Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

CNM Nut 1 S1 > 2. RESEARCH METHODS > Flashcards

2. RESEARCH METHODS Flashcards

1
Q

Research

What is the definition of research?

A

The systematic study of a subject in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Research

What are some synonyms for research?

A
  • Investigation,
  • experimentation,
  • testing,
  • exploration,
  • analysis,
  • fact-finding,
  • examination.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is isolated research?

A

Research that looks only at an isolated part of the whole picture and thereby draws false conclusions from it.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is science?

A

the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How does the medical approach to disease view symptoms?

A

The symptom is seen as the disease and cause at the same time.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Why might a patient be pronounced ‘healthy’ even if they feel sick?

A

If no measurable or observed symptoms are found, the patient is pronounced ‘healthy’, even though they feel sick.

When symptoms have become chronic over decades, and measurable tissue changes have taken place, a patient can be declared as “sick”, often too late to be successfully treated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the issue with treating symptoms without addressing the cause?

A

The disease continues, and the patient may get worse over time and deal with adverse effects resulting from the “orthodox” treatment given.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is an example of suppression in medical treatment?

A

Using anti-inflammatories for fever, painkillers for pain, and anti-histamines for allergies.

Suppression drives the disease deeper into the body.

It makes a symptom disappear without treating the true cause

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Why is getting rid of amyloid-ß not a successful treatment for Alzheimer

A

Aß or Amyloid-beta is part of a protective response, and removing it can be damaging

Natural medicine looks at WHY ß-Amyloid has formed.

Amyloid is a potent pathogen fighter and part of a protective response of the brain to invading pathogens and suboptimal levels of nutrients

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is a common shortcoming of medical research?

A
  • Not searching for the true causes of disease
  • **Isolates specific aspects **of the problem without reference to the whole picture
  • set out to prove what the industry wants to sell
  • Naive approach (remove the symptom)

Isoltated situations: in vitro, research on tissues, controlled clinical trials)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Why are animal studies in medical research problematic?

A
  • Laboratory animals are under stress, leading to distorted results, and the studies can be inhumane and brutal.
  • Animal physiology is different from human.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What are the two competing paradigms in disease theory?

A

Germ Theory (disease comes from outside the body - Louis Pasteur) and Terrain Theory (disease occurs from within the body - Antoine Béchamp).

Pleomorphism: inert bacteria transform itself - response to the terrain

Bacteria/viruses are the after-effects not the cause of the disease. Diseases are the result of an acidic, low oxygenated terrain, where the diseased tissue suppourts the growthof micro-organisms which can develop in different forms (pleomorphism)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is an RCT in medical research?

A

Randomised Controlled Trial:
- a ‘gold standard’ clinical trial often involving a drug tested against a placebo,
- is conducted on humans, with identical pathology and no other complicating factors
- subject to strict rules (i.e. double-blinding)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are some weaknesses of RCTs?

A
  • They don’t reflect real life,
  • assume patients are identical,
  • and can have cherry-picked data

Real people don’t come as standard

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Coffee healthy? W hat are the negative effects of coffee ?

A

Latest research promotes coffee as healthy, but :
- leads to physical dependency,
- aggravates other addictions such as smoking, sugar, sweets,..
- impairs sleep,
- increases cortisol, which causes weight gain and suppresses the immune system
- suppresses reproductive and thyroid functions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Why is alcohol research on its health benefits flawed?

A

The research is conducted on an isolated constituent of wine which may reduce heart attacks, but it ignores the overall negative effects of alcohol and other variables in lifestyle.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Who generally funds medical and food research? why is this important?

A

The pharmaceutical and food industries fund it, influencing results to promote their products.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Research

How does natural medicine research differ from biomedical research?

A

It is based on observations and focuses on individual patient experiences rather than isolated variables.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Research assumptions

What are the research assumptions in Natural Medicine? in Biomedical?

A
  1. In Natural Medicine:
    * aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of a treatment strategy
    * no patent for natural products and treatments –> no profit
    * embraces complexity and variability as part of life anf patient experience
    * assumes that patients are different (bioindividualisation of ttt)
  2. In Biomedical:
    * aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of a single treatment
    * funded by vested interests for major profits
    * test simplistic hypotheses (cuts out complexity and variability
    * assume people are all the same and will respond similarly to drugs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Qualitative research

What are the benefits of qualitative research in natural medicine?

A

It encompasses variability and complexity, focuses on experiences, and admits changing perspectives.
It refers to any research that is impossible to accurately measure (how people feel about sth,..)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Case study

What is a case study in natural medicine research?

A

Detailed notes on patient consultations, used to compare treatment effectiveness in real-world settings, individual responses to ttt.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Clinical audits

What is the purpose of clinical audits?

A

To determine whether best practices are being carried out and to draw data regarding treatment effectiveness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Outcomes research

What is outcomes research?

A

Research that assesses the delivery of care, use of resources, and benefits to patients.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Biomedical research

What are some methods used in qualitative research?

A

Interviews, questionnaires, and observation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is an emic perspective?

A

Understanding the thoughts and beliefs of local people from the inside

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is an etic perspective?

A

Studying cultures scientifically from the outside

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Biomedical research

What is the role of ethics in biomedical research?

A

Ensuring beneficence (act of doing good), non-malfeasance (do not harm), confidentiality, and informed consent

Research on animals is not ethical.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is narrative medicine?

A

A qualitative approach using patients’ narratives to understand their health problems better

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Biomedical research

How to read research ?

A
  • find out who wrote it (vested interests)
  • who publishes it
  • who funds it
  • how is the design
  • suggestion of bias, confounding factors)
  • is the interpretation justified?
  • what are the outcome measures

Q°: what are they gaining from the study?

Look for declarations: if there are conflicts of interest these should be made clear.
Look also at the reference list and bibliography for eventual “circular referencing” (using their own previous research as references)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What is the significance of good research principles?

A

They ensure the integrity, reliability, and validity of research findings.

Lack of bias and confounding factors, declaration of conflicts of interest, ethical conduct of researchers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Challenges of Biomedical researches

Why is it important to assess for bias in research?

A

Bias can distort results, leading to incorrect conclusions and misleading evidence

Bias = anything which prevents a fair and impartial result

32
Q

Biomedical research

Cite three examples of bias

A
  1. Confounding factors: pb in trial design, drop-out rates, poor randomisation
  2. Conflict of interest: the researchers have personal or commercial interests in the results
  3. the Pharma industry funds its own research
  4. this industry also funds doctors’ training
  5. Negative data is sometimes withheld (not published)
33
Q

Biomedical research

What is the ‘p-value’ and ‘confidence interval’ in research?

A

Indicators of the reliability of research, but they must be interpreted with caution

34
Q

Biomedical research

What is a systematic review?

A

A review of all available literature on a drug (clinical studies), in order to analyse the evidence for or against its effectiveness

35
Q

Biomedical research

What is a literature review?

A

A review of all available literature including theory and pharmacology. Broader scope than the systematic review

36
Q

Biomedical research

What is a meta-analysis?

A

It’s a statistical procedure for combining data from multiple studies. The reality is that it often distorts evidence by including research that is flawed.

37
Q

Study

What is a retrospective study?

A

A historical investigation comparing affected and non-affected groups regarding a health issue.

38
Q

Study

What is a prospective study?

A

Follows a group of subjects over time to observe outcomes.

39
Q

Quantitative research

What is the primary focus of quantitative research?

A

Numerical data that can be accurately measured, such as blood pressure or blood chemistry.

40
Q

Quantitative research

Why might quantitative research be less suitable for natural medicine?

A

It cannot easily measure complex variables like patient experiences and individual responses.

41
Q

Case study

What is the benefit of using case studies in natural medicine research?

A

They provide insights into the effectiveness of treatments in real-world scenarios.

42
Q

Isolated research

What is the main criticism of isolated research in natural medicine?

A

It fails to consider the whole picture and the complexity of health issues.

43
Q

Funding

How does funding influence research outcomes?

A

Funders may have vested interests, leading to biased results that support their products.

44
Q

Biomedical research

What are some common biases in biomedical research?

A

Pharmaceutical bias, selective publication of positive results, and suppression of negative findings.

45
Q

Statins

What are some adverse effects of statins?

A

Muscle damage, liver damage, arthritis, diabetes, neuropathy, memory problems, and heart disease.

46
Q

Research paper

Why is it essential to read the title and abstract of a research paper first?

A

To understand the main points and decide if the paper is relevant to your needs.

47
Q

Research paper

What should you assess in the results section of a research paper?

A

What the findings are and their significance.

48
Q

Research

What is the role of traditional medicine in research?

A

To apply principles and methods that have been proven effective through long-term practice and observation.

49
Q

Referencing

What is the purpose of referencing in research?

A

To acknowledge the ideas and written material of other authors and demonstrate appropriate reading.

50
Q

Plagiarism

What is plagiarism, and why is it important to avoid it?

A

Presenting another person’s work as your own without reference; it is unethical and can be detected by software.

51
Q

Resources

What are some academic resources for conducting research?

A

CNM Website, Google Scholar, textbooks, libraries, and direct publisher websites.

52
Q

Inverted pyramid

What is the ‘inverted pyramid’ in natural medicine research?

A

A hierarchy valuing practitioner and patient observations, case studies, and outcome research over RCTs and systematic reviews

53
Q

Cinnamon

How can cinnamon extract help people with elevated serum glucose?

A

It lowers glucose, insulin, and cholesterol levels.

54
Q

What should you do if you find useful information in biomedical research?

A

Weigh it against the rules of your therapeutic modality and consider traditional and energetic rules first.

55
Q

Literature

Why is it important to engage with professional literature in your field?

A

To ensure you are informed by reliable, practice-oriented sources rather than biased or commercial websites.

56
Q

Case taking

How can accurate case taking be beneficial in natural medicine?

A

It gathers relevant details for diagnosis and can be written up as case studies to share knowledge and findings.

57
Q

Research

What is the main difference between quantitative and qualitative research?

A

Quantitative research is based on numerical data; qualitative research focuses on subjective experiences and complex variables.

58
Q

What are some examples of natural medicine therapies?

A

Herbal Medicine, Nutrition, Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Bach Flowers.

59
Q

Ethics

Why is it essential to understand research ethics?

A

To ensure the research is conducted in a morally acceptable way, protecting participants’ rights and welfare.

60
Q

Clinical audit

What is a clinical audit’s role in a clinic?

A

To ensure best practices are being carried out and to gather data on treatment effectiveness.

61
Q

Animal studies

What are some disadvantages of using animal studies in research?

A

They can be inhumane, stress the animals, and may not accurately predict human responses.

62
Q

Biomedical research

What is the impact of cherry-picking data in research?

A

It leads to biased results that only support the researcher’s hypothesis while ignoring contradictory evidence.

63
Q

Placebo

What is the placebo effect, and why is it significant in research?

A

The placebo effect is when patients experience improvements from an inert substance; it indicates the power of belief in treatment.

64
Q

Research

What should you consider when reading research on natural medicine?

A

What should you consider when reading research on natural medicine?

65
Q

What is the significance of patient questionnaires in natural medicine research?

A

They provide insights into patient experiences and the effectiveness of treatments from the patient’s perspective.

66
Q

Why is it important to critique research?

A

To identify potential biases, flaws in methodology, and the reliability of conclusions.

67
Q

What is an example of poor trial design in herbal medicine research?

A

Using a ‘placebo’ that itself has therapeutic effects, such as Parsley tea in a study on Passionflower tea.

68
Q

What is the benefit of narrative medicine in research?

A

It focuses on patients’ narratives to gain a deeper understanding of their health issues.

69
Q

What is the role of observation in qualitative research?

A

What is the role of observation in qualitative research?

70
Q

What is the importance of understanding the funding source of research?

A

It helps identify potential biases and vested interests that may influence the research outcomes.

71
Q

What is an example of bias in biomedical research?

A

Pharmaceutical companies funding and ghost-writing studies to promote their products.

72
Q

What are some challenges in translating animal research findings to humans?

A

Differences in physiology, stress-induced distortions, and ethical concerns.

73
Q

What is the significance of the Declaration of Helsinki in research ethics?

A

It sets ethical guidelines for conducting research involving human subjects.

74
Q

Why might some traditional medicine concepts be re-applied with success?

A

They are based on long-term observations and practical results rather than theoretical learning.

75
Q

What is the importance of outcome research in natural medicine?

A

It assesses the delivery and effectiveness of care in real-world settings, benefiting both providers and patients.

76
Q

What is the importance of engaging with research as a natural medicine practitioner?

A

It helps you stay informed, apply effective treatments, and contribute to the body of knowledge in your field.

CNM Nut 1 S1 (11 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions