A5- Managing information and data

Question 1

What is the general data protection act 1998?

Answer 1

It outlines how personal data should be used and stored. This gives everyone the right to know what information the government and other organisations store about them. This included the right to know how your data is being used, being able to access your data and giving people consent to use your data.

Question 2

What is data?

Answer 2

Data is a collection of values like characters, words and numbers. Additionally, information is data that has been processed in a way that can be understood and shared.

Question 3

What are some methods of collecting data?

Answer 3

• Focus groups
• Surveys
• Trials
• Double blind experiment
• Studies

Question 4

What is methodology?

Answer 4

The procedures or techniques used to identify, select, process and analyse information about a topic.

Question 5

What is a focus group?

Answer 5

When a researcher brings a group of people together to discuss a topic. It has up to 12 participants who are willing. In order to go through with a focus group the researcher will need ethical approval.

The researcher will look for theme within their answers to collect a wide range of opinions. This can help them determine why people act a certain way. They must also manage dialogue, ensure everyone contributes and that there is no discrimination. The focus group is typical recorded with the consent of the participants.

Question 6

What is a survey?

Answer 6

A way of gathering factual information, views and opinions. They use open and closed questions.

They are efficient by can be misinterpreted and possibly unreliable.

These can be done face to face in the form of an interview so you can hear their tone and see their body language.

Question 7

What is a trial?

Answer 7

Random people are selected to trial a drug, to test its effectiveness.

Question 8

What is bias?

Answer 8

When a researchers opinions, assumptions and beliefs impact the research.

Question 9

What is a placebo?

Answer 9

A fake drug, typically given in a clinical trial.

Question 10

What is a double blind experiment?

Answer 10

In order to test the effectiveness of a drug while avoiding bias, a double blind experiment is used. This is when a randomised selection of people are chosen by a computer to eitehr be in the control group or the experimental group, this meaning one group will be given the real drug and the other the placebo.

Question 11

What is randomised selection?

Answer 11

Where a computer picks who gets the real drug and who gets the placebo to eliminate bias.

Question 12

What is a cohort study?

Answer 12

A researcher will observe a group of patients over a period of time (1-10 years making it a longitudinal study), to measure and compare the effects of something. This could be the effects of a drug or CBT or ect. This can be prospective or retrospective.

Question 13

What is a prospective study?

Answer 13

A researcher will identify the correlations between conditions and possible causes. This is done over a long period of time as it can take a while to obtain these results.

Prospective study’s look ahead to examine causal relationships.

Question 14

What is a retrospective study?

Answer 14

A researcher will use existing data to determine something. This may be looking at medical history’s of people to determine causations.

Question 15

What is a primary research?

Answer 15

Gathering data yourself.

Question 16

What is secondary research?

Answer 16

Gather information from other resources.

Question 17

Who publish offices statistics?

Answer 17

The public health organisation and world health organisation collect and publish statistics on disease, public health, health protection and health improvement.

Question 18

What is quantitative data?

Answer 18

This includes numerical data like length, height, age, time or mass. It can be either:

• discrete: this is something you can count, like number of patients, number of GP visits and flu cases. This is usually whole numbers.

• continuous: this is something that can be measured like height, weight or blood glucose concentration. This can be any value, including those that aren’t whole numbers.

Question 19

What is qualitative data?

Answer 19

This is text based and descriptive data. An example is a patients medical history.

Question 20

What is a dependant variable?

Answer 20

A variable that’s value depends on another variable. This is counted or measured.

Question 21

What is an independent variable?

Answer 21

A variable whose value does not depend on another variable. This is usually changed.

Question 22

What is a table?

Answer 22

When data is presented through columns and rows, labeled with titles and units.

Question 23

What are the rules to follow when making a table?

Answer 23

• The IV goes in the first column and the DV should be in columbus to the right.
• Processed data like means, rates and calculations go in columns to the far right.
• Only include calculated values.
• Head each column.

Question 24

What is a scatter graph and when are they used?

Answer 24

(The one where the x’s are all over the place).

When investigating the relationship between two variables, that can be measured in pairs. Like the age & height of children.

The graph can establish whether there is a relationship between the variables. This could be:

• Positive correlation: as the IV increases the DV increases.
• Negative correlation: as the IV increases the DV decreases.
• No correlation.

Question 25

What is a line graph and when are they used?

Answer 25

(The one where you draw the dots and connect them individually with straight lines. You can draw a line of best fit if you think the values will fall on a curve or line).

They are used to show continuous data. The IV should be on the x-axis (horizontal) and the DV goes on the y-axis (vertical).

Question 26

What is a bar chart and when is it used?

Answer 26

(Lines or blocks of equal width, that don’t touch).

They’re used to show categorical data. If you have an IV that is non-numerical, then you should use a bar chart

Question 27

What is a histogram and when is it used?

Answer 27

(Like a bar chart with numerical data).

These can be used for discrete data or continuous data like heights and weights. The IV is usually on the x-axis and grouped into classes.

Question 28

What is a pie chart and when is it used?

Answer 28

These are used to show portions or percentages. The angle of each sector should be calculated by dividing the % by 100 and then multiplying it by 360°.

Question 29

What is machine learning?

Answer 29

This is a branch on AI that uses to computers to imitate the ways in which humans learn. The algorithm can be trained to interpret a sample set of data and then automatically improve the algorithm.

This programmes helps to interpret medical images.

Question 30

What are the positive uses of social media in health and science sectors?

Answer 30

• awareness campaigns and disseminating information.
• correcting misinformation.
• crisis communication and monitoring during an epidemic or pandemic.
• monitoring public health.
• data gathering.
• recruitment.
• marketing.

Question 31

What are the restrictions on social media use in health and science sectors?

Answer 31

• don’t post sensitive or personal information about yourself or others.
• maintain professional boundaries.
• don’t share inaccurate or no evidence based information (this is a criminal offense under the care act 2014).
• damaged reputation.
• infringing on the rights of others.
• unauthorised sharing of information.

Question 32

What are the advantages of using IT systems to record, retrieve and store information and data?

Answer 32

• ease of access, sharing and transferring data.
• speeds up data analytics.
• greater data security.
• continuous data monitoring.
• cost and space saving.
• supports in safeguarding.

Question 33

What are the risks of using IT systems to record, retrieve and store information and data?

Answer 33

Data corruption, making it unusable.

Question 34

How do security measures protect protect data stored by organisations?

Answer 34

• control access to information like logins and passwords. this could be read only access also to protect the data against change or deletion.
• regular and up to date staff training in data security.
• making regular back up files.
• use up to date cyber security strategies to protect against unauthorised access.
• ensure data is stored in the cloud or multiple servers to make sure data is never fully lost.

Question 35

What should you do if information is not stored securely?

Answer 35

When things go wrong it’s often due to human error or carelessness. Action should be taken if information is not stored securely.
• securely the information where possible (this may include storing data in a file or logging someone out of a computer).
• record and report the incident to the designated person.