Data Collection and Analysis

ORAU Provides Data Collection Options for Analyzing Your Public Health Challenges

The task of educating the public on health threats is not an easy one. Public health officials must raise awareness, but also lessen fears, empathize with sometimes misguided opinion, and advocate a rapid response in the face of great uncertainty about the threat itself.

Questionnaires, interviews and focus groups conducted by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) reveal, for example, that an uniformed public and its noncompliance with federal health directives could undermine even the best emergency plans.

To combat these issues, we can help collect and analyze data on public beliefs and perceptions before, after and during your health communication program implementation by using one of the following methods:

• Primary and secondary literature reviews
• Environmental scans
• Focus groups
• Key informant interview
• Surveys and questionnaires
• Media analysis
• Content analysis
• Case studies
• Participant observation
• Message and concept testing
• Usability testing

Collecting and analyzing this information is critical to developing an effective health communication plan that successfully reaches a variety of audiences.