https://doi.org/10.17037/DATA.261
Dataset containing details of the intended number of Artemether-lumefantrine (AL) treatments given to 482 Tanzanian patients. Variables include the number of doses appropriate to each person, start time when the blister pack was first opened, and the relative time that doses 1-23 were subsequently allocated, relative to the start time. Data were captured using smart blister packs of artemether-lumefantrine (AL). These blister packs looked identical to locally available AL (Coartem) but contained a microchip that recorded a time stamp when each tablet of AL was removed from the blister pack.
Each row pertains to a patient, with the first entry simply telling us which doses group the patient falls in. The number here (1, 2, 3 or 4) tells us the number of pills per dose the patient should take.
The next 24 numbers in each row were generated from the timestamp entries in the original IMPACT2 dataset.
These are in units of hours, relative to the time that the first blister was broken. For example, an entry of 8.5 indicates a blister was broken 8 and a half hours after the first blister. We need 24 entries for adult patients, who should take six doses of four pills. For any empty entries (for adults who didn’t take all 24 pills, or younger patients who were prescribed fewer pills), A “-1” has been used for the timing. So, the dataset is a rectangular ‘matrix’, with 659 rows and 25 columns.
Consecutive pills with identical timings means that pills were taken simultaneously.
There may be some tiny differences in the raw data. Here the data were rounded to two decimal places.
Everyone takes six doses over three days for this treatment. But the number of pills per dose depends on the patient’s weight (sometimes assessed as age).An adult takes 4 pills per dose (24 pills in total), whilst a small child would take only 1 pill per dose. So, the first column tells us the recommended dosage for each patient. This explains why some blisters were opened simultaneously.
-1 indicates that no drug was used.
| Variable name | Variable description | Answer code | Answer label | Variable type |
| intended_number_doses | Number of doses appropriate for the individual | Integer 1 - 4 | Numeric | |
| rel_start_time | This represents the first time the blister pack was opened, and is used as starting time and hence set relatively to 0 Integer 0 | 0 | Numeric | |
| time_1 | The time second dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=0 | Numeric | |
| time_2 | The time third dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_3 | The time fourth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_4 | The time fifth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_5 | The time sixth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_6 | The time seventh dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_7 | The time eighth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_8 | The time ninth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_9 | The time tenth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_10 | The time eleventh dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_11 | The time twelfth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_12 | The time thirteenth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_13 | The time fourteenth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_14 | The time fifteenth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_15 | The time sixteenth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_16 | The time seventeenth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_17 | The time eighteenth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_18 | The time nineteenth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_19 | The time twentieth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_20 | The time twenty-first dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_21 | The time twenty-second dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_22 | The time twenty-third dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric | |
| time_23 | The time twenty-fourth dose was opened, relative to first in hours. | Number >=-1 | Numeric |