Using REDCap to Facilitate Web-Based Therapeutic Intervention Research

Background Limited guidelines to assist nurse researchers who use web-based interventions are available. Nurses must develop the supporting technology enabling participants to complete study activities and collected data while maintaining data security and participant confidentiality. Objectives The aim of the study was to describe how the authors used advanced Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) functionality to support the data management infrastructure of an interactive, web-based therapeutic intervention. Methods The data management infrastructure for the WISER (Writing to Improve Self-in-Relationships) intervention pilot study consisted of two components: a website for presentation of the intervention and participant account management and a REDCap project for data capture and storage. The REDCap application programming interface connected these two components using HTML links and data exchanges. Results We completed an initial pilot study of WISER with 14 participants using the REDCap-based infrastructure. Minimal technical difficulties were encountered. Discussion REDCap is cost-effective, is readily available, and, through its advanced functionality, is able to facilitate confidential, secure interactions with participants, robust data management, and seamless participant progression in web-based intervention research.