Competency 1.3: Collect Quantitative and/or Qualitative Date Related to Health

1.3.2 Integrate primary data with secondary data

Sub-Competency: Data credibility can be improved by utilizing multiple methods for gathering data. It is also helpful to integrate primary and secondary data in order to obtain different, yet thorough perspectives on health needs, and to compare and contrast data from the target population with data from similar populations. This combination of data can help establish the rationale for the need of a program.

1.3.6 Use data collection instruments and methods

Sub-Competency: Each instrument and method has its own advantages and disadvantages. Health education specialists should use these instruments carefully to ensure the objective target will be reached.

1.3.5 Train personnel and stakeholders regarding data collection

Sub-Competency: Health education specialists train personnel and stakeholders regarding appropriate data collection methods, in order to ensure the quality of data. Standardizing the procedure of data collection with frequent monitoring of the process will help ensure collection of data is accurate, complete and conforms to program requirements.

1.3.1 Collect primary and/or secondary data

Sub-Competency: Primary and secondary data can be collected through a variety of sources and methods. Secondary data often involves gathering epidemiological data, such as incidence and/or prevalence rates, death rates, birth rates, and more.

1.3.3 Identify data collection instruments and methods

Sub-Competency: Survey methods include mail, telephone, face-to-face, and Internet surveys.

1.3.7 Employ ethical standards when collecting data

Sub-Competency: The application of ethical principles to the data collection needs to be carefully considered.; The following discussion focuses on the ethics of data collection: 1) informed consent; 2) IRB; 3) HIPAA

1.3.4 Develop data collection instruments and methods

Sub-Competency: The following steps are necessary in developing and implementing a fair and balanced survey. 1) Planning a survey; 2) Designing the survey; 3) Collecting the data; 4) Planning data analysis; 5) Drawing the sample; 6) Constructing the questionnaire; 7) Pretesting the questionnaire; 8) Revising the questionnaire; 9) Administering the survey; 10) Preparing the data; 11) Verifying; 12) Entering data; 13) Tabulating; 14) Analyzing; 15) Recording and reporting

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

The purpose of this act is to protect personal health information. In order for health data to be used, individual permission must be granted, with some exceptions.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

These are composed of researchers and community members or stakeholders who review proposed research for compliance with federal regulations governing research involving human subjects.

Secondary Data Sources

These examples represent which type of data sources: Federal government agencies (MMWR, Census), State and local agencies (Vital records, BRFSS, YRBSS), Nongovernmental agencies and organizations (Health care system records, Disease-specific organizations), Existing records (health data that are collected as a by-product of services), literature (peer-reviewed journals and published scientific studies and reports).

Focus Group

This data collection method capitalizes on communication among participants who are selected based on specific criteria; Individuals are invited to participate, and this method is typically led by a skilled facilitator. In many instances, the facilitator encourages the participants to talk to one another, ask questions, give examples, and provide comments regarding a topic; These are designed so that participants share opinions and explain the reasons underlying those opinions; Analysis of results can be challenging. It may be difficult to infer consensus, and the results may not be generalizable.

Community Forum

This data collection method is a 'public meeting'. These bring together people in a particular population to discuss their perceptions of the community's health problems. It is important to remember the silent majority may not speak out, while more vocal individuals' views may wrongly be seen as the group's views.

Delphi Panel

This data collection method is a group process that generates consensus by using a series of mailed or e-mailed questionnaires. The process involves individuals from three groups: decision makers, staff, and program participants. A questionnaire containing one or two broad questions is sent to the entire group. Their answers are then analyzed. Based on the analysis of the responses, a second questionnaire with more specific questions is developed. This questionnaire is sent to the same group of respondents, their responses are analyzed, and another questionnaire is developed. On average, questionnaires are analyzed and sent out three to five times.

Nominal Group Process

This data collection method is a highly structured process in which a few representatives from the priority population are asked to respond to questions based on specific needs; It uses small groups of five to seven people, with each member of the group having an equal voice in the discussion and voting.; All participants share their opinions by privately ranking the ideas proposed and then sharing this ranking with the group in round-robin fashion. This is a time-consuming process and may require a large meeting space, depending upon the number of people participating.

Observation

This data collection method is used to gather data through direct surveillance of the population. Data collection accomplished through watching and recording specific behaviors of the population being studied. At times, the observer becomes a part of the day-to-day activities.

Self-Assessment Instruments

This data collection tool can require people to answer questions about their health history, behavior, and screening results, such as blood pressure, cholesterol, height, and weight. These data are then compared against a database of individuals with similar characteristics, which provides a risk assessment for a number of diseases, as well as life expectancy. Other techniques are performed by individuals to detect disease or disease risk. Examples include: breast-self examination, testicular self-examination, and self-monitoring for skin cancer.

Community Asset Mapping

This data collection tool is created by community members as they visually document local resources, abilities, and other building blocks for community growth and change.; This is a visual representation of the physical assets of a community- library, playgrounds, schools, parks, and houses of worship-that may constitute important physical and social support structures for achieving community goals.

Interview

This data collection tool is similar to a survey in that it can be conducted in a variety of ways. It can be completed by telephone, face-to-face, electronically, or in groups. All methods require trained personnel to ensure consistency and accuracy and to collect data collection in an unbiased manner.

Survey

This data collection tool is used to determine knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, skills, and health status of a priority population. This tool should use well-constructed questionnaires that have ben tested for validity and reliability, have a high response rate, and be administered to a valid sample.

Community Capacity Inventory

This data collection tool typically involves developing a written list of the skills and talents of individual community members and of the associations and other resources in the neighborhood as a while. Simple survey, walking and windshield tours, interviews, community newspaper or directories, and other assessment methods can be used to gather information.

Key Informant Interview

This is a type of interview which is conducted with individuals who have knowledge of and the ability to report on the needs of a corporation, hospital, or organization.

Informed consent

This is the agreement to voluntarily and willingly participate in a study based on a full disclosure of what constitutes participation in the study and what the risks and benefits involved in participation are.

Advantages of TELEPHONE Survey Method

Which survey method offers these advantages? 1) Cost savings compared with face-to-face survey; 2) Faster than mail survey or personal interview; 3) Accessibility to a wide geographic region; 4) Increased monitoring and quality control

Advantages of WEB/INTERNET Survey Method

Which survey method offers these advantages? 1) Quick response; 2) Low cost to administer; 3) Data gathering process is automatic; 4) Can be administered to a large number of participants; 5) Forced-choice format

Advantages of FACE-TO-FACE Survey Method

Which survey method offers these advantages? 1) Personalization of the survey to one participant; 2) Flexibility for further probing; 3) Higher response rates; 4) Control over question order; 5) Spontaneity and no possibility of help from others; 6) Ability to use more complex questionnaires

Advantage of MAIL Survey Method

Which survey method offers these advantages? 1) eliminates interviewer bias; 2) Greater assurance of anonymity; 3) Allows respondents to complete his/her convenience; 4) Accessibility to a wider geographic region; 5) Increases accuracy because respondent can consult records; 6) Identical wording for all respondents; 7) Promotes inter-rater reliability

Disadvantages of FACE-TO-FACE Survey Method

Which survey method possesses these disadvantages? 1) Expensive; 2) Time-consuming; 3) Increases in interviewer bias; 4) Lack of anonymity; 5) Lack of standardization of questions; 6) Difficulty in summarizing the findings

Disadvantages of TELEPHONE Survey Method

Which survey method possesses these disadvantages? 1) Respondents may see the call as a hoax or disruption; 2) Loss of visual component of reading the survey; 3) Interviewer has little control; respondent can hang up at any time; 4) Low response rates due to unlisted numbers, caller ID, reduced use of land lines, and "do not call" lists.

Disadvantages of MAIL Survey Method

Which survey method possesses these disadvantages? 1) Lack of flexibility; 2) Likelihood of unanswered questions; 3) Low response rate; 4) Inability to record spontaneous reactions or nonverbal responses; 5) Lack of control over the order in which questions are answered; 6) No guarantee of return by due date; 7) Inability to use complex questionnaire format; 8) Strong possibility of duplicate mailing; 9) Fear of loss of anonymity

Disadvantages of WEB/INTERNET Survey Method

Which survey method possesses these disadvantages? 1) Limited ability to monitor returned surveys; 2) Can limit time frame within which respondent can access survey; 3) Hardware and software can be costly; 4) May not be anonymous