Which is an example of a quantitative data collection method in community assessment?

BTSC Staff Nurse 31 July-2025

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: BTSC Staff Nurse 31 July-2025

Explanation

Quantitative data is defined as information that can be counted, measured, and expressed using numbers.
Surveys with closed-ended questions (e.g., multiple-choice, yes/no, rating scales) produce data that is easily converted into numerical form.
This numerical data can then be statistically analyzed to identify frequencies, patterns, and correlations within a community, which is a hallmark of quantitative research.

Option B: Participant observation involves the researcher immersing themselves in a community to observe and document behaviors, interactions, and events. The data collected is descriptive and narrative, making it a qualitative method.
Option C: Key informant interviews are in-depth conversations with knowledgeable community members. They yield rich, detailed opinions and insights, which are qualitative in nature.
Option D: Open-ended interviews encourage participants to provide detailed responses in their own words. The data is narrative and non-numerical, which is characteristic of qualitative research.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Quantitative vs. Qualitative Data Collection Methods in Community Assessment to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
In community health nursing, both quantitative and qualitative data are essential for a comprehensive assessment. Nurses use quantitative data to measure the extent of a health problem (e.g., the prevalence of diabetes) and qualitative data to understand the context and causes (e.g., community beliefs about diet and exercise).
A mixed-methods approach, combining both types of data, often provides the most complete picture for planning effective community health interventions.
What if? If a nurse finds from a survey (quantitative) that only 30% of eligible seniors in a community received the flu vaccine, they might then conduct open-ended interviews (qualitative) to understand the reasons for the low uptake, such as misinformation, access barriers, or mistrust.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'quantitative data'.
Define 'quantitative' in your mind: It relates to quantity, meaning it must be numerical, measurable, and countable.
Next, evaluate each option to see if it produces numerical data.
Option A, 'Surveys with closed-ended questions,' generates answers like 'yes' (can be counted as 1) or 'no' (can be counted as 0), or ratings on a scale of 1-5. This is clearly numerical.
Options B, C, and D (observation and interviews) produce descriptive text, stories, and opinions, not numbers. Therefore, they are qualitative.
Conclude that surveys with closed-ended questions are the correct example of a quantitative method.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Data Collection Methods in Community Assessment
Stem keywords: quantitative data, collection method, community assessment
Lead-in keywords: Which is an example
Clinical cues: The care setting changes urgency, monitoring level, and the expected nursing action.

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E6 NursingResearch Polit 11e Part 1 p. 248-250

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health Nursing for BSc Nursing Students Part 2 — Subpart B (pp 276-535 of 550) p. 19-21