Feasibility of Breast Cancer Epidemiology on the Internet
Abstract
The revolution in information technology is demonstrated by the dramatic increase in use of the Internet. Since the initial funding of this study, phrases such as "dot corn" businesses, e-commerce, and browser wars have become part of regular discourse. Use of email and the World Wide Web (WWW) have become commonplace, potentially linking tens of millions of people worldwide. Even so, while the WWW has been embraced as a means for information dissemination, its use in an epidemiologic context is still in its infancy. The survey capabilities of the WWW suggest the possibility of cost-efficient data collection from large numbers of people. The Epidemiologic Cyberspace Cohort Study was designed to examine the feasibility of enrolling and following participants for a cohort study of diet, other factors, and risk of breast cancer and other chronic diseases. Feasibility was determined by: the number and demographic profile of study participants; the stability and use of email addresses for follow-up; and validity of responses. Technical aspects of feasibility included assurance of confidentiality, design of user-friendly survey forms, use of incentives for participation, and methods for data capture and tracking of participants. ECCSite!, the website of the Epidemiologic Cyberspace Cohort Study, was launched on June 6? 1997
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA382972
Entities
People
- Lawrence H. Kushi
Organizations
- University of Minnesota