Question

Select a minimum of three types of health research methodology. Describe how each collects and evaluates research data and provide an example of how this type of research was used.

Explain what researchers conducting studies with human subjects must do to protect their participants and why.

Answer 1

Quantitative research: the data can be generated by experimentation, surveys. The data produced are always numerical, and they are analyzed using mathematical and by descriptive statistics.

Qualitative research; does not involve numbers or numerical data.
Sources of data include;
· Interviews; that are structured, semi-structured or unstructured;

· Focus groups, which involve multiple participants discussing an issue;

· ‘Postcards’, or small-scale written questionnaires asking; few focused questions of participants but allow them space to write in their own words;

· Secondary data, including diaries, written accounts of past events, and company reports; and

· Observations, under ‘laboratory conditions’

The analysis of data is not statistical and data has to be transformed into numeric values to be analyzed statistically.

A quasi-experimental design is one that looks a bit like an experimental design but lacks the key ingredient -- random assignment.

Sources of data collection:

Observation of experiments; in which experimental groups are not assigned randomly.

The data is analyzed statistically.

Research participants as a matter of ethics should understand the nature of the procedure involved. What they are expected to do, who is sponsoring the study, the risks and benefits of the study. The level of confidentiality offered. Informed consent i.e. the right to decline to participate.

The qualitative research is an initial research, exploring the direction of further research that may be quantitative that may test a hypothesis.