As mentioned in Task 1, data collection is an iterative process, starting at scoping, and should be gradually completed and detailed as needed to allow for full assessment of impacts and risks, as well as future monitoring. Under this task, sites should focus on collecting data based on the gaps and issues identified in Task 1.
The main objective of data collection in this task is focused on gathering evidence to inform the impact and risk assessment, and not on monitoring recommended management or mitigation measures, as these are not clearly defined at this stage. It has been noted, however, that data collected can be used to support monitoring and evaluation efforts (Task 7), but as this may not be all-inclusive, or consistently the case, it is recommended that good baseline data is collected that informs both impacts and proposed interventions.
Data for CHS assessment purposes requires analysing the 12 approach as defined in Table 4C.1 and Tool 4C.2. Potential sources of data and some guiding principles are described in Tool 4C 7 and 4C Guidance Note 2, with potential key primary and secondary data sources summarised in Table 4C.2.
Table 4C.2 Various primary and secondary baseline data sources
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Baseline health data collection and sources
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Primary data
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Secondary data
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Type of data
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Source of data
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Type of data
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Source of data
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Qualitative
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Key informant interviews with broad range of stakeholders, including health authorities, local authorities, health development partners and community representatives.
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Health data
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Literature review of health data in public domain, including:
- Standard open-source literature (such as reports, etc.)
- Published peer-review studies.
- Health statistics, records or databases from national, regional, district and local sources.
- Health studies performed by agencies and NGOs.
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Group meetings with local authorities, health workers, community health workers, communities, etc.
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Focus group discussions with key sections of the community, including vulnerable groups.
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Social data
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- Social baseline and impact assessment reports, as well as community development reports.
- Other data such as traffic and crime reports.
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Health facility assessments (e.g. following the Service Availability and Readiness Assessment or similar)
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Environmental data
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- Specialist bio-physical reports on aspects such as water and air quality.
- Environmental monitoring data on aspects such as water and air quality.
- Maps and spatial areas of influence.
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Direct visualisation of communities, prevailing environmental health and social challenges.
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Similar projects
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Evaluating similar projects in similar settings and understanding their potential and actual impacts and what mitigation measures were applied.
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Quantitative
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Epidemiological cross-sectional baseline health surveys focused on specific objectives, potentially modelled on national level demographic/ health surveys or similar cluster indicator studies.
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Stakeholder engagement and reports
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Analysis of minutes or reports from stakeholder meetings.
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Data sources from social and environmental baselines and impact assessments.
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Community grievance or concerns register.
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Routine health information systems.
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Workplace data
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Data available from human resources (e.g. social profile of employees and their families) and workplace health programmes (e.g. occupational health, HIV, [TB, Covid-19], etc.).
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Primary data collection is often sensitive in terms of ethical concerns. The site must consider the applicable regulations in its jurisdiction, as well as protocols on how data should be obtained, preserved, shared and reported (including informed consent, as applicable) before engaging in collecting information (see Box 4C.8). Data protection (Box 4C.5), as discussed earlier, must also be addressed. Vulnerable groups and gender must also be considered in data collection, as discussed in Box 4C.9.
Depending on the scope of the data collection, large amounts of data may be collected. Sites are expected to plan how data will be documented, recorded and accessed. For example, using a database allows for effective organisation of data, facilitation of statistical analysis and, if possible, should allow for links to Geographic information system (GIS)-enabled data. The database should be structured to store health determinants and health-outcome data, ideally in a form that can be analysed and used to inform monitoring and evaluation activities using key indicators.