Module 2

Question 1

What does POEM mean?

Answer 1

Paradigm
Ontology
Epistemology
Methodology

Question 2

What are 3 health research paradigms?

Answer 2

positivist, constructivist, realist

Question 3

Explain the POEM for the positivist paradigm.

Answer 3

P - positivist
O - realist: there is an objective reality
E - representational: symbols can be used to describe and explain reality
M - quantitative: analysis of numbers, hypothesis generation and testing, experimental

Question 4

What is the POEM for the constructivist paradigm?

Answer 4

P - constructivist
O - relativist: reality constructed inter-subjectively through meanings/understandings developed socially/experimentally
E - subjectivist: we cannot separate ourselves from what we know
M - qualitative: analysis of words, meanings emerge from research process, naturalistic methods (interviewing, observation, text analysis)

Question 5

Describe the POEM for the realist paradigm.

Answer 5

P - realist
O - realist: there is an objective reality BUT out ability to know reality is imperfect as we can only know reality from our own perspective of it
E - subjectivist: we cannot separate ourselves from what we know BUT objectivity remains an ideal
M - mixed: quantitative and qualitative, opportunities for discovery vs. testing a priori hypotheses. natural settings/situational and contextual data is collected

Question 6

What are the 3 principles of experimental research?

Answer 6

randomization, local control, replication

Question 7

Explain the 2 broad types of laboratory based research.

Answer 7

basic research, preclinical studies

Question 8

What are 3 kinds of basic and preclinical research?

Answer 8

biochemistry research, cell culture-based research, animal model-based research

Question 9

What are the 2 types of “with humans” experimental research?

Answer 9

prevention trial, therapeutic trial

both types have 2 other branches: randomized control trials and group trials

Question 10

What is an observational study? How does it differ from an experimental study?

Answer 10

researcher collects info about exposures/IVs and outcomes/DVs

researcher does not control study conditions

Question 11

What are the two main types of observational studies?

Answer 11

analytic studies, descriptive studies

Question 12

What are the four kinds of analytic observational studies?

Answer 12

cohort studies, case-control studies, analytic cross-sectional studies, analytic ecological studies

Question 13

What are the two kinds of descriptive observational studies?

Answer 13

descriptive cross-sectional studies, descriptive ecological studies

Question 14

What are three data sources used in quantitative health research?

Answer 14

observation/measurement, surveys, clinical/administrative data

Question 15

Define random error.

Answer 15

not really an error; produced by differences between samples taken from a population; one sample is used to make inferences applying to the whole population/universe

Question 16

What is the null hypothesis?

Answer 16

a predetermined fact or statement the researcher aims to refute/reject/test

Question 17

Define type I error.

Answer 17

null is true and it is rejected; probability of making this error (type I error rate) given by p-value or alpha

Question 18

What is a type II error?

Answer 18

null accepted when it is false; probability of making this error (type II error rate) given by beta

Question 19

What are the three main factors affecting statistical power?

Answer 19

sample size (larger sample, greater power of study)

effect size/estimate (the more extreme the expected finding, the easier it will be to find with a given sample size)

alpha (type I error rate) and/or standard deviation (for continuous measures) both determine how likely it is that you are “right” so smaller alpha means greater probability that you are not wrong

Question 20

Explain the concept of confidence intervals.

Answer 20

used to deal with random error

define range of plausible values for true population parameters

consists of 2 numbers: upper and lower confidence limits

width determines precision of measurement (narrower, more precise)

Question 21

What are the four types of qualitative research designs?

Answer 21

case study, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory

Question 22

What are the data sources used in qualitative health research?

Answer 22

observation, analyzing texts/documents, interviews, recording/transcribing

Question 23

Define three common steps in the data analysis process used in qualitative studies.

Answer 23

coding: chunking data (typical form is open text) and naming those chunks

identifying themes: looking for patterns across the codes

searching for meaning: reflection on themes

Question 24

Define saturation.

Answer 24

feature of qualitative analysis/research; function of both richness and thickness of data

point where additional data does not provide new info

Question 25

What are the two types of mixed method research designs?

Answer 25

sequential: quantitative and qualitative data are collected at different times
concurrent: qualitative and quantitative data are collected simultaneously

Question 26

Explain the sequential mixed method research designs and compare/contrast between them.

Answer 26

exploratory: qualitative data collection and analyses come first and then quantitative data collection/analyses are done; to explore a phenomenon; good strategy for developing/testing a new instrument
explanatory: quantitative data collection and analyses are completed and then qualitative data collection is completed; to provide context/more in-depth explanation/understanding of quantitative study result

Question 27

List and explain concurrent mixed method research designs.

Answer 27

triangulation: interpretation of data is done together; used to confirm, cross-validate, corroborate findings from each paradigm of the study
nested: one paradigm takes priority over the other; used when two methods answer different questions or the same question at different levels (i.e. individual vs. community perceptions)

Question 28

What are the four pillars of health research?

Answer 28

biomedical

clinical

social, cultural, environmental, and population health

health services and systems

Question 29

Which research designs are used in biomedical research?

Answer 29

basic and preclinical experimental designs

Question 30

Which research designs are used in clinical research?

Answer 30

randomized control trials (which test new ways of preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease), observational quantitative study designs

Question 31

Which research designs are used in social, cultural, environmental, and population health
research?

Answer 31

community trials, quantitative observational designs, qualitative designs, mixed methods

Question 32

Which research designs are used in health services and systems research?

Answer 32

community trials, quantitative observational designs, qualitative designs, mixed methods

Question 33

What are the two specific types of saturation?

Answer 33

descriptive: no new codes, categories, themes emerge from data analysis
theoretical: data fully explains how codes, categories, themes interconnect