Research Introduction Flashcards
Health Research
Systematic and principled way of obtaining evidence for solving health care problems and investigating heath issues.
Systematic and principled way of obtaining evidence (Health Research)
Systematic: Researchers follow a sequential process.
Principled: Generally carried out according to explicit rules - rules or principles constitute the method.
Anecdotal evidence
Evidence collected in a casual or informal manner and
relying heavily or entirely on personal testimony
- Story told by individuals.
Driven by emotion and presented by individuals who
are not subject area experts.
Characteristics of Research
- It demands a clear statement of the problem.
- It requires a plan (it is not aimlessly “ looking” for something in the hope that you will come across a solution).
- It builds on existing data, using both positive and negative findings.
- New data collected and organized in a way that answers the research question(s).
Validity
Correct procedures have been applied to find answers to a question.
Internal/External
Reliability
Quality of a measurement procedure that provides repeatability and accuracy.
Unbiased and Objective
Each step in an unbiased manner and drawn each conclusion to the best of your ability and without introducing your own interest.
Philosophy of Knowing
- Considering different perspectives.
- Framework of a set of philosophies (research approaches).
- Uses methods that have been tested for their validity and reliability.
- Is designed to be unbiased and objective.
Research can be:
- Explanatory
- Descriptive
- Exploratory
Explanatory Research
Usually quantitative.
To establish relationships and / or make predictions.
Descriptive Research
E.g. case reports, large scale surveys (focus more on “what” instead of “why”).
Exploratory
Usually qualitative.
To find out what the issues are.
How many patients do not receive care according to scientific evidence?
30-40%
All evidence must be assessed for:
- Its applicability to the situation.
- Service-user.
- Clinical decision.
The 5 steps of Evidence-Based Medicine
- Convert the need for information in a relevant and answerable question.
- Find the best evidence to answer the question.
- Appraise the evidence for its validity and usefulness.
- Apply the evidence to clinical practice.
- Evaluate + disseminate.
Hierarchy of Scientific Evidence
- Meta analysis and systematic reviews
- Randomized controlled trials
- Cohort studies
- Case-control studies
- Cross sectional studies
- Animal trials and in vitro studies
- Case reports, opinion papers and letters
Efficacy
Extent to which intervention produces beneficial outcomes under ideally controlled/laboratory circumstances.
Can it work?
Efficiency
Extent to which the balance between input (costs) and outputs (outcomes) on interventions represents.
Value for money.
Effectiveness
Extent to which an intervention produces a beneficial outcome under day to day circumstances.
Does it work?
Experience
What is the experience of people receiving/delivering the intervention/living with a certain condition/situation?
Perspectives
Internal Validity
A study or measure tests what it is supposed to test.
Does it measure what I need it to measure.
External Validity
The results of a study can be applied to populations
beyond those studied.
