Research design Flashcards
what does research design determine? what determines a research design?
the type of data, and which statistical test is used; determined by availability of subjects/samples, ethical concerns and cost
what kind of design is used in experimental research?
randomized controlled trial (RCT) - subjects are randomly assigned to at least two comparison groups
what is important in the following example and what kind of research does it use? “does the drug zyban aid pts with smoking cessation?”
they need to be randomly assigned and needs to have a control group; experimental
what is a clinical trial? what are the two diff kinds?
experimental studies that examine the effect of interventions on pt or community; therapeutic (effect of drug on disease) or preventative (can it reduce risk of disease?)
what are the 5 phases of a clinical trial? describe the first step
preclinical research (animal/ in vitro research, design drug methods, seek approval to begin human trials) and phases I-IV
Describe the different phases of clinical trials
Phase I - determine safety, data on dosage/side effects, small # subjects. Phase 2- demonstrate effectiveness, new needs to be better than old, small samples several yrs Phase 3 - compares new and old, randomized, large scale, seek approval from FDA Phase 4 - follow pts after FDA approval, evaluate effects and learn risk factors
what is exploratory research used to find?
relationships/correlations
what are characteristics of exploratory research designs?
used when enough is already known to test hypothesis, no intervention applied, used in epidemiological studies
what type of research design is used in exploratory research?
case-control study - groups selected based on whether or not they have the disorder
what are some characteristics of case-control study?
cases=disorder control= no disorder; researcher looks retrospectively (interviews, surveys, fam hx); used to determine why they have disease, what factors put pt at risk?
what is a cohort study?
2 groups are chosen, one has been exposed to clinical intervention by chance or choice
what are some characteristics of a cohort study?
groups are followed to determine if risk of disease is higher in exposed group (follow up study); establish relationship bw exposure and risk; can be retrospective (exposure= disease) or prospective (exposure but no disease)
what research design is used in descriptive research?
case studies- describes new, interesting, and unique clinical cases as a means of sharing.
what are some characteristics of a case study?
in-depth description of condition or response to treatment; expansion of a case study, important for determining variables, making hypotheses
what are two more studies used in descriptive research? what are they? what are they used for?
developmental studies - descriptions of developmental change and sequencing of behaviors over time (very long study); cross-sectional study - observations of different age or developmental groups at one point in time (provide basis for inferring trends over time)
