What are not official statistics?

Summary

Fiona, a consultant for the Ministry of Health, seeks official statistics for her research on air pollution's impact on health, focusing on lung cancer and vulnerable groups. She learns that official statistics must come from designated producers like the National Bureau of Statistics, not from administrative data, NGOs, private clinics, or academia, which lack the required methodologies and standards. Fiona connects with the ministry's authorized unit and the National Bureau for the needed data.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Fiona is tasked with researching the impact of air pollution on public health, focusing on lung cancer and vulnerable groups.
• 📊 Official statistics are needed for her research, and she must understand what qualifies as such.
• ❌ Administrative data from the Ministry of Health, despite being reliable, is not considered official statistics as it's not collected for statistical purposes.
• ⛔ Data from the internet is not official unless it originates from a certified producer of official statistics.
• ❎ Data from NGOs, though potentially useful, is not official statistics as it may not adhere to international standards for impartiality and credibility.
• ❌ Private clinics' data cannot be considered official statistics as they are not processed by a statistical agency.
• ❗ Scholarly articles, even when published, do not constitute official statistics as they may not follow the specific methodologies required.
• 🏢 Fiona can obtain official statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, a designated producer mentioned in legislation.
• 📈 There is a unit within the Ministry of Health that is authorized to produce official health-related statistics in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics.
• 🌐 Official statistics can include a variety of data types like figures, images, and graphs, produced by a National Statistical Office or other national producers.
• 📋 Any data not originally produced for statistical purposes by a designated producer cannot be considered official, even if from secondary sources like NGOs or academia.

Q & A

What is Fiona's professional role?

Fiona is an individual consultant hired by the Ministry of Health to examine the effects of ambient air pollution on public health.

What specific areas is Fiona focusing on in her research?

Fiona is focusing on lung cancer and vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly.

What is the global statistic regarding lung cancer and ambient air pollution mentioned in the script?

According to the WHO, 29 percent of all worldwide deaths and diseases from lung cancer are attributed to ambient air pollution.

What does Fiona's supervisor ask her to do in her research?

Fiona's supervisor asks her to do due diligence and use official statistics in her modeling work and research.

What type of data does Fiona initially consider using from the Ministry of Health?

Fiona considers using administrative data from the Ministry of Health database where hospital data from regional authorities are centralized.

Why is the administrative data from the Ministry of Health not considered official statistics?

Administrative data is not considered official statistics because they are not primarily collected for statistical purposes and may not have the same quality and methods applied as those used for official statistics.

Can Fiona use data from any internet source for her research?

No, statistics retrieved from the internet are not official statistics unless they originate from a qualified producer of official statistics in the country.

What about data from a non-governmental organization (NGO), can it be considered official statistics?

No, data from NGOs cannot be considered official statistics unless it has been processed by a designated statistical agency or another designated official producer.

Could data from private clinics be used as official statistics?

No, data from private sector sources, even if they have proper statistics on patients, cannot be considered official statistics unless further processed by a statistical agency or other designated official producer.

Is data from scientific articles considered official statistics?

No, even though data from scientific articles might be reliable and have undergone verification, it is not considered official statistics unless it is produced by a designated producer of official statistics.

Where can Fiona find official statistics for her research?

Fiona can find official statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, a designated producer of official statistics, or from a specific unit within the Ministry of Health that is an authorized producer of official statistics.

What are the key criteria for data to be considered official statistics?

Data must be produced originally and specifically for statistical purposes by a designated producer of official statistics specified in legislation to be considered official statistics.