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IDGenerator: unique identifier generator for epidemiologic or clinical studies.

Background: Creating study identifiers and assigning them to study participants is an important feature in epidemiologic studies, ensuring the consistency and privacy of the study data. The numbering system for identifiers needs to be random within certain number constraints, to carry extensions cod...

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Published in:BMC Medical Research Methodology Vol. 16; pp. 1 - 11
Main Authors: Olden, Matthias, Holle, Rolf, Heid, Iris M., Stark, Klaus
Format: research Journal Article
Published: BioMed Central 9/15/2016
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: 9/15/2016
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      pub: BioMed Central
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        118206865
        10.1186/s12874-016-0222-3
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        atl: IDGenerator: unique identifier generator for epidemiologic or clinical studies.
      aug:
        au:
          Olden, Matthias
          Holle, Rolf
          Heid, Iris M.
          Stark, Klaus
        affil: Department of Genetic Epidemiology, Institute of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
      sug:
        subj:
          Software
          Patient Identification
          Epidemiological Research
      ab: Background: Creating study identifiers and assigning them to study participants is an important feature in epidemiologic studies, ensuring the consistency and privacy of the study data. The numbering system for identifiers needs to be random within certain number constraints, to carry extensions coding for organizational information, or to contain multiple layers of numbers per participant to diversify data access. Available software can generate globally-unique identifiers, but identifier-creating tools meeting the special needs of epidemiological studies are lacking. We have thus set out to develop a software program to generate IDs for epidemiological or clinical studies.Results: Our software IDGenerator creates unique identifiers that not only carry a random identifier for a study participant, but also support the creation of structured IDs, where organizational information is coded into the ID directly. This may include study center (for multicenter-studies), study track (for studies with diversified study programs), or study visit (baseline, follow-up, regularly repeated visits). Our software can be used to add a check digit to the ID to minimize data entry errors. It facilitates the generation of IDs in batches and the creation of layered IDs (personal data ID, study data ID, temporary ID, external data ID) to ensure a high standard of data privacy. The software is supported by a user-friendly graphic interface that enables the generation of IDs in both standard text and barcode 128B format.Conclusion: Our software IDGenerator can create identifiers meeting the specific needs for epidemiologic or clinical studies to facilitate study organization and data privacy. IDGenerator is freeware under the GNU General Public License version 3; a Windows port and the source code can be downloaded at the Open Science Framework website: https://osf.io/urs2g/ .
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        research
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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