Data Mining Strategies for Shaping Nursing and Health Policy Agendas

Abstract

Data mining of electronic databases is becoming more popular as a method for researchers to study issues in the health policy arena. The advantages of using electronic databases, such as the decreased investments in time and costs associated with subject recruitment and data collection, contribute to its appeal. Despite these features, the use of electronic databases to address health policy issues in nursing has been limited. This article discusses potential uses of secondary analysis for nursing research and outlines the steps involved in the process of data mining. Examples of health services research using samples generated from electronic databases support the discussion. The growing popularity of secondary analyses has given rise to concerns regarding the protection of patient rights and confidentiality. The authors discuss steps taken by federal agencies and institutional review boards to ensure that data are protected while preserving the research potential of this method of analysis.