Week 6 through Week 10

MODULE 3:  EVALUATION AND RESEARCH APPROACHES: QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE

During Weeks 6 through 10, students will learn about a unique language for coding health services and procedures to streamline reporting, increase accuracy and efficiency; security of electronic records and personal health records; and software systems used in physician offices during our synchronous and asynchronous classes. Read through the websites and view the videos that are posted below as they will help you learn more about these fields and provide valuable information for your (1) two computer lab exercises and (2) written report. 

No Classes Scheduled – Oct 2-4

Week 6:  Quantitative Evaluation and Research Designs

Student Learning Outcome(s) for This Session: Upon completion of this session’s readings/activities, students will be able to:

  1. Analyze and interpret quantitative data using appropriate statistical methods in healthcare research to draw accurate conclusions and recommendations.
  2. Apply the scientific method to healthcare research by identifying a problem, formulating a hypothesis, collecting data, analyzing and interpreting results, and drawing valid conclusions.
  3. Compare and contrast public datasets/databases and institutional data sources in healthcare research, assessing their strengths and limitations in different research contexts.
  4. Evaluate different types of research designs used in healthcare settings, including experimental, observational, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies, and determine which design is most appropriate for a given research question.
  5. Develop evidence-based and evidence-informed interventions to address healthcare problems by applying research findings and translating them into practical and effective strategies for real-world settings.

Readings & Resources

REQUIRED:

  1. About Clinical Trials.gov by ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  2. Learn About Studies by ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  3. gov, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  4. Introductory Statistics by Barbara Illowsky and Susan Dean, OpenStax, Rice University is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Chapter 1: Sampling and Data and Chapter 2: Descriptive Statistics.
  5. Video: What is a Clinical Trial? by National Library of Medicine, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

RECOMMENDED:

  1. Examining Recruitment Strategies in the Enrollment Cascade of Youth Living With HIV: Descriptive Findings From a Nationwide Web-Based Adherence Protocol by Gurung S, Jones S, Mehta K, Budhwani H, MacDonell K, Belzer M, Naar S, JMIR Form Res is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
  2. Video: How Are Vaccines Tested? by National Library of Medicine, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

3. Video: Explaining Randomization in Clinical Trials by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.

Week 7: ONLINE EXAM #1. Instructions provided on Brightspace.

Week 8: Quantitative Analysis

Student Learning Outcome(s) for This Session: Upon completion of this session’s readings/activities, students will be able to:

  1. Understand the basic principles of quantitative analysis in healthcare research.
  2. Demonstrate proficiency in using Excel to conduct basic quantitative analyses.
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in using SPSS to conduct basic quantitative analyses.
  4. Analyze and interpret quantitative data using appropriate statistical methods.
  5. Communicate findings from quantitative analyses in a clear and concise manner.

Readings & Resources

REQUIRED:

  1. Excel Easy tutorial on Descriptive Statistics
  2. Excel Easy tutorial on Data Analysis
  3. Non-Parametric Test on Chi-Square Test for Association using SPSS Statistics by Laerd Statistics
  4. Parametric Test on Independent t-test using SPSS Statistics by Laerd Statistics
  5. Parametric Test on One-way ANOVA in SPSS Statistics by Laerd Statistics

RECOMMENDED:

  1. Excel Easy tutorial on Analysis ToolPak
  2. Excel Easy tutorial on Histogram
  3. Excel Easy tutorial on Regression
  4. IBM SPSS Statistics Documentation SPSS Statistics 28.0.0 on Sample Files

DUE:  Lab Exercise #3 Oct 30th. Instructions are posted on Brightspace.

Week 9: Qualitative Evaluation and Research Designs

Student Learning Outcome(s) for This Session: Upon completion of this session’s readings/activities, students will be able to:

  1. Understand the purpose and significance of qualitative research designs in healthcare settings for evaluation, planning, and policy development.
  2. Identify and describe different types of qualitative research approaches commonly used in healthcare, such as interviews, focus groups, case studies, and observation.
  3. Examine the strengths and limitations of each qualitative research approach and understand when to use them in specific evaluation, planning, or policy contexts.
  4. Explore ethical considerations and best practices associated with conducting qualitative research in healthcare settings, including informed consent, confidentiality, and participant engagement.
  5. Apply knowledge of qualitative research designs to critically evaluate and interpret qualitative data collected in healthcare studies, and effectively communicate findings for evidence-based decision making.

Readings & Resources

REQUIRED:

  1. Qualitative Research Methods: A Data Collector’s Field Guide (2005) by Natasha Mack, Cynthia Woodsong, Kathleen M. MacQueen, Greg Guest, and Emily Namey, Family Health International, U.S. Department of Labor.
  2. Pope, C., Ziebland, S., & Mays, N. (2000). Qualitative research in health care. Analysing qualitative data. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 320(7227), 114–116. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.320.7227.114
  3. Giacomini, M. K., & Cook, D. J. (2000). Users’ guides to the medical literature: XXIII. Qualitative research in health care B. What are the results and how do they help me care for my patients? Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. JAMA, 284(4), 478–482. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.284.4.478

RECOMMENDED:

  1. Renjith, V., Yesodharan, R., Noronha, J. A., Ladd, E., & George, A. (2021). Qualitative Methods in Health Care Research. International journal of preventive medicine, 12, 20. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_321_19
  2. Video: Qualitative Methods in Healthcare Research (2022) by Leslie St. Jacques, Canadian Association of Physician Assistants is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Week 10: Qualitative Analysis

Student Learning Outcome(s) for This Session: Upon completion of this session’s readings/activities, students will be able to:

  1. Understand the process of coding in qualitative analysis: Learn the fundamental concepts and steps involved in coding qualitative data, including familiarization with different coding techniques such as inductive coding, deductive coding, and thematic coding.
  2. Develop proficiency in creating and applying codes: Acquire the skills to create meaningful codes that capture key concepts, ideas, or patterns in qualitative data. Learn how to apply codes consistently and accurately across data sets to facilitate analysis.
  3. Identify and analyze themes in qualitative data: Learn how to identify themes, patterns, or recurring ideas within qualitative data sets. Develop the ability to analyze and interpret these themes to derive meaningful insights and capture the richness of the data.
  4. Enhance analytical thinking and interpretation skills: Develop critical thinking skills to interpret codes and themes in a nuanced and context-specific manner. Explore different strategies for interpreting qualitative data, including identifying relationships between themes, exploring deviant cases, and considering alternative explanations.
  5. Apply software tools for coding and theme analysis: Gain familiarity with qualitative analysis software tools such as NVivo, ATLAS.ti, or Dedoose. Learn how to leverage these tools to facilitate the coding process, organize data, and explore themes in a systematic and efficient manner.

Readings & Resources

REQUIRED:

  1. Chapter 10: Qualitative Data Collection & Analysis Methods, Research Methods for the Social Sciences: An Introduction by Valerie Sheppard, BCcampus OpenEd is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
  2. Korstjens, I., & Moser, A. (2018). Series: Practical guidance to qualitative research. Part 4: Trustworthiness and publishing. The European journal of general practice, 24(1), 120–124. https://doi.org/10.1080/13814788.2017.1375092.
  3. Video: What Does Coding Looks Like?: Qualitative Research Methods by Mod•U: Powerful Concepts in Social Science.

4. Video: Beginners guide to coding qualitative data by Quirkos – Simple Qualitative Analysis Software is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

RECOMMENDED:

  1. Creating and Applying Codes by ATLAS.ti 22 Windows – User Manual.
  2. Conducting a Mini Field Study by U.S. Census Bureau, OER Commons is in the Public Domain, CC0.
  3. Baxter, R., Taylor, N., Kellar, I., & Lawton, R. (2019). A qualitative positive deviance study to explore exceptionally safe care on medical wards for older people. BMJ quality & safety, 28(8), 618–626. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2018-008023.
  4. Delve, Ho, L., & Limpaecher, A. (2023c, March 27). What Is Researcher Triangulation in Qualitative Analysis? https://delvetool.com/blog/researcher-triangulation.
  5. Video: How to code data by ATLAS.ti – Qualitative Data Analysis.
  6. Video: Nvivo in Action by Nvivo.
  7. Video: What is Dedoose by Dedoose.

DUE:  Lab Exercise #4 Nov 13th. Instructions are posted on Brightspace.

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