NURS 8310 STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF SECONDARY DATA SOURCES

Week 2: Strengths and Limitations of Secondary Data Sources

Data plays a significant role in research to study phenomena of importance to populations and organizations. As such, there is always a great need for data. However, the lack of sufficient funding to support the collection of primary data means that secondary data and data sources are of great importance as they can also be used to drive research in the needed direction, for instance, studying particular population health problem to gain deeper insights into it (Pederson et al.,2020). As such, healthcare professionals and stakeholders can then come up with appropriate strategies to prevent and manage the condition and ensure better outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this assignment is to explore secondary data sources and datasets with information regarding a chosen population health problem.

The Selected Population Health Problem

            The selected population health problem is obesity in children. This condition has shown to be a multifaceted and complex health problem. The condition is associated with body fat accumulation, leading to being overweight and eventually obesity. Recent research shows that obesity, especially among children, has substantially increased in the last few decades globally, causing a major health concern (Poorolajal et al.,2020). Indeed, various factors have led to such a trend, including cultural aspects, socioeconomic status, physical activity levels, diet, environmental factors, and genetic predisposition. One of the main aspects of the condition is that children who use beverages and low-nutrient and high-calorie foods usually are at a higher risk of obesity (Liberali et al.,2020). It is important to note that obesity has several negative impacts, which are also far more than the physical health effects. Indeed, it also impacts a person’s social and psychological well-being.

            Childhood obesity is also known to expose individuals to the risk of developing other comorbidities such as respiratory issues, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes, among other conditions. In addition, such children are also more likely to suffer from other negative aspects, such as low self-esteem, discrimination, and bullying, which can negatively affect their life quality. These negative impacts only add to the need to use appropriate strategies to prevent and manage the condition. Early intervention is particularly key in the management as appropriate steps should be taken to ensure that the health risks do not progress into adulthood (Horesh et al.,2021). Therefore, research plays a significant role, where various variables are studied and explored to find out how they are associated with obesity among children.

The Selected Data Set, Associated Variables and Validity

            Several data sets exist where valuable data on childhood obesity can be obtained to enhance research in this area further. One of the data sets for childhood obesity is the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES). This is a dataset that allows individuals to mainly access the nutritional and health status of children and adults (“CDC,” n.d). NHANES has various variables that can be used to study obesity in children. The variables include health behaviors, socioeconomic status, physical activities, dietary intake, age, weight, and Body Mass Index. All these variables have various relationships with obesity. Hence, they can be used to describe the nature of obesity in this selected population.

 NHANES is valid since the methods used in obtaining data are comprehensive and robust. For example, it uses a multistage sampling design, which ensures the representation of the non-institutionalized civilian. It also has a large sample size and uses standardized procedures and protocols. This data set has also been used for prior studies and publications. For example, a recent study by Uche et al. (2020) focused on childhood obesity in the US as impacted by environmental factors, where researchers obtained up to 200 environmental factors.

The next data set is the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which contains data collected through telephone surveys. The data include chronic health conditions and health-related risk behaviors.  The dataset is created through a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and every state. It also has various variables used in the study of childhood obesity. The variables include socioeconomic factors, access to healthcare, physical activity level, dietary habits, demographic variables, BMI, and self-reported weight and height.

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System is also valid due to various reasons. For example, a large sample size is involved since thousands of individuals complete the survey each year to obtain the data. It also uses standardized questionnaires which have been formulated in conjunction with the state health departments and CDC. This data set also undergoes regular peer review by experts drawn from epidemiology and public health, which helps in the assessment of the reliability and validity of the findings and the methods used. The BRFSS data set has also been used for prior studies and publications. For example, a study carried out by Wang et al. (2021). The study used BRFSS data sets to study the prevalence of obesity in the US.

The next data set that can be used in the study of childhood obesity is the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). This data set has information on the emotional and physical health of children aged between zero to seventeen. The data is usually collected using paper-based and self-administered web questionnaires. The variables from this data set that can be used to study childhood obesity include the neighborhood environment, socioeconomic factors, access to healthcare, individual dietary behaviors, physical activity levels, height, and weight. These variables are related to childhood obesity. Hence, they can be used to enhance the study regarding childhood obesity.

The National Survey of Children’s Health is also valid for various reasons. For example, this dataset uses a comprehensive data collection strategy to collect a wide range of data, which enhances its validity. Standardized questionnaires are also used. These questionnaires are developed by the CDC in collaboration with various experts and federal agencies. This dataset also usually undergoes regular peer review by experts in various fields such as epidemiology and child health. These aspects make the data set valid and reliable. As in the previous data sets, this data set has also been used for prior studies and publications. For instance, in a recent study, Yusuf et al. (2020) explored the social determinants associated with obesity and overweight among children in the United States of America. This uses the National Survey of Children’s Health of 2016-17 data set.

Challenges in Identifying A Proper Data Set or Securing Permission to Use It

            It is evident that data sets are important since they contain valuable data that can be used in research. However, there are various challenges that can be faced in identifying a proper data set or securing permission to use it. One of the challenges is that not every data set is publicly available, so an individual may have to enter into special agreements or seek permission to use them. Accessing some of the data sets has cost implications since, in some cases, license fees, purchasing fees, or subscription fees may be required.

Conclusion

Secondary data plays a crucial role in research since it can be obtained using a relatively lower budget as compared to the collection of primary data. Therefore, it is important for individuals to know where they can obtain the needed and relevant data. This assignment has focused on datasets for childhood obesity.

References

CDC. (n.d). About the national health and nutrition examination survey. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/about_nhanes.htm

Horesh, A., Tsur, A. M., Bardugo, A., & Twig, G. (2021). Adolescent and childhood obesity and excess morbidity and mortality in young adulthood—a systematic review. Current Obesity Reports, 10(3), 301–310. Doi: 10.1007/s13679-021-00439-9

Liberali, R., Kupek, E., & Assis, M. A. A. D. (2020). Dietary patterns and childhood obesity risk: a systematic review. Childhood Obesity, 16(2), 70-85. https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2019.0059

Pederson, L. L., Vingilis, E., Wickens, C. M., Koval, J., & Mann, R. E. (2020). Use of secondary data analyses in research: Pros and cons. J. Addict. Med. Ther. Sci, 6, 58-60. https://doi.org/10.17352/2455-3484.000039

Poorolajal, J., Sahraei, F., Mohamdadi, Y., Doosti-Irani, A., & Moradi, L. (2020). Behavioral factors influencing childhood obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice, 14(2), 109-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orcp.2020.03.002

Uche, U. I., Suzuki, S., Fulda, K. G., & Zhou, Z. (2020). Environment-wide association study on childhood obesity in the US. Environmental Research, 191, 110109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110109

Wang, Y., Beydoun, M. A., Min, J., Xue, H., Kaminsky, L. A., & Cheskin, L. J. (2020). Has the prevalence of overweight, obesity and central obesity levelled off in the United States? Trends, patterns, disparities, and future projections for the obesity epidemic. International Journal of Epidemiology, 49(3), 810-823. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyz273

Yusuf, Z. I., Dongarwar, D., Yusuf, R. A., Bell, M., Harris, T., & Salihu, H. M. (2020). Social determinants of overweight and obesity among children in the United States. International Journal of Maternal and Child Health and AIDS, 9(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.21106%2Fijma.337