Public Health Data Collection Methods

Since the inception of public health programs, vital statistics have been a critical factor in the effort to improve sanitation and to control disease. Today, mortality and morbidity data are used more generally to study trends and differentials in all kinds of causes of death and illness. The availability of mortality and morbidity statistics for small geographic units has contributed uniquely to the value of these data for epidemiologic investigations, surveillance, and informatics.

• List and explain at least three of the five major challenges posed by current methods of collecting morbidity data with respect to data accuracy and data reliability.
• Why it is important for those collecting morbidity data to be able to ensure confidentiality for respondents, and list the legislative and administrative requirements imposed on the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) with respect to data confidentiality.
• Morbidity and mortality statistical reporting come from, in part, coded medical data transmitted through electronic data interchange (EDI) from Health Information Management Systems (HIMS) to PHIS. These data have all been standardized under HIPAA. Explain what it means to use coded data in data collections from the HIMS and/or PHIS.

Write your response in a minimum of 300–400 words, providing relevant references. Apply APA standards to citation of sources