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A Brief Introduction to Epidemiology - V (Principles of Organizing & Presenting Epidemiologic Data)

A Brief Introduction to Epidemiology - V (Principles of Organizing & Presenting Epidemiologic Data). Betty C. Jung, RN, MPH, CHES . Learning Objectives. To understand the proper methods for organizing and presenting epidemiologic data

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A Brief Introduction to Epidemiology - V (Principles of Organizing & Presenting Epidemiologic Data)

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  1. A Brief Introduction to Epidemiology - V (Principles of Organizing & Presenting Epidemiologic Data) Betty C. Jung, RN, MPH, CHES

  2. Learning Objectives • To understand the proper methods for organizing and presenting epidemiologic data • To understand when tables, charts, graphs and maps are appropriate • To understand the pitfalls of improper data presentation

  3. Performance Objectives • Basic understanding of the importance in presenting findings that are understandable • Basic understanding of what the right methods are for presenting data

  4. Introduction The primary purpose of organizing and presenting data is to communicate information about the data. Organizing data is essential to the verification and analysis of data .

  5. Introduction • Data are bits of observations that need to be organized to provide information. • Data can be organized with: • Tables • Charts • Graphs/Plots • Maps

  6. Tables • Any quantitative information can be organized into tables • A table is a set of data arranged in rows and columns • All percents should equal 100% • Should be self-explanatory

  7. Table Shell:General 2x2 Format

  8. Table Shell:Multi-variable Table

  9. Charts • Charts are methods used for illustrating statistical information using only one coordinate. • Charts are most appropriate for comparing data with discrete categories.

  10. Chart Types • Bar • Group Bar • Stack • Deviation • 100% Component Bar • Pie

  11. Chart Type:Bar Chart • Used to show the frequency distribution of a variable with discrete, noncontinuous categories (i.e., sex, rate) • Can be either horizontal or vertical

  12. Chart Type:100% Component Bar Chart • Used for comparing the contribution of different components to each of the categories of the main variable

  13. Chart Type:Pie Chart • Useful for showing the component parts of a single group or variable

  14. Graphs • Graphs show quantitative data visually, using a system of coordinates • Plots is another way to visually display data • They serve as statistical snapshots that help us see patterns, trends, aberrations, similarities and differences in the data

  15. Graph Types • Arithmetic-scale Line Graphs • Semilogarithmic-scale Line Graphs • Histograms • Frequency Polygons • Cumulative Frequency • Survival Curves • Scatter Diagrams (Scattergrams)

  16. Graph Type:Arithmetic-scale Line Graphs • Good for actual changes on the y-axis • Shows patterns or trends over some variable (i.e., time)

  17. Graph Type:Semilogarithmic-scale Line Graph • Good for rates of change on the y-axis • Equal distances on the y-axis represent an equal percentage of change

  18. Graph Type:Histogram • Graph of the frequency distribution of a continuous variable • Epidemic Curve - a histogram of disease cases during an outbreak or epidemic

  19. Graph Type:Frequency Polygons • Graph of a frequency distribution (~ histogram) • Good for showing and comparing 2 or more distributions on the same set of axes

  20. Graph Type:Cumulative Frequency • Plots cumulative rather than actual frequency for each class interval of a variable • Good for identifying medians, quartiles, and other percentiles

  21. Graph Type:Survival Curves • Used with follow-up studies to display the proportion of one or more groups still alive at different time periods

  22. Graph Type:Scatter Diagrams (Scattergrams) • Used for plotting the relationship between 2 continuous variables

  23. Plots:Dot Plots • Plots one variable against another • A visual comparison of the actual data points of two noncontinuous variables

  24. Plots:Box Plots • Compare the distribution of noncontinuous variables • “Box and Whiskers” diagrams

  25. Maps (Geographic Coordinate Charts) • Spot Maps • Area Maps • Geographic Information Systems

  26. Maps :Spot Maps • Useful for show the geographic distribution of an event • Does not take into consideration the size of the population at risk

  27. Maps: Area Maps • Can be used to show numbers or rates • Showing rates can illustrate differences in the risk of an event occurring in different areas

  28. Maps:Geographic Information Systems • GIS - “a computer system capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying geographically referenced information.” (US Geological Survey) • GIS - “combines layers of information about a place to give you a better understanding of that place.” (GIS.com)

  29. Maps:Geographic Information Systems • Improve organizational integration • Make better decisions • Make maps (GIS.Com)

  30. References For Internet Resources on the topics covered in this lecture, check out my Web site. Get there from the shortcut.

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