Stella Johnson

Ms. Dixon

Independent Research 2 GT

April 22, 2018

Analysis of Data Collection

For this researcher’s data collection, four different real-life applications of data analysis,

expanding across different career fields, were studied. These fields are healthcare and science,

public safety, online and physical security, as well as the study of natural disasters.

Data analysis was performed even in the Nineteenth century. A surgeon, Dr. John Snow,

became very focused on the cause of cholera after outbreaks were occurring in London in the

1800s. He did not accept the believed theory that the disease was airborne, and “bad air” was

how it was transmitted. During an outbreak in a localized area, Snow gathered data regarding

when and where cases appeared, and he tracked and plotted them. After gathering this data, he

analyzed it and was able to identify where he believed the source of the outbreak was. He

identified a water pump in a neighborhood, and once he removed it the number of cases in the

area greatly diminished. This illustrates an early example of the process of data analysis and how

it proved helpful (History 1).

The second example involves data analysis that was performed under the realm of health

care by a doctor and Harvard medical professor named John D. Halamka. Halamka’s wife was

diagnosed with Stage 3A breast cancer, and he wanted to ensure the treatment prescribed to her

was the best plan possible. He took into account the genomics of her tumor, the progress, as well

as her own age and ethnicity. Halamka decided to look into data regarding Asian females with a
similar tumor, tracking their different methods of treatment and which methods produced the

best outcomes. He collected data from several Harvard-affiliated hospitals and it was analyzed,

in order to determine the best course of treatment. His wife underwent the chosen treatment and

was cured. This illustrates an example of how data analysis can be used in the health care to field

to help find the best treatment for patients experiencing a serious illness (Krigsman 1).

The third example comes from first responder organizations during natural disaster. The

International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a first responder group that assists in natural

disasters that displace people from their homes and hometowns. The IOM helps to provide a

place to live, as well as food, water, and medical relief. In 2015, the IOM assisted people living

in Nepal who were displaced due to earthquakes. They worked with a separate organization

called SAS Visual Analytics in order to track which areas needed relief the most. Analytics that

were studied revealed where high-risk shelters and areas were by tracking overcrowding,

presence of safe drinking water, number of families living in makeshift homes, vulnerable

populations, and diseases. By studying this gathered data, the IOM were able to target areas of

higher priority and provide vital relief. This continual influx of data ensured that those who

needed any form of relief would receive it (Goodnight 1).

The final example regards the hotly debated topic and issue of gun violence in the United

States. The city of Chicago experiences one of the most severe problems involving the illegal

sale, trade, and possession of firearms. More illegal guns are recovered from Chicago than other

major U.S. cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, combined. The government in Chicago

decided to utilize data collection and analysis in order to target the sources of this major issue.

Government officials teamed with the University of Chicago’s crime lab in order to determine

the different sources of illegal firearms collected in the city. By tracking this data, they were able
to determine where the highest concentration of illegal firearms was originating from and take

steps in order to combat the problem (Alcorn 1).

Works Cited

Alcorn, Ted. “One Great Way to Reduce Gun Violence? A Whole Lot of Data.” Wired, Conde

Nast, 3 June 2017, www.wired.com.

Goodnight, Jim, and SAS Voices. “Disaster Relief Efforts Show Promise of Analytics and

Seemingly Unrelated Data Sources.” SAS Voices, 8 July 2015, blogs.sas.com.

“History - Historic Figures: John Snow (1813 - 1858).” BBC, BBC,

www.bbc.co.uk.

Krigsman, Michael. “Harvard Medical Professor: Big Data and Analytics Help Cure Cancer.”

ZDNet, ZDNet, 4 Dec. 2015, www.zdnet.com.