Health Research Methadology

7/29/2019 Health Research Methadology

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Dr. Farhan Hassan Dar

Health Research Methodology


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Learning Objectives

At the end of this interactive lecture, learners

should be able to;Demonstrate the significance of health research

Get acquaintance with the basics of research

methodology

Apply the attained knowledge to developresearch projects in their respective batches and

in future as well


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What is Research?

A process of systematic, scientific data;

Collection Analysis &

Interpretation

So as to find Solutions to a problem.


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Etymology

French word

"recherche "to go about seeking

earliest recorded use of the term in 1577

(Merriam-Webster Online

Dictionary)


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Why Is Research Important?

Research is important because:

Each study answers scientific questions.

Each study helps scientists prevent, screen for,

diagnose, manage, and treat a disease. People who take part in clinical trials contribute to

the knowledge of how a disease progresses.

Clinical trials test how well new approaches and

interventions work in patients/people.


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Types of Research

Basic Research

Applied Research


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Most Important Component of aResearch Project

A Research Topic!


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Criteria for Selecting a ResearchTopic

Relevance

Interest Innovation

Feasibility

Acceptability

Cost-effectiveness

Ethical consideration


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Literature Search:

Allows one to search in a purposeful and

systematic manner, through a range of literature

or information relevant to ones particular field,

and to hone in on material relevant to ones

interest and objectives.


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Why Literature Search IsDone?

To keep up with the latest developments in your

field.

To learn more about some topic.

To document important facts and ideas you wish

to research in light of previous work done on it.

To understand your data in the context of what is

already known.To provide your readers with sources they can

consult on their own.


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Searching Sources

Journal articles

Research organizations

Conference proceedings

Database search

PMRC directory

Corresponding author


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Where can we find these differentsources?

Different sources of information can be consulted

and reviewed at various levels of the

administrative system within your country and

internationally.


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ADMINISTRATIVE LEVELS EXAMPLES OF RESOURCES


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Database Search


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Research Objectives

The OBJECTIVES of a research projectsummarize, what is to be achieved by the study.

SMART Objectives


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Why Should Research ObjectivesBe Developed?

The formulation of objectives will help you to:

Focus the study (narrowing it down toessentials);

Avoid the collection of data which are not strictlynecessary for understanding and solving the

problem you have identified; and

Organize the study in clearly defined parts orphases.


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How to State Objectives

Using proper action verbs like;

To determine,

To compare,

To identify,

To calculate etc.

Avoid the use of vague non-action verbs such as:

to know, to appreciate, to understand, or to

study.


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Examples

To determine the frequency of anemia in pregnant

women visiting Teaching hospitals of Rawalpindi

district.

To determine association between maternal

smoking and Low Birth Weight.

To compare demographic variables and clinical

spectrum of patients admitted with suspecteddengue fever at allied hospitals of RMC.


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Operational Definition

Is the definition of the exposure and outcome

variables of interest in context to objective in a

particular study and their means of

measurement/determination.

e.g., Hypertension

AnaemiaHyperglycaemia

Dengue fever

S d D i


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Study Designs


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Sampling

A sample is a sub set of the population, with allits inherent qualities. Inferences about the

population can be made from the measurements

taken from a sample, if the sample is truly

representative of the population. Since a sampleis expected to represent the whole population, the

sampling procedure has to follow three

fundamentals:

1. Should be representative.

2. Large enough.

3. The selected elements should have been

properly approached, included andinterviewed.


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Sampling Techniques

Sampling Techniques

Non probabilityProbability

Accidental Judgmental Quota Snowball

Systematic Stratified ClusterSimple

Random


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Sample Size

1. Type of study.

2. Prevalence/Magnitude of the outcome of interest

derived from previous studies.

3. Type of statistical analysis required (comparing

means or proportions).

4. Level of significance / Power.


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DATA COLLECTION

Various data collection techniques can be usedsuch as:

Using available information

Observing

Interviewing (face-to-face)

Administering written questionnaires

Focus group discussions

Projective techniques, mapping, scaling

D C ll i T h i &


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Data Collection Techniques &Tools


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Designing Questionnaire

It should be ensured that the format of thequestionnaire be attractive and easy for therespondents to fill, overcrowding or cluttershould be avoided and all questions and

pages clearly numbered The questionnaire should not be too long

To maintain flow of the instrument, questionsconcerning major areas should be groupedtogether

Simple questions about age, birth date etcshould be put at the beginning to warm up therespondent


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Cont.

Questions should be close ended, possibleanswers to close ended questions should be linedvertically, preceded by boxes, brackets ornumbers

Example

How many cigarettes do you smoke daily (checkone)

[ ] None

[ ] 1-2

[ ] 3-4

[ ] 5-6

[ ] 7 or more


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Cont.

If more details are required pertaining to aquestion , then filter/skip technique should beused to save time and allow respondents toavoid irrelevant questions.

Example:Have you ever been told that you have

hypertension?

[ ] Yes

[ ] No If yes proceed to next question

How long back were you told that you havehypertension?


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Cont.

Wordings of questions should be simple andfree from ambiguity, non judgmental and besoliciting only one response.

Sensitive topic questions should be left forthe end.

Always try to ensure that if questions are tobe asked in any language besides English,they shall be so written too.


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Data Analysis

Microsoft Excel

Analysis Softwares

(SPSS-Statistical Package for Social Sciences)


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Writing References

Vancouver Style

All authors should be listed, if there are six or

less.

Halpern SD, Ubel PA, Caplan AL. Solid organ

transplantation in HIV-infected patients. N Engl J

Med. 2002 Jul 25;347(4):284-7.

If More than six authors, List the first six authors

followed by et al.


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Research Ethics

Five Principles for Research Ethics Intellectual Property

Multiple Roles

Follow Informed Consent Rules

Respect Confidentiality & Privacy

Ethics Resources

(American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical

principles of psychologists and code of conduct.

American Psychologist, 57(12).)


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Medical Writing Crimes

Falsification

Fabrication

Plagiarism


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Take Home Message

"Research is to see what everybodyelse has seen, and to think whatnobody else has thought"

Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

Hungarian Biochemist

Nobel Prize for Medicine


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Health Research Methadology

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