Epi Info Training Guide Table of Contents – WHO

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Epi Info Training Guide

Table of Contents

Session 1: Introduction to Epi Info ……………………………………………………………………………..2
Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..2
Navigating Epi Info……………………………………………………………………………………………….3
Analysis Components…………………………………………………………………………………………….5
Opening a Dataset …………………………………………………………………………………………………6
Write Your Data Table Permanently to the Database …………………………………………………7
Creating a Backup of Your Database……………………………………………………………………….8
Reading (Importing) a Table …………………………………………………………………………………..9
Viewing Data in a List …………………………………………………………………………………………10
Session 2: Variables ………………………………………………………………………………………………..12
Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………12
Defining a Variable ……………………………………………………………………………………………..13
Assign a Variable ………………………………………………………………………………………………..16
Undefine a Variable …………………………………………………………………………………………….18
Recode a Variable ……………………………………………………………………………………………….20
Writing Results to a New Table …………………………………………………………………………….24
Session 3: Basics Statistics………………………………………………………………………………………25
Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………25
Calculating Derived Variables ………………………………………………………………………………26
Running a Frequency …………………………………………………………………………………………..28
Creating a Basic Table …………………………………………………………………………………………30
Reading an Output Table………………………………………………………………………………………33
Creating a Graph …………………………………………………………………………………………………34
Creating Labels for Outputs ………………………………………………………………………………….37
Using the Program Editor……………………………………………………………………………………..40
Session 4: If…Then… Statements …………………………………………………………………………….41
Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………41
Assign a Variable Based on 1 Variable…………………………………………………………………..42
Assign a Variable Based on 2 or More Variables …………………………………………………….46
Session 5: Saved Programs ………………………………………………………………………………………51
Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………51
What are Saved Programs? …………………………………………………………………………………..52
Running a Saved Program…………………………………………………………………………………….53
Opening a Saved Program…………………………………………………………………………………….55
Altering a Saved Program …………………………………………………………………………………….57

Epi Info Training Guide
WHO STEPS Surveillance

1

Overview

Introduction

Training
materials

Session 1: Introduction to Epi Info

Epi Info™ is a public domain software package designed for the global
community of public health practitioners and researchers. It provides for easy
form and database construction, data entry, and analysis with epidemiologic
statistics, maps, and graphs.

This training guide focuses only on the analysis component of Epi Info

This training guide uses four sets of materials which can be downloaded from
the STEPS website (www.who.int/chp/steps ) or from the STEPS CD. The
four components of the training are:

• TEST.dbf
• STEPS_EpiInfo.mdb
• Epi Info Instrument
• STEPS Epi Info Training Guide

The materials need to be placed in your C drive under
C:STEPSEpiInfoTraining

Using the
training guide

This section of the training guide contains 5 different sessions. Each session
contains activities and exercises that are used in the subsequent sessions. If
you skip exercises in any of the sessions you may have problems using the
programs in later sessions.

Contents

This section contains the following topics:

Topic

Navigating Epi Info
Analysis Components
Opening a Dataset
Write Your Data Table Permanently to the Database
Creating a Backup of Your Database
Reading (Importing) a Table
Viewing Data in a List

See Page
3
5
6
7
9
10
11

Epi Info Training Guide
WHO STEPS Surveillance

2

Navigating Epi Info

Introduction

Projects and
programs

Downloading
Epi Info from
the STEPS CD

Epi Info has an easy to navigate platform that provides the user with all the
analysis options at a click of the mouse. This section will provide basic
background and layout information on Epi Info.

Epi Info contains projects and programs. A project is a Microsoft access
database. This training guide uses STEPS_EpiInfo.mdb.

A program (.pgm) is saved analysis syntax associated with a project

To install Epi Info insert the STEPS CD and follow the instructions provided.

If..

If the CD does not launch

Your computer does not have a CD
ROM drive

Then..

Open Windows Explorer and click
on the STEPS icon.
Download the software from the
STEPS website,
www.who.int/chp/steps.

Continued on next page

Epi Info Training Guide
WHO STEPS Surveillance

3

Navigating Epi Info, Continued

Opening Epi
Info

To Open Epi Info from double click on the icon on your
desktop.

Note: If you do not have an icon on your desktop you will need to click on
the start menu (bottom left of your screen), select programs, Epi Info.

Epi Info Training Guide
WHO STEPS Surveillance

4

Analysis Components

Analysis Screen

The Analysis screen has three components.

Analysis Output:
displays output

Analysis Tree
• functions
• commands
• graphs
• programs

Program Editor: space to
type commands and view
existing programs

Epi Info Training Guide
WHO STEPS Surveillance

5

Opening a Dataset

Introduction

Epi Info can open datasets in multiple formats including:
• excel (.xls)
• text files (.txt)
• dbase (.dbf)

This exercise uses a dbase format as an example because EpiData uses dbase.

Step
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Action

Open Epi Info.
Select Analyze Data.
Select Data / Read (Import) from the Analysis Tree
Change the project to STEPS_EpiInfo.mdb.
Select DBASEIII from Data Formats.
Select the … box from Data Source.
Choose Test.dbf.

Step 3

6

5

4

Check your
work

Look at the Analysis Output screen, the record count should be 1289.

If you do not have 1289 in your record count you did not successfully open
Test.dbf. You need to delete the data table Test from STEPS_EpiInfo and
redo steps 1-6.

Epi Info Training Guide
WHO STEPS Surveillance

6

Write Your Data Table Permanently to the Database

Introduction

The file you just opened Test.dbf is only temporary. In order to use it during
another session you need to write it permanently to a project (Access
database).

Step
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Action

Click Write (Export) from the Analysis Tree.
Select “All” from the Write options box.
Select “Replace” from the Output Mode section.
Output Format should be Epi 2000.
Select STEPS_EpiInfo under File Name.
Type “Test” under Data Table.
Click “Ok”.
Click “Exit” in the Analysis tree.

Step 1

Steps 2-6

Epi Info Training Guide
WHO STEPS Surveillance

7

Creating a Backup of Your Database

Introduction

It is important to create a backup of your database each time you use it. A
backup will add extra security to your files. If something happens to during
analysis (i.e. you overwrite a table by accident) you will be able to use your
backup.

Action

Open STEPS_EpiInfo.mdb.
From the File menu click on “Back up Database”.
Select a location on your machine to back up the database.
Click “Save”.

Step
1
2
3
4

Epi Info Training Guide
WHO STEPS Surveillance

8