EXAM 1: Tools For Needs Assessment Flashcards
How will the data be collected?
Existing Data (secondary)
New data (primary)
- surveys/questionnaires
- interviews
- focus groups
- observation
- nutrition assessment
Methods
- sample vs. whole population
What are ways to verify the trustworthiness of data
Considering where the data is published
Check who funded the collection and analysis of the data
Are authors identified
How recently has it been updated
What are the advantages of secondary data
Data are inexpensive or free
Faster than collecting original data
Excellent data quality (usually)
What are the disadvantages of secondary data collection
May not relate to local community
May not have data for specific subgroups
May be statistically difficult to analyze
What is an advantage of primary data collection
Allows you to better meet the goals and objectives of your needs assessment
What is a disadvantage of primary data collection
Data collection can be expensive and time-consuming
What is validity
Accuracy
What is reliability
Repeatability
What are the different types of surveys
In-person, mail, phone or online
What are the advantages of a survey
Whole population could be surveyed
Could be quick to administer
Provides opportunity for many people to be involved
Good for collecting socio-economic and demographic data
What are the disadvantages of a survey
Could be hard to develop accurate and valid questions
Response rate is often low, biased
Literacy issue
Do interviews directly or indirectly learn about a target group
Indirectly, key leaders, decision makes and professionals in the community are interviewed
What are advantages of personal interviews
Allows continuous clarification of ideas and information
Inexpensive
Combines well with other techniques
What are the disadvantages of interviews
Time consuming
May require travel
Information could be biased
What are focus groups
People that relate to the topic
Series of open-ended questions carefully arranged in a natural and logical sequence
Generally 8-12 people
Allows for groups interaction
Gain insight into why certain opinions are held
No pressure to reach consensus
Qualitative data
What are the guidelines for developing focus groups
Questions:
Open ended
Avoid yes or no questions
Logical sequence
Moderator:
Role is to guide discussion
Shouldn’t be too different than group members
Communication skills
Avoids giving personal opinions
What are the advantages of focus groups
Socially oreinted - allows for interactions
Format allows for moderator to probe and clarify ideas
Can be low in cost
Can be speedy
What are the disadvantages of a focus group
Less control than in an individual interview
Can be difficult to analyze
Requires a skilled moderator
Different groups can vary considerably
Difficult to assemble
What is a direct observation data collection method
Staff would directly observe aspects of the community and record them
What is sensitivity
Portion of individuals in the sample with the disease or condition who have been positively identified by a screening test
“True positive rate”
A sensitive test rarely misses people with disease or condition
What is specificity
Proportion of individuals in the sample without the disease who have been accurately identified by the screening test as NOT having the disease
“True Negative Rate”
May need to confirm diagnosis if test is not specific
