Sources of data and approaches to data collection vary by topic. These include investigation objectives and scope, whether requisite data exist and can be accessed, to what extent data from different sources can be practically combined, methods for and feasibility of primary data collection, and resources (e.g., staff, funding) available. Multiple factors must be considered when identifying relevant data sources for conducting a field investigation.
Epidemiologists need to determine quickly whether existing data can be analyzed to inform the investigation or whether additional data need to be collected and how to do so most efficiently and expeditiously.Įpidemiologists working in applied public health have myriad potential data sources available to them. In today’s information age, the challenge is not the lack of data but rather how to identify the most relevant data for meaningful results and how to combine data from various sources that might not be standardized or interoperable to enable analysis. Many of the steps to conducting a field investigation rely on identifying relevant existing data or collecting new data that address the key investigation objectives. Nowhere are data more important than during a field epidemiologic investigation to identify the cause of an urgent public health problem that requires immediate intervention. Issues and Challenges with Data CollectionĮpidemiologic data are paramount to targeting and implementing evidence-based control measures to protect the public’s health and safety.Review Legal Authority, Rules, and Policies Governing Data Collection.Calculate the Sample Size and Select the Sample.Develop the Questionnaire or Survey Instrument.