STATS Lec 21- Researching how people do and what people think

Answer 1

• Discern the difference between qualitative and quantitive research
• Describe research methods employed in Pharmacy Practice Research
  
  • Advantages
  • Limitations

Question 2

Quantitative Research

Answer 2

• Analyses numerical data to gain insights into how variables influence other variables
• Different types of quantitative research are used depending on
  
  • The type of question asked and the purpose of research
  • The degree to which subject are available to study/observe

Question 3

Qualitative research

Answer 3

• Also known as Interpretive research
• Has a holistic view
  
  • There is not a single reality
  • Reality based upon perceptions that are different for each person and change over time
  • What we know has meaning only within a given situation or context
• Narrative data to gain insights into the phenomena of interest (words not numbers)
• Data is collected
  
  • Intensively over a period of time
  • In a naturalistic setting
  • Without trying to control the events

Question 4

Qualitative research

Answer 4

• Flows from concreteness to abstractness
• Data collection occurs concurrently with data analysis
• Involves the researcher influencing the individuals being studied to varying degrees
• In turn, the researcher is influenced by those being studies
• Reflexitivity- who you are asking will effect the answers you will get

Question 5

Question: What might be some advantages to quantitive and qualitative approaches?

would you ever want to use both?

Question 6

Quantitative or Qualitative

Answer 6

1. A study in which the researcher carefully designs all aspects of the study before collecting data- quantitative
2. You know in advance what you are looking for- quantitative
3. The design emerges as the study unfolds- Qualitative
4. The researcher deals with data in the form of words- Qualitative
5. The researcher deals with data in the form of numbers and statistics- Quantitative
6. The investigator is the data gathering instrument- qualitative
7. Research methods involve the comparison of pre-test and post-test data- quantitative
8. Data collection and data-analysis take place simultaneously- qualatative

Question 7

Practice research methods

Answer 7

• Visual methods
  
  • Observation
• Written methods
  
  • Survey/Questionnaire
• Verbal methods
  
  • Interview
  • Focus groups

Question 8

Observation

Answer 8

• Definition: Maintain distance from the observed events in order to avoid influencing them
• Features:
  
  • Observe behaviour from an external perspective
  • Observe events as they occur naturally
• Limitation
  
  • Ethical issues- overt or covert- informed consent
  • Ambiguity
  • Observer effect- Hawthorne effect
  • May not encounter the conditions you wish to observe

Question 9

Modified observation

Answer 9

• Simulated patient methodology
• Definition: researcher role-plays as a patient
• Features
  
  • Observe events as they occur naturally
  • Can control certain variables (increases interval validity)
• Limitations
  
  • Ethical issues: similar to the observation
  • Ambiguity: similar to the observation
  • External validity concerns (not real world)

Question 10

Surveys/Questionnaires

Answer 10

• Definition: A systematic method for gathering information from (A sample of) individuals for the purposes of describing the attributes of the larger population of which the individuals are members
• Features
  
  • Fixed/ standardised questions
  • Numerical coding of response e.g. qualitative data collection, quantitative analysis

Question 11

Surveys / Questionnaires

Can be used to measure

Answer 11

• Attitudes
• Opinions
• Self-reported behaviour
• Factual knowledge
• Satisfaction
• Expectation

Question 12

Surveys/Questionnaires

Answer 12

• Efficient
• Ability to produce generalisations
• Identify patterns and associations
• Suggest possible explanations

Question 13

Surveys / Questionnaires

Limitations

Answer 13

• Questions can unreliable, ambiguous, superficial or misleading
• Piloting vital
• Limits the researcher to answer the research question(s) i.e. could miss the discovery of new and surprising results

Question 14

Interview

Answer 14

• Structured
• Semi-structured

Question 15

Structured Interview

Answer 15

• Definition: Situation interviewer asks each respondent a series of pre-established questions with a limited set of response categories
• Research instrument: an interview guide
• All respondents receive the same set of questions asked in the same order or sequence
• Aim: capture precise data of a codable nature in order to capture data with pre-established categories

Question 16

Structured interview

Limitations

Answer 16

• The researcher must be careful not to ask extra questions of one participant and not another
• Limits the researcher to answering the research question i.e. could miss the discovery of new and surprising results

Question 17

Semi-structured interview

Answer 17

• Definition: situation interviewer asks each respondent a series of open-ended questions
• Research instrument: An interview guide
• The interviewer can add questions if required, or ignore any questions already been covered or are irrelevant
• DATA
  
  • Comprehensive
  • Unpredictable
  • Needs interpretation

Question 18

Semi-structured interview

Limitations

Answer 18

• Availability of key people as respondents- esp FGs
• Interviewer bias
• Less efficient
• More difficult to analyse

Question 19

Focus groups

Answer 19

• Definition: in depth discussion between 6-10 people, facilitated by a researcher
• Semi-structured interview schedule
• Facililtator leads the discussion, but does not dominate
• Record and take notes
• Lasts about one hour, plus set up and wind down time
• Repeat focus groups until ‘saturation’
• Analysis of transcripts

Question 20

Focus group

Advantages

Answer 20

• A good way to explore issues, ideas, attitudes, beliefs- when there is little information
• Can be set up and performed ‘relatively’ quickly
• Economical
• You DO need to know about the topic- when patients ask you questions you need to be able to give an immediate answer

Question 21

Focus groups

Limitations

Answer 21

• Discussion can get hijacked by a strong personality
• Group process may inhibit some participants
• Needs an informed, confident facilitator
• Transcribing is hard and take long time
• Text analysis is a skill

Question 22

Triangulation/ Mixed methods

Answer 22

• One method may be insufficient
• Triangulation
  
  • Use multiple techniques to study phenomena
  • Can use efficient methodology to direct less efficient methodology
  • Increases validity

Question 23

Example- Qualy data

Answer 23

• Focus group Alzheimer’s society
• Open survey
• Understand key issues med. man. in dementia carer/ patient viewpoint
• Explored issues considered priority e.g.
  
  • Benefits vs side-effects
  • Adherence/Concordance issues
  • Practical issues
  • Medication review
  • Communication healthcare professionals

Question 24

Barriers

Answer 24

• Practical issues- click-locks, blisters, compliance aids
  
  • Even pharmacist prepared weekly dispensed blister packs can be difficult for the not-so-nimble or partially sighted
• Significant polypharmacy- Med man very challenging
  
  • The whole regimen was so complex- several times a day, only made simpler when one consultant said the regime was not necessary
• Support often lacking and systems not responsive
  
  • Looking back as I try to consider the very real issue of medication, each day was a challenge and my memories of what we did and how we copied are very difficult to describe except that I know there was no support and advice

Question 25

Conclusions

Answer 25

• Significant medication management issues in dementia
  
  • Anti-psychotic issue- symptomatic
• Medication management major issue significant numbers of carers of people with dementia
• Impacting carer’s QoL, exposes person dementia medication-related adverse events
• Urgent need further exploratory research area developing key themes