Display of Japanese Language Features Within eCOA Measures: Challenges and Recommendations

Jonathan Norman, BA (Hons); Naoto Hasegawa, BA; Matthew Blackall, BA; Alisa Heinzman, MFA; Barbara Brandt, MA; Tim Poepsel, PhD; Rachna Kaul, MPA; Brittanie Newton, BA; Elizabeth McCullough, MA; Shawn McKown, MA

 

Kanji (Chinese characters adopted into the Japanese writing system) are central to two significant display challenges in Japanese electronic Clinical Outcome Assessments (eCOAs). The first is that these characters are often displayed in fonts that use Chinese strokes (e.g. MingLiu, SimSun). Although recognizable, these strokes are vastly different, and considered “incorrect” in Japanese. The second is that Furigana (phonetic aids to help understand Kanji) are often displayed as parentheticals rather than above the characters as ruby text (e.g. この２週間（しゅうかん）で vs. この２週間(しゅうかん)で). Although understandable, consideration should be given to ensuring the appropriate display of Japanese eCOAs, as improper display may impede comprehension and interfere in accurate data collection. This research reviews common problems in the display of Japanese and presents recommendations for their resolution.