Aim

To provide an oversight of the organisations and people who can advice and support researchers at the EMGO+ Institute.

Description

This guideline provides an overview of the organisations and people researchers at the EMGO+ Institute can turn to for advice and support. A distinction is made here on the basis of the research topic for which support is required.

Privacy and WMO issues
The Quality officer of the institute, Michel Paardekooper, offers advice on the Data protection act (WBP Wet Bescherming Persoonsgegevens) and the Human subject act ( WMO Wet Mensgebonden Onderzoek).

Data management support 
Data management support is provided by the Data Management Department of the EMGO+ Institute; Wim Kraan is the head. The core task of this department is to offer data management support for research projects. This support is aimed at both the design of (data entry) systems for storing and processing research data, as well as activities in the data processing phase of a project (file organisation, data cleaning, processing and archiving data). The department’s work consists primarily of guiding researchers and research assistants, and providing advice. The department can also carry out the implementation. This is not a free service, contact Wim Kraan for detailed information.
Procedures and guidelines, amongst other things, have been developed for datamanagement. To ensure that work is standardised across all projects.
Prior to the data collection, an information analysis meeting will take place between the research, project leader, data manager and a member of staff from the Data Management Department permanently assigned to the project. Refer to 1.1C: Preparing the data collection.

Statistical/methodological support and support for data analysis 
The EMGO Institute collaborates closely with the Department of Epidemiology and
Biostatistics (E&B). A methodologist/statistician from the E&B Department has been assigned to each research programm within the EMGO. See below. Other research projects, such as the LASA and AGGO cohort studies, fall into one of these research themes.
The contact at the E&B can be approached for questions regarding:
•          Research design, including power and sample size calculations;
•          Statistics, including statistical modelling and data analysis, more specific questions about the use of statistical software, such as SPSS and S-Plus, multilevel analysis (MLwiN and GEE), (confirmative) factor analysis, etc.
•          Help in interpreting output and reporting output in articles.

Methodological/Statistical support from the Epidemiology & Biostatistics Department 
The statisticians can be found on the E&B website.

Advisors from the E&B (see above) will provide advice about the data analysis. Dirk Knol can be approached for advice about Item Response Theory.


Cost-effectiveness analysis
The VU University Medical Center’s EMGO Institute and the Institute of Health Sciences at the VU University contribute to HTA (Health Technology Assessment) unit, which provides support in cost-effectiveness analyses. The head of this unit is Maurits van Tulder, who has a joint appointment with the EMGO+ and Health Sciences. There is also collaboration in the methodological field with the Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department.
Maurits van Tulder can be approached for formulating and planning cost-effectiveness analyses for grant applications (particularly ZONMW). In addition, this unit offers support in cost calculations, (statistical) cost comparisons between groups, calculating confidence intervals for cost-effectiveness ratios and acceptability curves. This HTA support is in principal not cost-free and should be included in the project’s budget.

Systematic review
There is no special unit that can be approached for advice regarding this topic. Refer to the Systematic review guideline for the design and creation of systematic reviews. Maurits van Tulder can also be approached for advice about the Cochrane collaboration.

Literature search
Search specialists at the library support database searches and optimal use of databases (such as Medline, Embase, Biosis, Psychinfo). Contact person: René Otten.
Useful course:Literature Searching For Authors Of Systematic Reviews. They will teach you all you need to know about literature search and those for systematic reviews in particular. From selection of databases and smart search techniques to documentation and accounting of your search strategy. All the ins and outs in just three hours. You can use your own review as test case during the course.

The library also runs courses on the use of Reference Manager.
For library services, fees may be applicable.

Validity research/measurement instruments
The clinimetrics group can be approached for help in this area; this group also undertakes research in this field. Contact Caroline Terwee or Riekie de Vet regarding questions about validity.
Caroline offers also support for selecting questionnaires.

• Intranet site Data Management Department at the EMGO Institute: http://emgo.med.vu.nl/ds/ds

V1.3:  1 Dec 2011: Library fees added.
V1.2:  22 Feb 2010: Addition of search course.
V1.1:  1 Jan 2010: Translated into English and updated.
V1.0:  11 Dec 2008.

Have you made use of the expertise at the EMGO (Data Management) and the Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics Departments in any of the following:
1. Research design/power calculations;
2. Data entry options;
3. Databases and data logistics;
4. Data cleaning;
5. Data transformation;
6. Designing and implementing data analysis;
7. Systematic review
8. Other topics?
If not, why not?
If so: In which phases of your research was this support essential? Has the help subsequently been evaluated?