[SMARTKeymaster]

Each row in the data entry anthropometry tab in ENA for SMART software represents one child. There are three ways to determine the number of children included in a data set from the data entry anthropometry tab.
1. Scroll to the bottom of the data set (this is the longest method).
2. Click on the ‘forward’ arrows in the ‘Go To’ section located at the top/middle of the data entry anthropometry tab.
3. After data entered into the data entry anthropometry tab has been saved the number of data sets (number of children) will be included next to the title at the top left of the page.

[SMARTKeymaster]

SMART Manager level trainings are usually 7 days. They typically start on a Wednesday and conclude the following Thursday (excluding weekend). All information regarding upcoming SMART Manager trainings and other SMART capacity building events can be found in the SMART Calendar section of the website.

[SMARTKeymaster]

It is highly recommended to use digital scales for all SMART surveys. Some of the problems with salter scales are:
• require a lot more time to train how to use properly compared to digital scales.
• a lot more time to measure the child (set up salter, put child in weighing pants, measure).
• children are a lot more fuzzy when measured using a salter scale compared to a digital scale.
• must be re-calibrated after every use.
• *it is very difficult to have a child hang still long enough to record an accurate weight. Typically the weighing needle will shift from side to side and an estimate is taken.
• *The quality of results of surveys that use salter scales are rarely, if ever, as good as surveys that use digital scales to record weight.

Two of the most common SECA scales used in the field are model 874 and model 876. Both of these models are durable, relatively light, and have mother/child (tare) function. Model 874 also has the double display function which is convenient (although not necessary).

http://www.seca.com/en_us/products/all-products.html

The only two potential drawbacks to using SECA/digital scales are:

Cost: Digital scales are a lot more expensive than salter scales. However, if a SMART survey is to be conducted, high quality anthropometric equipment, including scales, should be budgeted for to help ensure high quality results (along with quality training). If proper care is taken, high quality digital scales will last longer than salter (hanging) scales.

Ground must be perfectly flat: When using digital scales, before a measurement is taken the scale must read 0.00. If the ground is not perfectly flat the scale could read 0.10 or 0.20 which is not acceptable. In areas where the ground is not perfectly flat (such as a dirt floor) teams can carry a thin piece of plywood that is approximately 5-10cm wider than the digital scale and place it under the scale to create a flat surface.

[SMARTKeymaster]

Weight and height measurements are taken to one decimal point, and MUAC measurements are taken to the nearest millimetre. A random distribution is expected for the first decimal of weight and height measurements (kg and cm, respectively), and the last whole number of MUAC measurements (mm). In order to identify any rounding of measurements, the digit preference test is performed on each basic measurement. The test used is derived from the WHO[1] MONICA study of blood pressure. The formula de-sensitises the test to allow minor degrees of digit preference which are not sufficient to alter the results of the survey. If the numbers are truly random then each terminal digit (from 0 to 9) should occur in approximately one tenth of the observations. In the plausibility test output each hash tag represents the proportion of measurements recorded with that particular number as the terminal digit. If there has been no rounding, then there should be a similar number of hash tags for each of the ten digits (0 through 9) since the probability of having each of the last (terminal) digits is equal. A simple Chi-squared test of the observed frequencies against the expected frequencies is performed to evaluate this criterion, and a Digit Preference Score (DPS) is then computed using the following formula:

DPS = 100 * (χ2 / (df * N))1/2

Where N is the number of observations (subjects in the survey), χ2 is the chi-square statistic for the test of homogeneity of the terminal digits, and df are the degrees of freedom (i.e., df = 9 because there are 10 possible terminal digits). The DPS ranges from 0 to 100. It is low when there is no digit preference and high when the digit preference becomes large enough to affect the result of the survey6. Proper training in anthropometric measurements is essential in eliminating high digit preference scores.

[1]http://www.ktl.fi/publications/monica/bp/bpqa.htm

[SMARTKeymaster]

The results of the ENA Plausibility Report assesses the overall quality of the data collected from your anthropometric survey. The Plausibility Report is a standard tool that ensures comparability between surveys and provides managers an easy tool for evaluating the data. It is important to run this tool when analyzing your survey data. That said, the overall score is not meant to be used as a definitive tool for validation, but rather a prompt to highlight key issues for concern. A qualified survey manager should read each test and use it to assess the quality of the survey data. The tests are a tool to identify both selection and measurement bias. The tests may also highlight field realities.
For example, if your survey identified more younger children and is; therefore, penalized for age distribution (and has a highly significant p-value), the survey manager should evaluate whether there truly are more younger children in the target population or whether there is an issue of selection bias where younger children were more likely to be surveyed than older children in the population. To determine this, survey managers should first discuss the field realities with survey teams and cross-check with previous surveys in that region. If there is reason to believe the sample may not be representative of the population in terms of age, consider the penalty points. If not, these penalty points can thus be ‘ignored’ but the age distribution should be discussed in the discussion section of the survey report.

[SMARTKeymaster]

Yes, because age is the primary inclusion criteria. If children are ≥ 6 months they should be included in the survey and MUAC should be taken. If a child is ≥ 6 months and under 67cm they are stunted and could also be at a higher risk of suffering from wasting.

[SMARTKeymaster]

The justification is that ENA 2011 (all versions) will have a larger sample size; therefore, the confidence interval for the GAM estimate, along with other indicators, will be more precise (narrow).

[SMARTKeymaster]

There was a minor improvement made to the sample size calculation from 2010 to 2011 pertaining to the t-value and degrees of freedom when applied to cluster sampling and simple/random sampling.
ENA 2011 can be used to analyse data that used ENA 2010 for planning. Please note that a slightly larger sample size will result in a slightly more precise estimate. It is recommended to use the most recent versions of ENA for SMART for both planning and analysing of data.

[SMARTKeymaster]

The sample size calculation from different versions of ENA for SMART software should not change. However, the parameters for certain statistical tests in the plausibility report are modified from time to time to reflect the most recent findings which can result in slightly different plausibility report scores.

[SMARTKeymaster]

Please follow the path below to find the ENA and EPI ENA manuals:

Survey Planning Tools – SMART Capacity Building Toolbox – Complementary Tools and Resources – Download Software Manuals

Information regarding EPI Info can also be found on the CDC website at: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/epiinfo/

[Author]

Posts