Exam 1 - Lecture 2 Health Care Research Methods

Question 1

What are Qualitative Studies primarily?

Answer 1

Primary exploratory research

Question 2

What are Quantitative Studies based on?

Answer 2

Based on external and objective measures

Question 3

What does quantitative studies deal with?

Answer 3

Data

Question 4

Limitations of qualitative research?

Answer 4

Time consuming, labor, cost, difficult sharing data, anonymity challenge, info might or might not be trustworthy

Question 5

Limitations of quantitative research? Greatest limit?

Answer 5

Time and cost are greatest limiting factors, generalizability, sources of bias (sampling selecting a subject of population and recruiting to participate in study; measurement)

Question 6

What are the 3 styles of Quantitative Research design?

Answer 6

1. Observational
2. Quasi-Experimental
3. Experimental

Question 7

Describe the Observational style of Quantitative Research design

Answer 7

Correlational research without intervention. Ex: Observe a treatment or risk factor and not care who is exposed, just observing. Not carefully designed with well defined experimental and control groups.

Question 8

Describe the Quasi-experimental style of Quantitative Research design. What does it resemble but lacks?

Answer 8

Resembles the experimental research but lacks allocation of groups or proper control. Not randomly assigned so not a “true experiment” which have randomly assigned groups. Ex: Testing effects of EtOH on fetus in pregger women–can’t ask women to drink EtOH d/t legal and ethical concerns but can put women in groups based on what they already do.

Question 9

Describe the Experimental style of Quantitative Research design. Main component?

Answer 9

A study where a treatment, procedure, or program is intentionally introduced and a result or outcome is observed. Has main component of randomly assigning patients.

Question 10

3 styles of Quantative Research (Temporal cycle)?

Answer 10

1. Retrospective
2. Cross-sectional
3. Prospective

Question 11

Describe the Retrospective type of Quantative Research (Temporal cycle)

Answer 11

Involved use of data or specimens that are existing at the time that the research is being submitted. Something that has already happened and looking back to see effects.

Question 12

Describe the Cross-Sectional type of Quantative Research (Temporal cycle)

Answer 12

Collects data at single point in time. Looks at prevalence of something at a certain point in time. Most CDC studies are cross-sectional and zoomed in to people at a given point in time.

Question 13

Describe the Prorospective type of Quantative Research (Temporal cycle)

Answer 13

Involved the formulation of hypothesis, collection of data over a defined period of time, and then analyzing the findings. Looking at future/forward directionality.

Question 14

What are the 4 phases of Clinical Trial testing? What do they test?

Answer 14

Phase 1=just safety, 20-80 people
Phase 2=safety and effective in small pop, 100-300 people
Phase 3=safety and effective in large group and compare with other studies 1000-3000 people
Phase 4=post marketing for side effects and safety

Question 15

What happens to the quality of evidence as you move up the hierarchy?

Answer 15

Fewer studies, uses controls for comparison, less bias, stronger methodology

Question 16

Define Case Reports and Case Series

Answer 16

Case Report=Report on a single patient

Case Series=Follow up on a single patient

Question 17

Define Case Control Studies

Answer 17

Patients who already have a specific condition are compared with people who do not have the condition. Has a case and a control.

Question 18

Define Cohort Study

Answer 18

Identify a group of people who already are taking a particular treatment or who all have the same exposure. Group all has something in common. Followed up over time makes cohort study.

Question 19

Example of famous Cohort Study?

Answer 19

Framingham Heart Study.

Question 20

Define Randomized Controlled Trial

Answer 20

Study design that randomly assigns participants into an experimental group or control group. Gold standard of studies!

Question 21

What is the “gold standard” of studies?

Answer 21

Randomized Controlled Trial

Question 22

Define Systematic Review

Answer 22

Systematic review which summarizes the results of available carefully designed healthcare studies (controlled trials) and provides a high level of evidence on the effectiveness of health care interventions. Has inclusions and exclusions already defined.
Second best of all studies. No statistical analysis.

Question 23

What is the second best of all studies? What does it not have? Does that it require?

Answer 23

Systematic Review. No statistical analysis. Requires inclusions and exclusions already defined in studies.

Question 24

Define Meta Analysis

Answer 24

The statistical analysis of a large analysis of the individual studies to integrate the findings. Brings together all studies and integrates them, uses raw data and statistical methods to crunch as if doing one large study. Study will say it is a metanalysis.

Question 25

In a Systematic Review what will the studies say?

Answer 25

“To be included, studies were required to state they were XXXX and XXX”