Data Management and Statistical Analysis Training

The VSHC staff had the privilege of working with Associate Professor Gillian Heller from the Macquarie University in New South Wales, Australia.
Professor Heller visited Viseisei for 10 days. Her time here was spent in carrying out a training workshop in data management and statistical analysis. She taught the team and analysed the research data on, knowledge and practice of, and, attitudes and barriers to, cervical cancer screening tests, contraceptive use (family planning) and safe sex among rural women in the province of Ba, Fiji.
Professor Heller conducted some lecture sessions during her time here to upskill the team on proper data collection and data management (data cleaning & coding) for analysis.  
In addition to this, Professor Heller carried out the data analysis with the participants so that everyone understood the process. Analyzing survey data was an important and exciting step in the survey process as most of the participants had been involved in the development and execution of the research. It is the time that important facts are revealed about trends that one may have not otherwise known existed, and provided facts that will be very useful both in terms of future educational activities and public health measures. By doing in-depth data analysis the team was able to identify relationships between various factors and variables that could help contribute towards better planning and advise policy-making.

Professor Heller familiarized the team with a statistical package SPSS. The team was able to observe her carry out the analysis as well as raise questions to identify the variables that had a significant/non–significant impact on the outcomes.
Moreover, the team was able to learn more about the Epi Info software and they carried out similar analyses themselves under her supervision. Furthermore, each individual was familiarized with using Excel spread sheets to a more advanced level.
On her last day Professor Heller awarded everybody who had attended the 10 day training with a certificate of participation. This indeed has been a great capacity building exercise for the team.

 The VSHC staff working with Professor Heller

Professor Heller awarding Jokapeci with the Certificate

Professor Heller with VSHC Team