2: Methods and evidence Flashcards

1
Q

What are the two main groups of social science methods?

A

Quantitative

Qualitative

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2
Q

Describe quantitative research

A

Collection of numerical data which begins as a hypothesis. Conclusions are drawn by deduction, about relationships between variables, sometimes causal.

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3
Q

What is quantitative research good at?

A
Reliable and repeatable. 
Good at
- Describing
- Measuring
- Finding relationships
- Allowing comparisons
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4
Q

What are some problems with quantitative research?

A
  • May force people into inappropriate categories
  • Don’t allow people to express things in the way they want
  • May not access all important information
  • May not be effective in establishing causality
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5
Q

List some features of quantitative research

A
  • Numbers
  • PoV of researcher
  • Researcher distant
  • Theory testing
  • Static and structured
  • Generalisation - factors out of context
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6
Q

Describe some quantitative research designs

A
  • Experimental study designs: RCT, cohort, case control, cross sectional
  • Secondary analysis from other sources such as official stats and national surverys
  • Commonly uses QUESTIONNAIRES
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7
Q

Describe important features of quantitative questionnaires

A
  • Valid - measure what they are supposed to
  • Reliable - consistent measurement reflecting differences between participants
  • Published - tested for validity and reliability. However this must be established in unpublished.
  • Mainly closed Qs, may have some free test boxes but need to plan how to analyse
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8
Q

Describe qualitative research

A

Aims to make sense of phenomena in terms of the meaning people bring to them - listens to people’s perspectives.

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9
Q

Describe features of qualitative research

A

Words and artefacts, PoV of participants, researcher close, theory emergent, less structured, contextual understanding

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10
Q

What is qualitative research good at?

A

Understanding perspectives, accessing info not revealed quantitatively, explaining relationships between variables

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11
Q

What are some problems with qualitative research?

A

Small sample sizes and different approaches mean it is not good at finding consistent relationships, and generalisability to whole populations is poor

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12
Q

Describe some qualitative research designs

A

Ethnography: studying human behaviour in its natural context
Observation: removes biased, can be by participants or non-participants
Interviews: semi-structures, facilitative perspective giving
Focus groups: not useful for individual experience, may encourage participation, some topics too sensitive, deviant views inhibited
Document and media analysis: good for historical context

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13
Q

Describe qualitative analysis and appraisal

A

ANALYSIS: ongoing iterative process, inspect data, identify themes, produce specification for themes and assign data to themes.
APPRAISAL: tools for assessing quality - CASP. Transparency around sampling, methods and analysis - audit trail if good.

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14
Q

What is evidence based practice?

A

The integration of individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence form systematic research

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15
Q

What are advantages of EBM and systematic research use?

A
  • Reviews and meta analyses communicate pre-existing evidence
  • Address clinical uncertainty, highlight gaps or poor quality research
  • Authoritative, generalisable, up to date conclusions
  • Save clinicians having to locate and appraise themselves
  • Reduce delay between discovery and implementation into practice
  • Prevent biased decision making
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16
Q

Where can evidence for EBM be found?

A
  • Peer reviewed medical journals
  • EBM specific journals
  • Cochrane collaboration
  • NHS centre for reviews and dissemination
  • NHS health technology assessment program
17
Q

What are some practical criticisms of EBM?

A
  • Impossible to maintain and create systematic reviews across all specialities
  • Challenging and expensive to distribute and implement findings
  • RCTs gold standard buyt hard to blind, and ethical issues
  • Choice of outcomes very biomedical
  • Good faith from pharm companies
  • Organisational systems can not support innovation
18
Q

What are some philosophical criticisms of EBM?

A
  • Does not align with most doctors modes of reasoning - probabilistic vs deterministic causality
  • Population level outcomes applied to individual
  • Can be seen to legitimise rationing
  • Unreflective rule followers
  • Professional responsibility and autonomy
19
Q

What are difficulties getting evidence into practice?

A
  • Resources not available to implement change
  • Evidence exists but doctors don’t know about it - no incentive to keep up to date
  • Doctors know about evidence but don’t use it
  • Organisational systems can’t support innovation
  • Commissioning decisions reflect different priorities