Issues associated with secondary analysis of population health data.

Analysis of population health data is crucial for the success of population health. Secondary analysis of data contained in publicly available clinical, administrative, and national health survey databases is a cost-effective and scientific method for generating data to support population health. There are several issues associated with secondary analysis of population health data that must be addressed if analyses are to be expedient, economical, and reliable. This article outlines the value of using secondary analysis to generate population health data, discusses issues associated with secondary analysis of population health data, and offers suggestions for addressing these issues.