In public health the terms accuracy, precision, validity and reliability mean the following:
Accuracy: The degree to which a measurement represents the true value of something. Simply put: How close a measurement is to the true value
Precision: The degree of resemblance among study results, were the study to be repeated under similar circumstances. Simply put: How close the measurements are to each other
Lack of precision is referred to as ‘random error‘.
Validity: The extent to which the study measures what it is intended to measure. Simply put: Are the values describing what was supposed to be measured?
Internal validity: Are the results valid for the study subjects?
External validity (Generalizability): Are the results valid for the population from which the sample was drawn?
Lack of validity is referred to as ‘Bias‘ or ‘systematic error‘.
Reliability: A measure of how dependably an observation is exactly the same when repeated. It refers to the measuring procedure rather than to the attribute being measured. Simply put: Will one get the same values if the measurements are repeated?
Note: Many authors use the terms in the following sense:
Accuracy (validity): Validity and accuracy are used synonymously
Precision (reliability): Precision and reliability are used synonymously
1. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=Hb9xV2KA0m4C&pg=PA69&lpg=PA69&dq=accuracy+precision+and+reliability+public+health&source=bl&ots=8P4xaXUnsy&sig=u9-OCSQBYKML9CbKkaAxKfMmkaA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=11mJVc3SJo7JuASCrYO4Cw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=accuracy%20precision%20and%20reliability%20public%20health&f=false
2. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=sXz_3_YgMFQC&pg=PA5&lpg=PA5&dq=accuracy+precision+and+reliability+public+health&source=bl&ots=5V2AljJZoh&sig=cEu5tOawpXPy5nXwlDQ_irtubyE&hl=en&sa=X&ei=11mJVc3SJo7JuASCrYO4Cw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=accuracy%20precision%20and%20reliability%20public%20health&f=false
3. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=rr7UHzVid-0C&pg=PT26&lpg=PT26&dq=accuracy+precision+and+reliability+public+health&source=bl&ots=UfuliQJRwt&sig=M1H7IkPAsi77qbeT-JvQi-TOM_8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=pVeJVZy7NIGXuATyo7TADQ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=accuracy%20precision%20and%20reliability%20public%20health&f=false
4. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=3Zp5AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA81&lpg=PA81&dq=accuracy+precision+and+reliability+public+health&source=bl&ots=j5tAzqmfp6&sig=ItlgXxMWlNZrRkbWVtk0nN7nTzM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=11mJVc3SJo7JuASCrYO4Cw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=accuracy%20precision%20and%20reliability%20public%20health&f=false
5. https://books.google.co.in/books?id=Cpk65cya9HcC&pg=PA314&lpg=PA314&dq=accuracy+precision+and+reliability+public+health&source=bl&ots=kme4XuUu9i&sig=TmmKqgvMRHjhCfB4b5teHLjCKxY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=11mJVc3SJo7JuASCrYO4Cw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=accuracy%20precision%20and%20reliability%20public%20health&f=false
However, this article should help clarify the matter:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16549250
Useful Link:
Link to YouTube video explaining the concepts:
nice one fam
LikeLike
The terms can’t be used interchangeably btw. When writing a scientific report, you should have a brief paragraph on each of them.
LikeLike