Specific Designs

Question 1

What are the research stages?

Answer 1

Basic research (fundamental understanding), applied research (practical problem-solving), clinical research (patient- or end user-oriented). Then you tell everyone about it using ‘Translational Research’.

Question 2

What are Qualitative methods? What are their strengths?

Answer 2

Data is written or spoken words; researchers identify themes or categories that form a narrative or provide insight. i.e. surveys, questionnaires, interviews, etc. Strengths: generating new hypotheses, adopting multiple perspectives.

Question 3

What are Quantitative methods?

Answer 3

Data is numerical variables measured with a tool; researchers test hypotheses to support, refine, or refute theories. i.e. physiological variables, frequencies, etc. Strengths: testing existing hypotheses, examining cause-effect relationships.

Question 4

What is observational research?

Answer 4

It is observing a group in their natural state (not manipulating anything). It can be cross-sectional or longitudinal, prospective or retrospective, cohorts or case-control.

Question 5

What does observational research allow?

Answer 5

Absolute and relative risk, odds ratio, logistic regression.

Question 6

What is logistic regression?

Answer 6

It’s a way of classifying people into different sections.

Question 7

How is it useful to observe without manipulating?

Answer 7

You can study the un-study-able like cardiac events. Prioritize external validity and make the research matter to those you’re studying. Can generate research questions as you study.

Question 8

What is the major problem with passive observation?

Answer 8

Internal Validity.

Question 9

What does prevalence mean? 3 types?

Answer 9

Who has it now? Lifetime prevalence, period prevalence, point prevalence. All cases over population at risk.

Question 10

What does Incidence mean? 3 types?

Answer 10

Who develops it over some time? Incidence proportion, incidence rate, lifetime risk. new cases over population at risk.

Question 11

What does incidence rate mean?

Answer 11

Means to normalize it to a standard time, ex. 1 week, month, year.

Question 12

What does lifetime risk mean?

Answer 12

How likely someone is to develop something in their lifetime.

Question 13

What does prospective mean?

Answer 13

Start with a certain experience and track the outcomes as they develop. Look ahead>

Question 14

What does retrospective mean?

Answer 14

Look back to relate the exposures to the outcomes.

Question 15

What is a cohort design?

Answer 15

When you find a population of interest. Can be prospective or retrospective. Relate the exposures and outcomes in that cohort.

Question 16

What is a case-control design?

Answer 16

Find an outcome of interest and get people with that outcome. Can only be retrospective. Compare exposures to a control group within a similar population.

Question 17

What are some common cohorts?

Answer 17

Birth cohorts (Gen Z, millenial), geographic cohort, historical cohort (lived through an event), academic cohort (enrolled in same program at same time).

Question 18

Why use cohorts (4 reasons)?

Answer 18

Longitudinal by default, best external validity, directly applicable, multiple exposures.

Question 19

What are some problems with cohorts (5 problems)?

Answer 19

Need a lot of people, expensive in every part (money, people, have to hire), attrition, measurement bias (false positives), observational.

Question 20

How is case-control split up?

Answer 20

Cases: Those with the desired outcome (disease, condition).
Control: Those without the diagnosis or outcome that defines the case group.

Question 21

What are some challenges with case-control?

Answer 21

Selection bias, recall bias, misclassification.

Question 22

What is absolute risk?

Answer 22

The risk of the outcome.

Question 23

What is relative risk?

Answer 23

The risk of the outcome for exposure relative to non-exposure.

Question 24

What is odds ratio?

Answer 24

How likely is an outcome from a given exposure.

Question 25

What is the absolute risk formula?

Answer 25

AR= (outcome)/(outcome+control)

Question 26

What is the relative risk formula?

Answer 26

RR= (outcomeexposed/outcome+controlexposed)/(outcomenonexposed/outcomenonexposed+controlnonexposed)

Question 27

What is the odds ratio formula?

Answer 27

OR=(outcomeexposed/controlexposed)/outcomenonexposed/controlnonexposed)

Question 28

Similarities between cohort and case-control?

Answer 28

Observational research, retrospective, odds ratio, logistic regression.