HPA 311 FINAL EXAM STUDY GUIDE
How Big Data is Collected
Single Case, Statistics, Surveys, Self-Reporting, Sentinel Monitoring, Syndromic
Surveillance
Biostatistics
The application of statistical principles to medical, public health and biological
applications. It includes the collecting, summarizing, interpreting data and making
inferences that appropriately account for uncertainty.
Single Case
This source of data is a detailed report of an individual patient or organization
Single Case (Uses)
alert to new disease or potential spread beyond initial area.
Single Case (Advantages/Disadvantages)
Useful for dramatic, unusual, and new conditions; Requires alert clinicians and rapid
ability to disseminate information.
Statistics
This source of data is often state- or federal-based surveillance data. Involves data that
is legally responsible for tracking vital events
Statistics (Uses)
- Required by law—sometimes penalties imposed for noncompliance.
- Births and deaths key to defining leading causes of disease.
- Reportable disease may be helpful in identifying changes over time.
Statistics (Advantages/Disadvantages)
- Vital statistics are very complete because of social and financial consequences.
- Reportable disease often relies on institutional reporting rather than individual
clinicians.
- Frequent delays in reporting data.
Surveys
This source of data is the systematic collection of data from a specific population
sample
Surveys (Uses)
, Drawing conclusions about overall population and subgroups from representative
samples
Surveys (Advantages/Disadvantages)
- Well-conducted surveys allow inference to be drawn about larger populations.
- Frequent delays in reporting data.
Self Reporting
This source of data is self-reported by individuals who experience symptoms after
receiving a drug or vaccine.
Self Reporting (Uses)
May help identify unrecognized or unusual events.
Self Reporting (Advantages/Disadvantages)
- Useful when unusual events closely follow initial use of drug or vaccine.
- Tends to be incomplete; difficult to evaluate meaning because of selective process of
reporting.
Syndromic Surveillance
This source of data includes data monitoring symptoms (as opposed to monitoring a
diagnosed virus, like influenza) and patterns to alert to extraordinary outcome patterns
Syndromic Surveillance (Uses)
May be able to detect unexpected and subtle changes, such as bioterrorism or new
epidemic producing common symptoms.
Syndromic Surveillance (Advantages/Disadvantages)
- May be used for early warning even when no disease is diagnosed.
- Does not provide a diagnosis and may have false positives.
Evidence Based Care Model
Research Based Evidence, Clinical Expertise, Patient's Values and Preferences
Research Based Evidence
Research-backed facts that support care decisions.
Clinical Expertise
Expert skill or knowledge about clinical care
Patient's Values and Preferences
Caring for what is important to patients
How Big Data is Collected
Single Case, Statistics, Surveys, Self-Reporting, Sentinel Monitoring, Syndromic
Surveillance
Biostatistics
The application of statistical principles to medical, public health and biological
applications. It includes the collecting, summarizing, interpreting data and making
inferences that appropriately account for uncertainty.
Single Case
This source of data is a detailed report of an individual patient or organization
Single Case (Uses)
alert to new disease or potential spread beyond initial area.
Single Case (Advantages/Disadvantages)
Useful for dramatic, unusual, and new conditions; Requires alert clinicians and rapid
ability to disseminate information.
Statistics
This source of data is often state- or federal-based surveillance data. Involves data that
is legally responsible for tracking vital events
Statistics (Uses)
- Required by law—sometimes penalties imposed for noncompliance.
- Births and deaths key to defining leading causes of disease.
- Reportable disease may be helpful in identifying changes over time.
Statistics (Advantages/Disadvantages)
- Vital statistics are very complete because of social and financial consequences.
- Reportable disease often relies on institutional reporting rather than individual
clinicians.
- Frequent delays in reporting data.
Surveys
This source of data is the systematic collection of data from a specific population
sample
Surveys (Uses)
, Drawing conclusions about overall population and subgroups from representative
samples
Surveys (Advantages/Disadvantages)
- Well-conducted surveys allow inference to be drawn about larger populations.
- Frequent delays in reporting data.
Self Reporting
This source of data is self-reported by individuals who experience symptoms after
receiving a drug or vaccine.
Self Reporting (Uses)
May help identify unrecognized or unusual events.
Self Reporting (Advantages/Disadvantages)
- Useful when unusual events closely follow initial use of drug or vaccine.
- Tends to be incomplete; difficult to evaluate meaning because of selective process of
reporting.
Syndromic Surveillance
This source of data includes data monitoring symptoms (as opposed to monitoring a
diagnosed virus, like influenza) and patterns to alert to extraordinary outcome patterns
Syndromic Surveillance (Uses)
May be able to detect unexpected and subtle changes, such as bioterrorism or new
epidemic producing common symptoms.
Syndromic Surveillance (Advantages/Disadvantages)
- May be used for early warning even when no disease is diagnosed.
- Does not provide a diagnosis and may have false positives.
Evidence Based Care Model
Research Based Evidence, Clinical Expertise, Patient's Values and Preferences
Research Based Evidence
Research-backed facts that support care decisions.
Clinical Expertise
Expert skill or knowledge about clinical care
Patient's Values and Preferences
Caring for what is important to patients
