Challenges of Data Collection for Research in a Developing Country

Aiyub

1,2

, Sri Novitayani

, Marthoenis

Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Nursing, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia,

Doctoral Program of Mathematic and Applied Sciences, Syiah Kuala University, Banda Aceh, Indonesia

Keywords: Challenges, Data Collection, Survey.

Abstract: Data collection is a substantial step in conducting a research. Researchers usually face enormous challenges

in this step. While they have to maintain the validity of inferences, they also must anticipate such

unexpected factors that might intrude the results. One of the most important things in maintaining validity of

research results is to keep validity of data through a good and correct data collection process. The

challenges become greater when the data collection is carried out in developing countries where the levels

of education, socio-economic status of respondents as well as the enumerators’ capacity are significantly

varied. The present study aims to investigate the challenges of research data collection process through

interview by using questionnaire in a developing country of Indonesia. The study was conducted by

qualitative method with Focus Group Discussion (FGD) as data collection method. The respondents were

enumerators involved in a community based health survey in districts of Indonesia. Data were analyzed

using the qualitative content analysis method to identify themes, categories, and sub-categories. The study

had been identified two themes, namely: internal challenges (questionnaire, research status, sample election,

enumerator) and external challenges (research permit, respondent and research location) as the challenges of

data collection process. The themes were identified in the study will be guidance for researchers in planning

and conducting data collecting process through interviews by using questionnaire for enhancing validity of

research results in Indonesia and other developing countries.

1 INTRODUCTION

Data collection is an important step in conducting

a study. Researchers wish to obtain valid and

accurate data for rational finding. Survey is

designed to obtain information about the

prevalence, distribution and interrelation of

phenomenon (Polit, & Beck, 2012). Therefore,

researchers must design a well-structured plan to

anticipate every challenge faced on the field where

researchers take place in order to produce valid

and accurate data.

With regard to the characteristics of

respondents, the challenges of data collection

between developed and developing country are

different. In general, Hing et al., (2011) in a

literature review mentioned that poor design and

low response were two problems of health survey

using questionnaire in both developed and

developing countries. There are very few studies in

developing country were conducted to explore the

challenges of data collection from heath survey

using questionnaire, including in Indonesia. Whilst

enumerators who were involved in a community

based health survey in districts of Indonesia

reported some challenges faced in the field.

Therefore, this study aims to reveal challenges of

data collection as expressed by survey enumerators

in Indonesian settings.

The current study focuses to explore the

challenges were faced by enumerators in data

collection process. The data were collected using

interview and a Focus Group Discussion (FGD)

approaches. A deep interview was used to explore

more participants’ experiences about the

challenges of data collection. This article is

expected to be a guideline for researchers in

planning data collection procedure of health survey

in developing country, especially survey data

collection using enumerators.

164

Aiyub, ., Novitayani, S. and Marthoenis, .

Challenges of Data Collection for Research in a Developing Country.

DOI: 10.5220/0008396000002442

In Proceedings of the Aceh International Nursing Conference (AINC 2018), pages 164-169

ISBN: 978-989-758-413-8

2 METHODS

2.1 Study Design

This study was designed as qualitative method

with explorative approach. The aim of study was to

investigate the challenges of data collection

process in a community based health survey.

2.2 Participants

A total of nine enumerators involved in a

community based survey about mental disorders

and diabetes in the districts of Banda Aceh and

Aceh Besar, Indonesia.

2.3 Data Collection

Data were collected through focus group

discussion (FGDs). The FGD was conducted in

April 2018 and undertaken in a two hours meeting

with two sessions and 15 minutes break between

the sessions.

2.4 Data Analysis

Data were analyzed using qualitative content

analysis. This method was used to search for

manifest and latent meanings of transcript of

interview to formulate condensed meaning units,

codes, sub-categories, categories and themes

(Graneheim & Lundman. 2004).

The analysis was done in the following steps:

1) created transcript of interview; 2) the transcript

of interview read repeatedly to formulate

condensed meaning unit; 3) according to

condensed meaning unit, then researchers

formulated codes, sub-categories, categories, and

themes that were suitable to study purposes. Data

analysis are summarized in Table 1.

3 FINDINGS

Based on data analysis as shown in Table 1 above

(Subsection 2.4 Data Analysis), the internal

challenges consist of four categories, i.e.

questionnaire, research status, sample selection,

and enumerator. Whilst the external challenges

were divided into three categories, i.e. research

permit, respondent and research location.

Furthermore, each category was classified in

some sub-categories. For example, questionnaire

was distributed in two sub-categories (i.e. answer

design and question design), research status was

distributed in two sub-categories (i.e. professional

research and undergraduate research), sample

selection was distributed in two sub-categories (i.e.

rigid and flexible), and enumerator was distributed

in three sub-categories (i.e. enumerator’s fees,

enumerator status and enumerator capacity),

research permit was distributed in two sub-

categories (i.e. content of research permit and

coordination of research permit), respondent was

distributed in two sub-categories (i.e. education

level and experience and perception and culture),

and research location was distributed in two sub-

categories (i.e. rural. remote area and urban area).

Table 1: The Data Analysis Using Qualitative Content Analysis Method.

Themes

Categories

Sub-Categories

Codes

Condensed Meaning Unit

Perception and

culture

Perception and

culture will

influence

respondent’s

acceptance.

Gender differences will influence respondent’s

acceptance.

Respondent’s participation was influenced by

negative rumors.

Stigma enhances reluctance of respondents to

answer mental health questions.

Respect for guest as a culture in Aceh society has

been increased respondent’s acceptance.

Local habits influence respondent’s acceptance.

Research

Location

Rural/ remote

area

Distance

Difficult to reach and time consuming.

Accessibility

Difficult and risk to find location.

Urban area

Distance

Respondents live in densely areas so that it is easy

to meet.

Accessibility

Near and easy to reach.

4 DISCUSSION

The present study reveals a wide variety of

challenges during a community based health

survey in Aceh Province, Indonesia. Overall, two

main themes presented as the challenges in data

collection, the internal and external challenges.

Internal challenges include the design of

questionnaire and its contents, the research status –

whether it’s for academic of professional purpose,

sampling methods, sample selection and the

enumerators themselves. External factors include

the difficulties in obtaining research permit from

each health of villages, respondent selection, and

research location.

Hing et al (2011) mentioned that the main

source of error in survey include non-measurement

errors such as survey design, sample frame and

sampling, non-response and item non-response,

and measurement errors such as survey instrument

and data collection processes. Their statements

somehow also expressed by the informants of the

present study.

Questionnaire is one of challenging of data

collection process. Design of questions and

answers can influence accuracy and validity of

data. Even thought Hing, et al., (2011) mentioned

that face to face interview is particularly useful for

long questionnaire with complex questions. But in

this study participants reported that too many and

repeated questions made respondents bored and

annoyed. Besides they have not so much time to sit

and answer questionnaire.

Using Likert scale in a survey is quite popular

for studying phenomena from opinion and attitudes

in social and medical research (Janhunen, 2012;

Gob, McCollin, & Ramalhoto, 2007). But using

Likert scale in this study was reported as a

challenging because it can affect inconsistencies of

respondent’s answers. Participants said that some

respondents changed their answer when

enumerators validated their answer again. Some

respondents, especially those with lower education

level have difficulty in understanding the Likert

scale, therefore their response on the questions

might lead to bias. Therefore, enumerator should

ensure that the answers provided by subject are

valid. Here, enumerator's knowledge about Likert

scale must be good prepared so that they can guide

respondents to choose right answers according to

their thinking about.

According to participants’ statement, many of

respondents in this study were difficult to answer

questions of income and expenditure. Respondents

with non-permanent worker have not fixed income

and expenditure. Also, since the majority of

Acehnese population work as farmer, where their

incomes are not regular, but largely depend on

harvesting time. Thereof for these types of

questions, the researcher must provide some

answer choices in minimum to maximum range.

This manner of income should be considered in the

future study.

Moreover, research status is also an internal

challenge in data collection process. Respondents

in the field asked repeatedly about research status

(professional or undergraduate research). In

commonly, society pays little attention for

undergraduate research. Therefor enumerators

must be able to convince respondents about direct

and indirect benefits of the research for

respondents.

Sampling method is very important in data

accuracy and validity. Sample size and

Challenges of Data Collection for Research in a Developing Country

167

representative are two things that must be

considered to preserve data integrity and enhance

the validity of study findings (Polit, & Beck,

2012). However, the challenge is when

enumerators cannot meet the samples which have

been selected. Participants reported that they spent

much time for coming back for interview. This

created more difficulties when interviews were in

remote areas. Distance and accessibility are two

challenges faced by enumerators. Whilst

replacement of samples will disrupt data

representation, therefore it is important for

researchers to allocate enough time and budget in

research planning.

Results of this study show that enumerators are

important element in collecting data of survey.

Skills, experience and capability of enumerator

greatly influence the outcome of an interview

(Sahu, 2013; Haunberger, 2010). Therefore in this

study, enumerators were selected by considering of

their education qualification and experience. It is

reasonable because participants reported that many

respondents in the field asked about enumerator’s

education status. As discussed above, respondents

pay little attention for undergraduate research.

Before collecting data, enumerators must be

trained because in the field, capacity of

enumerators will determine validity and reliability

of data. Clear understanding of questionnaire will

enhance the smoothness of data collection process

and respondents were pleased during the interview

process.

Haunberger (2010) mentions that interviewer

attitude and behaviour will influence respondent’s

response. Therefore, participants mentioned that

enumerators must understand local culture for

more adaptability. It is different way to adapt

between urban, rural and remote communities.

Therefore, the presence of a foreigner was

responded differently. Some of respondents were

excited, some others were suspicious, and the

others thought would get humanitarian aid.

Communication skills of enumerators are needed

to explain research purpose clearly. Participants

mentioned that clear explanation about research

purpose and activities will increase participation of

respondents.

Beside of internal challenges, we found also

external challenges. The first external challenges

are research permit. Enumerators faced problems

in the field according to research permit. Some

community leaders (Geusyik) asked enumerators to

have recommendations of all civil administration

levels (district, sub-district and village), and some

others asked to have recommendation of all

security department levels (district and sub-district

police station). Meanwhile, the enumerators just

had recommendation of provincial government.

According to regulation, bureaucracy of

research permit in Indonesia is regulated by at least

four levels of formal regulation, namely:

Constitution of Indonesia, Number 18, 2002,

Regulation of Ministry of Home Affairs, number 7,

2014 and number 64, 2011. In addition, foreigners

or foreign institutions are also regulated by

government regulation, Number 41, 2006, and

Regulation of the Minister for Research and

Technology, Number 08/M/IX/2007. All the

regulations oblige researchers to have

recommendation from Central Government,

Province, and Regency/City depend on research

location or researchers background (Indonesia

Ministry of Research & Technology, 2012;

Agustine, et al., 2018).

In application of the regulations, different

departments have different procedures which often

raise negative implications for researchers and

research institution (Agustine, et al., 2018).

Furthermore, lack of information about research

procedures both from institution providing

research recommendation or others information

resources make researchers be confuse. Meanwhile

in the field, researchers must follow any unwritten

rules of community leaders. Therefore it was very

important to get information and complete all

research recommendation before collecting data to

minimize problems in the field. It was also

recommended by participants in interview.

The second external challenge was education

level of respondents in data collection. Participants

reported that respondents with high levels of

education were more cooperative in interview,

albeit rather more critical. Furthermore,

respondents’ experiences, culture and rumors will

influence the interview process. Instance, negative

stigma makes respondents reluctant to answer

questions of mental health. But cultures of

Acehnese people in respecting guest make

enumerators more acceptable. Even though,

enumerators must spend more time to follow the

tradition. Because of this, it is very good to select

enumerators from local community who have been

familiar with local culture, besides they have

knowledge in relate to research theme.

The third external challenges are research

location. Distance and accessibility were reported

as a challenge in data collection process. For

remote area, participants faced some difficulties

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168

like: difficult to reach location, time consuming

and high risk for enumerators. Therefore,

participants suggested to extend data collection

time and to create a fair scheme of payment for

enumerator’s fees. It was not fair to pay

enumerators fees per questionnaire, because

enumerators will face different difficulties

according to research location. For fair payment,

some participants proposed to make a contract with

basic salary, transport fees, allowance and

insurance.

5 CONCLUSIONS

There were two challenges that were faced by

enumerators in conducting survey in developing

countries, namely internal challenges

(questionnaire design, research status, sample

selection, and enumerators) and external

challenges (research permit, respondent, and

research location). Researchers must pay attention

to eliminate the challenges to get data validity and

reliability.

AKNOWLEDGEMENT

The researcher thanks all participants who were

involved in the study.

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