Harold CollinsInformation Technology Specialist

Module 1: Introduction12 June 2012

Epi Info™ 7 Introductory Training

Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services

Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office

Introductions

Your name

Your organization

What you hope to get out of this course

Module 1 Outline

Purpose of the Course Explanation of Course Material Course Instruction Methods Quick Overview: What is Epi Info™ 7? Downloading and Installing Epi Info™ 7 Resources

Objectives of this Course

To provide broad overview of the software’s features and functions

To provide hands-on experience with the software Designing simple data entry forms Implementing simple data entry validation Basic analysis and data management Basic mapping

Objectives of this Course

After completing this course the participant will be able to: Understand the workspace of the different modules and

identify its key features Design simple data entry forms using the Form Designer Implement intelligence to data entry forms using Check Code Enter records into an Epi Info™ 7 form Read multiple data sources and utilize the Visual Dashboard

and/or Classic Analysis modules for manipulating, managing, and analyzing data

Generate statistics like Frequencies, 2x2 Tables, and Means Output results into HTML, Excel or Word formats Generate cluster case or choropleth maps using Epi Map

Explanation of Course Materials

Training Agenda for Epi Info™ 7

Copy of the Epi Info™ 7 Quick Start Guide (Optional)

Epi Info™ 7 PowerPoint Slides

Student Worksheets

INSTRUCTION METHODSModule 1 – Introduction

Modules

This course is broken down into eight sections:1. Introduction2. Designing Forms3. Adding validation logic to forms4. Data Entry5. Using the Dashboard6. Classic Analysis7. Maps8. Best Practices

Method of Instruction

This is an introductory session

Students will be exposed to a broad overview of the features and functions in Epi Info™ 7

Hold questions until Question and Answer Sessions

Order of instruction for each module: PowerPoint Presentation Demonstration Practice End-of-Lesson Questions

WHAT IS EPI INFO™?Module 1 – Introduction

What is Epi Info™?

A suite of free data management, analysis, and visualization tools designed specifically for the public health community.

Features include: Rapid electronic form creation & data entry Statistical analysis Mapping & visualization

Used extensively throughout CDC, domestically and internationally.

System Requirements

Generally, any Windows computer that has recently run Windows Update.

Specifically: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 .NET Framework 3.5 256 MB of RAM

Epi Info™ 7 – Core Principles

Free

Easy to use

Flexible Lightweight & Agile – when responding to emergencies Robust – when performing large-scale, multi-user data

collection

Standards based

No “IT guys” needed in most cases

Form DesignerUsed to create electronic data entry forms. Templates can be utilized to facilitate form design. The data entry experience can be tailored with intelligence, such as skip patterns, logical branching, and automatic calculations.

EnterUsed to collect data into the form. Addresses can be geocoded into latitude and longitude. Data entry follows the Intelligence rules tailored in the Form Designer.

Classic AnalysisUsed for data management and analysis. Can read data, relate data tables, perform comparisons and run a wide variety of statistics. Supported data types include text files, Excel spreadsheets, Access databases, and MS SQL Server databases. Output is saved as HTML.

Visual DashboardUsed for quick analysis where only minimal data management is needed. Supports almost all of the statistics as Classic Analysis and supports the same data types. Output is saved as HTML.

MapsUsed to create case cluster or choropleth maps. Time lapse functionality is supported. Choropleth maps can be generated using shape files or from map servers such as nationalmaps.gov.

StatCalcBasic Statistical Calculator. Can perform analyses of single or stratified two-by-two tables, determine sample size for studies, and more.

Epi Info™ 7 Projects

Projects are the standard file format in Epi Info™ 7, much like DOCX files are the standard file format used in Microsoft Word.

Certain Epi Info™ 7 modules can also work with data that resides in other formats.

A project may contain one or more data entry forms. These forms are created in the Form Designer module.

Epi Info™ 7 Forms

Forms may have one or more pages

Each page on the form has its own “data table”

As users enter data into a form, the collected data is stored within that page’s corresponding data table

How data is stored

The data you collect must be stored somewhere and in some sort of standard format.

Epi Info™ 7 collects two different types of data:

Metadata: The data that describes the number of pages in a form and the placement and size of the questions that appear on the form.

Collected data: The data that is entered into that form.

How data is stored (continued)

Both metadata and collected data are stored in a single database.

Each Epi Info™ 7 project contains a “pointer” to this database.

Allowable databases include Microsoft Access and Microsoft SQL Server. Access does not need to be installed in order to use

Access databases.

To sum it up…

Your Epi Info™ 7 Projects consist of two files: The project file and the database. The database contains all of the information about how

to display the form AND contains all the data entered into that form.

The project file contains a pointer to the database. Projects may contain one or more forms. Forms may contain one or more pages. Each page has it’s a corresponding table in

the database that stores data collected into that page.

Why use Microsoft SQL Server?

MS SQL Server can collect far larger quantities of data than Access databases.

Better management tools for MS SQL Server and more powerful queries are available. Similar to “Proc-SQL” in SAS

It’s much faster, meaning data analysis is quicker.

A free version is available – SQL Server Express http://www.microsoft.com/sqlserver/en/us/editions/express.as

px

Data Access Model

DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLATION

Module 1 – Introduction

Downloading and Installing

Epi Info™ 7 program files can be accessed on the Web http://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/7/index.htm

Setup Installation (.exe file) Provides standard way of installing Windows

applications. Requires administrator privileges to run.

Zip File Deployment (.zip file) Comes in a standard “zip” archive. Does not require administrator privileges to run. Needs one folder with read/write/execute privileges. Can usually be placed on the desktop.

Using the ZIP File Deployment

Steps:1. Navigate to the CDC Epi Info™ website at

http://wwwn.cdc.gov/epiinfo/7/index.htm 2. Click on the ZIP file download.3. When prompted, select “Open” (or “Run”). After the

download finishes, an explorer window opens to reveal the files in the ZIP archive.

4. Double-click on the “Epi Info 7” folder in the explorer window.

5. Drag the files you see to your desktop.6. Double-click on the “Launch Epi Info” icon.

Step 1: Navigate to the websiteVisit http://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/7/index.htm

Step 2: Download the ZIP package

Step 3: Opening the packageSelect “Open” (or “Run”) when prompted, depending on your web browser. Internet Explorer 8 is shown here.

Step 4: Viewing the contentsDouble-click the “Epi Info 7” item in the explorer window. Note that on some computers, this file may have opened in another ZIP archive program.

Step 5: Drag the files to your desktopSelect the two items in the folder and drag them to your desktop.

Step 6: Run the “Launch” programDouble-click on the “Launch Epi Info 7” icon to start!

The Epi Info 7 Main Menu

RESOURCESModule 1 – Introduction

Resources and Technical Support

Download at http://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo

Helpline: epiinfo@cdc.gov or call 404.498.6190

Epi Info™ Community of Users in phConnect http://www.phconnect.org/group/epiinfo

Send your comments and suggestions to hcollins@cdc.gov or epiinfo@cdc.gov

This Slide Presentation

This slide presentation can be downloaded from the Epi Info™ Community of Users in phConnect:

http://www.phconnect.org/group/epiinfo/forum/topics/epi-info-7-training-module-1

EPI INFO™ 7 – DEMONSTRATION

On YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uTHl9E6NK8&feature=player_embedded

For more information please contact Centers for Disease Control and Prevention1600 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30333Telephone, 1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636)/TTY: 1-888-232-6348E-mail: cdcinfo@cdc.gov Web: www.cdc.gov

Questions?

Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services

Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.