Observational studies and routine data

Question 1

Routine data

Answer 1

routinely collected & recorded in an ongoing systematic way
No specific research question in mind at time of collection

Question 2

Examples of sources of routine data

Answer 2

2001 Census
Health Survey for England
NHS Inpatient Survey on patient experience

Question 3

Examples of routine data

Answer 3

Deaths
Hospital admissions
Screening
Immunisation uptakes
Census uptakes

Question 4

What can routine data show?

Answer 4

Health outcomes
Exposures
Disease prevention measures
Demographics
Geographical measures

Question 5

Advantages of using routine data

Answer 5

Cheap
Already collected 
Standardised collection method
Relatively comprehensive
Wide range of recorded items

Question 6

Disadvantages of using routine data

Answer 6

May not answer question
Incomplete ascertainment
Variable quality
Validity variable
Disease labelling may vary
Need careful interpretation

Question 7

Standardised mortality ratio

Answer 7

way of factoring in the confounding of age in mortality statistics

Question 8

SMR equation

Answer 8

No. observed deaths/ No. expected deaths from standard population

Question 9

Age Standardised Death Rates

Answer 9

Measuring how many people die each year and why =important means of assessing effectiveness of a country’s health system