Mother and Child Health: Research Methods

1
Mother and Child Health Research Methods

• G.J.Ebrahim
• Editor
• Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, Oxford University
  Press.

2
Five factors in Research Planning

• Research Question being addressed
• Subjects for the research
• Type of data to be collected
• Methods of data analysis
• Reporting of the Results

3
Sources of Research Question

• Hypotheses logically derived from existing
  theories
• Hypotheses suggested by clinical observations and
  insight
• Questions arising from previous research
• Evaluation of new treatments

4
Problems Related to Research Questions

• Too vague
• Too Broad
• Not enough subjects available
• Methods beyond the skills of the investigator
• Too expensive
• Not relevant
• Not sufficiently novel
• Uncertain about ethical issues

5
Descriptive/Analytical Studies

• Descriptive Studies
• Focus on describing the geographic,
• social, demographic and clinical attributes
• of target population
• Analytical Studies
• One or more groups are studied to draw inference
  about differences and associations

6
Non-experimental / Experimental Studies
Non-experimental Studies Definition of Population
Selection of subjects
Observation
Experimental Studies Definition of Population
Selection of Subjects Assignment
Observation of Outcome Group 1
Group 2
7
Checklist for Planning Studies

• Reasons for the Study
• background
• contribution to existing knowledge
• General Plan
• Study design, sample, data collection, and
  analysis
• Detailed Design

• Sources of Bias
• sampling
• method,information
• variation,measurement
• error, assessment method.
• Handling of Specimens
• Analysis
• Reporting