Data collection procedures

1. Presentation template for adaptation and use in medicine prices and availability survey training workshop for survey personnel Review all slides carefully for applicability to your survey before use! Data collection procedures Medicine prices and availability survey Training workshop Location, dates

2. Preparing for data collection Key activities for area supervisors: • Schedule data collection visits • Prepare Medicine Price Data Collection forms needed for field visits • Prepare information materials and tools for data collectors • Arrange for regular communications

3. 1. Planning data collection visitsWho? Area supervisors • Contact (ideally in person, or by phone) each sample outlet and back-up facility to seek permission for data collection • Introduce the survey and its objectives • Use the letters of endorsement and introduction provided by the survey manager • Stress that individual medicine outlets will not be identified in the results • If medicine outlet refuses to participate, alert survey manager who will contact the outlet directly, and if necessary, provide you with a alternative outlet • Luckily, this rarely happens

4. Planning data collection visits (continued)Who? Area supervisors • Make appointments for data collection visits, avoiding peak hours of activity • Plan for 1-2 hours for each data collection visit, plus travel time • Prepare a schedule for each pair of data collectors, including: • Date and time of each visit • Name, number, sector, and contact person for each medicine outlet • Address and location of each medicine outlet • Contact information for back-up facility to be visited if < 50% of medicines are available • Call each facility and confirm appointment the day before

5. Sample schedule for data collection team Survey Area: Eastern Region

6. 2. Preparing Medicine Price Data Collection formsWho? Area supervisors • Medicine list and data collection form will be finalized by survey manager after pilot test • Make enough copies of the data collection form for each sample facility, back-up facility, and validation visit • Data collection forms should preferably be colour-coded by sector • Complete front page of each form

7. To be completed by area supervisors before data collection visit

8. 3. Prepare materials for data collectorsWho? Area supervisor • A list of data collection teams and contact information • The contact details of their area supervisor, including a mobile phone number to call in case of difficulty in the field • A schedule of visits to survey sites • The contact details of the sites to be visited • Details of back-up facilities to be visited if scheduled visits are not possible, or less than 50% of the medicines are available • Copies of letter(s) of endorsement and letter of introduction • Relevant handouts or instruction sheets • A Medicine Price Data Collection form for each sample medicine outlet to be visited that day • A Medicine Price Data Collection form for each back-up site that may need to be visited that day • A calculator for calculating the unit price of medicines • Pens (pencils should not be used to record data), a clipboard and other supplies • A notebook to record any significant events or findings • Field allowance for local expenses

9. 4. Arrange for regular communicationsWho? Area supervisors • Provide data collectors with a mobile phone and phone number where they can contact you during data collection • Arrange to meet with data collectors at the end of each day of data collection

10. Data Collection Who? Data collectors Before going out to collect data each day: • Check that you have all necessary materials for data collection On arrival at the medicine outlet: • introduce yourself and present the letter(s) of endorsement and the letter of introduction. • Check that information about the medicine outlet on Page 1 of the data collection form is correct • Enter the following information on Page 1 of the data collection form: • Date • Name(s) of the person(s) who provided information • Names of data collectors

11. To be completed by data collectors during data collection visit

12. Data Collection (continued)Who? Data collectors • Collect data with the aid of the person in charge at the facility • Fill in the Medicine Price Data Collection Form (1 per outlet) • If customers arrive, pause the survey and let them be served Never leave the local data collection form at a medicine outlet to be filled in later! Before leaving the facility: • Check that data collection form is legible, accurate and complete • Check whether less than 50% of medicines were available at the outlet. If so, contact the area supervisor who will instruct you on visiting a back-up facility At the end of each day of data collection: • Meet with your area supervisor • Submit completed data collection forms and report back on your activities

13. At the end of each day of data collectionWho? Area supervisors • Meet with data collectors to collect completed forms and resolve any problems encountered • Review each data collection form completed that day: • to make sure they are complete and legible • to verify missing or suspicous information • to make sure that a back-up facility has been visited if fewer than 50% of medicines were available in a sample outlet • Uncertain or illegible data should be checked with data collectors, may need to re-contact medicine outlet to clarify • Sign the first page of each form to record that it has been checked, but only once you are sure that data is complete, legible and there are no obvious mistakes

14. Validation of data collectionWho? Area supervisors • Validate data by re-conducting the survey in 20% of public and private sector outlets. If there are 5 public outlets and 5 private outlets per survey area, conduct validation in: • one public medicine outlet per survey area • one private medicine outlet per survey area • Select medicine outlets for validation at random • Conduct the validation visits on the same day as the visits to these outlets by data collectors • After collecting data, compare your results to those of data collectors. Resolve any mistakes and discuss with data collectors

15. Calculation of unit pricesWho? Data collectors and area supervisors • Unit price is the price per cap, tab, ml, dose, gram, etc. oral: price per capsule or tablet, NOT per box or strip inhalers: price per dose, NOT per inhaler liquids: price per ml, NOT per bottle • Unit price = price of pack / pack size • During data collection, data collectors may need to calculate unit prices of some medicines to identify the lowest priced generic • Area supervisors calculate unit prices for all medicines after data collection • Any unit prices calculated by data collectors should be double checked by the area supervisor

16. Out of stock No Yes Amitriptyline Cosmos 110 3.80 0.0345 • For each product, divide the Price of Pack Found (Column H) by the Pack Size Found (Column G). • Retain at least four digits after the decimal point. • Enter the calculated unit prices in Column I and double-check the calculations. • E.G: Unit price for lowest price generic amitriptyline = 3.80 /110 = 0.0345

17. Storing completed data collection formsWho? Area supervisors • Completed forms should be copied and stored in waterproof plastic bags in the field • Originals should be stored in a separate location from copies • All original data collection forms, including those for validation visits (label clearly!), should be transferred to the survey manager upon completion of fieldwork • Area supervisors should retain the copies for use in the event that the originals become lost or damaged