Introducing Epi Info
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Epi Info is a powerful software tool developed for supporting epidemiological studies. You will learn how Epi Info can be used to support your research databases and statistical analysis.

Introducing Epi Info

Epi Info was produced by the Centers for Disease Control, and the Global Programme on IADS, World Health Organization, and is provided for use by the public health community. There are no fees for using the program and you can hand out copies to your friends and associates. You can obtain the latest copy of Epi Info from (if you received a portable computer from Family Practice, Epi Info is already installed on it) CDC's Epi Info page.

Epi Info consists of several components:

• Word Processor (EPID). For creating questionnaires (a form that describes the structure of a database) and general word processing. Includes tools that assist in text preparation and in the design of epidemiologic investigations. Epi Info's word processor is weak by today's standards and you should use a regular word processing program (like Microsoft Word or WordPerfect) for creating papers, and memos.
• Database Entry Module (ENTER). Produces a data file from a questionnaire created in the word processor. Manages entry of data from a questionnaire into a disk file. Allows revision of file format even after records have been entered.
• Analysis Module (ANALYSIS). Produces lists, frequencies, cross tabulations, and a variety of other results from Epi Info or dBase files (dBase was the first popular database on personal computers. Appropriate epidemiologic statistics, such as odds ratios, relative risk, exact confidence limits, and p values accompany the tables. Stratified analyses with the Mantel-Haenszel technique, one-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests, linear regression, and analysis of matched case-control studies are also offered. Records may be selected or sorted using defined variables, "if" statements, and mathematical and logical operations. Graphing, complex report formatting, generation of new data sets for testing, and a programming language are included in ANALYSIS. Data items spread over several files can be linked and analyzed as a single unit.
• Range Checker (CHECK). Sets up ranges, legal values, automatic coding, and skip patterns for the data entry module, if desired. Mathematical and logical operations between fields, complex jump patterns, access to several files in the same entry process, and use of custom programs provided by the user are also supported.
• Cluster Sampling Module (CSAMPE). Performs analyses of data from surveys of complex design, taking into account cluster sampling, stratification, and weights.
• Statistics Calculator (STATCALC). Calculates statistics from table values entered from the keyboard. It performs calculations for single and stratified 2-by-2 tables, sample size, and single and stratified trend analysis.
• Epidemiologic Calculator (EPITABLE). An epidemiologic calculator, containing many useful statistics.
• Anthropometric Indices Calculator (EPINUT). A program for nutritional anthropometry providing for batch calculation of anthropometric indices.
• Data Exporter (EXPORT). Exports data files from Epi Info into 12 other formats used by a variety of database and statistics programs.
• Data Importer (IMPORT). Brings in files from other programs so that they can be used in Epi Info.
• Merge Files Tool (MERGE). Merges files produced from questionnaires with the same or different formats. This allows combining data files entered on different computers, and updating of previous records using data from new entries.
• File Comparer (VALIDATE). Compares two Epi Info files entered by different people and reports any differences.

We will be only using some of the components:

Component	Used for
Word Processor (EPID)	Defining database structure (called Questionnaires in Epi Info). This tells Epi Info what data is going to be stored in the database.
Database Entry Module (ENTER)	Entering and revising the database records.
Analysis Module (ANALYSIS)	Analyzing the data that is in the database.
Statistics Calculator (STATCALC).	Determining the number of samples that are necessary to reach a good conclusion.
Data Exporter (EXPORT)	Exporting data for use in Microsoft Access and Excel.
Data Importer (IMPORT)	Importing data from Microsoft Access and Excel. This is a multi-step procedure. The data must be exported from Access or Excel before being imported into Epi Info.

 

Getting Started

Epi Info is a DOS-based computer program. This means it does not use the standard interface of newer Windows programs.That's the bad news. The good news is that overall the program is pretty easy to use and the analysis section of the program is very easy to use and very powerful.

Epi Info's main screen looks like:

Notice that Programs in the menu bar (in the upper left) is in green. This is the menu that is selected. You can select other menus by using the right and left arrow keys. You can use the down arrow key to "pull down" the menu:

You choose one of the components by moving the green bar onto the option that you want to run and then pressing the Enter key.

You can use the mouse to navigate through the menus. However, the mouse doesn't work properly in all the components. We recommend that you use the keyboard once inside a component.

Start of Tutorial  |  Getting Started With Epi Info  |  Creating a Questionnaire (Database)