greater success when implementing self-administered electronic data capture ICT systems in the developing world with an illiterate or semi-literate population

The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues—from stopping the spread of HIV to improving reproductive health and ensuring that young people lead full and productive lives. Through biomedical, social science, and public health research in 50 countries, we work with our partners to deliver solutions that lead to more effective policies, programs, and technologies that improve lives around the world. Established in 1952 and headquartered in New York, the Council is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization governed by an international board of trustees. Organizations that conduct clinical trials or field-and household-based surveys in the developing world may need to obtain data electronically, especially when attempting to obtain honest and accurate responses to self-administered questionnaires. Successful implementation of information and communication technology (ICT) for self-reporting systems is possible in resource-poor settings. The objectives of this paper are to discuss the following: • Field-proven tools and strategies • Addressing and overcoming implementation issues • Suggested methods for improving implementation outcomes • Suggested methods for involving stakeholders • Benefits of electronic self-administered data capture • Improvements that can be made by introducing various ICTs • Examples of ICT in the field (including sample screenshots)