Using Community Members to Collect Observational Data: Observer Training and Data Quality Assessment.

This article highlights a structured approach to preparing community members for observational data collection in participatory research. Providing training related to the items that will be observed and conducting post-training assessments of observer accuracy and interrater reliability provides researchers with a measure of observer readiness to collect data. In addition, reassessing observer accuracy and interrater reliability at the end of data collection offers a measure of confidence in the data collection process. Discussion of this approach includes addressing survey items with low observer percentage agreement scores and training and evaluation strategies for intermittent and extended data collection periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]