H3ABioNet provides guidance on phenotype data collection using REDCap
Data & Standards
REDCap
REDCap is a secure web application for building and managing online surveys and databases. While REDCap can be used to collect virtually any type of data (including 21 CFR Part 11, FISMA, and HIPAA-compliant environments), it is specifically geared to support online or offline data capture for research studies and operations. The REDCap Consortium, a vast support network of collaborators, is composed of thousands of active institutional partners in over one hundred countries who utilize and support REDCap in various ways." https://www.project-redcap.org/
You can learn more about REDCap by watching a brief summary video (4 min). If you would like to view other quick tutorials of REDCap in action and an overview of its features, please see the Training Resources page.
H3ABioNet provided guidance and support for data collection in clinical and genomic research studies within the H3Africa consortium projects and in response to external organisations and individual requests. Emphasis was placed on using standardised data collection tools and methods of collection in order to foster greater alignment of health datasets in the H3Africa consortium. The phenotype data collection standards were developed as a result of this initiative (H3A Phenotype Data Standards) and were released in REDCap format for ease of use and adoption by any genomic research projects in Africa.
The H3ABioNet helpdesk enabled anyone to log a request for support both in installation of REDCap and project development which the Computational Biology team (based at the University of Cape Town) were able to assist with. In addition, training links and resources were gathered to support users seeking further information on REDCap best practices.
Perhaps worth mentioning is how much H3ABioNet used REDCap for managing its own internal consortium administrative logistics and that numerous projects and surveys were built over its grant period to manage all trainings and events run by H3ABioNet to expand bioinformatics capacity across the African Continent.
H3ABioNet and H3Africa REDCap QueriesAny questions can be posted to the H3ABioNet Helpdesk under the category "REDCap".
In 2018, H3ABioNet partnered with the University of Witwatersrand (who launched REDCap Africa) and began hosting monthly meetings to offer online training and build up the REDCap Africa community of administrators and users. These REDCap Africa meetings are well attended and continue to be hosted and run each month.
The experiences and effect that H3ABioNet’s advocacy for REDCap and support it provided, in conjunction with the University Witwatersrand REDCap team led by the Wits Health Consortium, has led to a thriving REDCap Africa community which continues to grow whilst running the monthly calls, annually hosting a REDCap Africa symposium and now sporting its own committee comprised of volunteer REDCap experts.
If you would like to be added to the REDCap Africa mailing list, you can click here to be added to the database and will receive notices of all the events listed below.
REDCap Africa Events
- Monthly calls: The monthly REDCap Africa calls initiated by Irma Mare (University of Witwatersrand, now based at Vanderbilt University) and Katherine Johnston (University of Cape Town) are now run by the REDCap Africa committee and span various content. Guest speakers with REDCap experience are welcome to submit suggestions or present and we enjoy connecting with both administrators and Users to both support each other and build a strong sense of community. The calls run on the last Wednesday of each month at 15h00-16h00 (CAT) (13h00 – 14h00 GMT).
- Annual REDCap Africa Symposium: this year the symposium will take place in Johannesburg, South Africa on the 23-24 October 2024. Website for symposium details here.
- Technical calls: The monthly REDCap technical call for Eastern Hemisphere partners is hosted by Rob Taylor (REDCap Lead Developer) based at Vanderbilt University, United States. This call is only for REDCap Administrators and covers the latest features, news and offers a space for direct questions to The REDCap expert. To receive information about these calls you can check the administrators REDCap Community site or sign up to the REDCap Africa mailing list (above) to receive communications about it.
Read more about our REDCap Africa monthly calls.
