What type of data quality issue is present when patient gender is inconsistently recorded?

When patient gender is inconsistently recorded, it directly relates to data accuracy. Data accuracy refers to how correctly and reliably the data reflects the real-world condition it is meant to represent. In the context of patient gender, if one record states a patient is male and another claims they are female, this discrepancy indicates that the data does not accurately portray the patient’s actual gender.

Maintaining accurate data is fundamental in healthcare as it can influence treatment decisions, demographic analyses, and overall patient care. If healthcare providers cannot trust the accuracy of gender data, it may lead to inappropriate assessments or actions related to patient care.

The other concepts such as data precision, granularity, and validity address different attributes of data quality. Precision refers to the level of detail within the data, granularity pertains to the granularity of the data points captured, and validity relates to whether the data fits the intended purpose. However, none of these concepts directly address the issue of inconsistency in how patient gender is recorded, making accuracy the most relevant answer in this scenario.