Learning Objectives

The list below outlines the objectives for each course in the tutorial.  After completing the modules, users should be able to do the following:

Environmental Chemical Data Survey Orientation

Module 1: Environmental Chemical Data Overview

Task 1: Describe the History of Environmental Chemical Data Collection in NHANES

Task 2: Describe NHANES Environmental Chemical Data Collection Methods

Task 3: Describe Public Health Uses of the Environmental Chemical Data

Module 2: Navigate NHANES Website

Task 1: Navigate the NHANES Homepage

Task 2: Find Datasets on the NHANES Website

Task 3: Find Survey Background Information

Task 4: Find the Analytic and Reporting Guidelines

Task 5: Use the What's New Page

Task 6: Review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Page

Task 7: Find Important NHANES Citations

Task 8: Identfiy How to Get Help

Module 3: Environmental Chemical Data Structure and Content

Task 1: Describe How Environmental Chemical Data Fit into the NHANES Data Structure

Task 2: Describe Environmental Chemical Data Files

Task 3: Describe Non-probability Based Environmental Chemical Data Files

Task 4: Describe Environmental Chemical Data Subsample Files

Task 5: Describe Limit of Detection Issues and Variables

Task 6: Describe Multi-Year Data Issues

Module 4: Overview of NHANES Survey Design and Weighting

Task 1: Explain NHANES Survey Design

Task 2: Explain NHANES Sample Weights

Task 3: Explain NHANES Environmental Subsample Weights

Preparing an Environmental Analytic Dataset

Module 5: Locate Variables

Task 1: Decide Which Environmental Chemical Variables to Include in Your Dataset

Task 2: Identify Environmental Chemical Variables to Include in Your Dataset

Task 3: Identify Correct Sample Weights and Their File Locations

Task 4: Identify Environmental Chemical Laboratory Methods and Corresponding Coefficients of Variation (CV) and Their File Locations

Module 6: Download Data

Task 1: Create a Directory

Task 2: Download Data Files, Laboratory Manuals, and Documentation

Task 3: Extract or Import Datasets

Module 7: Merge & Append Datasets

Task 1: Merging Data in NHANES

Task 2: Appending Data in NHANES

Module 8: Review Data & Create New Variables

Task 1: Identify and Recode Missing Data

Task 2: Check Distributions and Describe the Impact of Influential Outliers

Task 3: Check for Data Symmetry

Task 4: Create New Variables

Module 9: Format & Label Variables

Task 1: Define and Assign Formats and Labels

Module 10: Save a Dataset

Task 1: Create a Permanent Dataset in a SAS Library

Task 2: Save NHANES Data to a microsoft Excel Spreadsheet with SAS

Critical Issues for the Analysis of Environmental Chemical Data

Module 11: Important Analytic Considerations and Limitations

Task 1: Explain Concentrations of Chemicals in Bloood and Urine Compared to Concentration of Chemicals in the Environment

Task 2: Limit of Detection (LOD) Considerations

Task 3: Subsamples and Weights Associated with Environmental Chemical Data

Task 4: Other Data Considerations and Limitations Related to Environmental Chemical Data

Module 12: Data Normality and Transformations

Task 1: Check for Data Normality

Task 2: Transformation of Variables to Approximate a Normal Distribution

Module 13: Using Blood Lipid or Urine Creatinine Adjustments of Environmental Chemical Data

Task 1: Using Blood Lipid or Urine Creatinine Adjustments

Environmental Chemical Data Analyses

Module 14: Estimating Variance, Analyzing Subgroups and Calculating Degrees of Freedom for Performing Statistical Tests and Calculating Confidence Intervals

Task 1: Explain Variance Estimation Within NHANES

Task 2: Describe Methods for Variance Estimation Used in NHANES

Task 3: Calculate Degrees of Freedom for Performing Statistical Tests and Calculating Confidence Limits

Module 15: Estimate Means/Geometric Means and Percentiles of Environmental Chemical Data

Task 1: Check Frequency Distribution and Normality

Task 2: Generate Percentiles

Task 3: Generate Geometric Means

Task 4: Generate Proportions

Module 16: Testing Hypotheses

Task 1: Use the t-test Statistic

Task 2: Generate Confidence Intervals

Task 3: Perform Chi-Square Test