Chapter Six, Study Designs: Ecologic, Cross-Sectional, Case-Control, is a synopsis of observational verses experimental approaches in epidemiology and research study designs. It is important to use data when conducting research. Without data there is no problem, therefore, a hypotheses or solution can be made. There needs to be a decision made if preexisting data should be used or if new data should be used for the research. Also, there should be a timing of data collection for the research. The timing can be in long intervals or it can be a short period of time. Two basic approaches to the study of epidemiology are observation and experimental. The two are very different but yet they both help to organize which study designs to use. The observational …show more content…
Experimental studies can either be randomized, an example is community trials, or no-randomized (Quasi-experimental) which are clinical trials. Unlike experimental studies, observational studies are uncontrolled and they have broader subjects. Under observational studies are prospective studies which have regards to exposure, cause, or characteristics. Cross-sectional and retrospective studies are conducted under observational studies and are broken into two. Cross-sectional studies are time of study and retrospective are before time of study. Cross- sectional studies are diverse, it uses both probability and non-probability. It can also be used for multiple reasons, such as, planning, the generation of hypotheses, and it can examine diseases or risk factors over various times. Cross-sectional studies are very descriptive in measuring the problem and using a collection of data. Another important study design is ecologic study, which studies a group as a unit. The ecologic approach uses an individual as a unit of study. Much like cross-sectional study, ecologic study can be used for the generation of a
In response to the question set, I will go into detail of the study, consisting of the background, main hypotheses, as well the aims, procedure and results gathered from the study; explaining the four research methods chosen to investigate, furthering into the three methods actually tested.
study I am going to go into detail about the epidemiology, discuss the signs and
International Journal of Epidemiology 36.6 (2007): 1229-234. International Journal of Epidemiology. Oxford University Press, 28 Sept. 2007. Web. The Web.
Evidence-based practice utilizes research design analysis from arrays of studies design, it is imperative for research scholars to understand how to read, and how to comment on the quality of research design utilized. There is three major research designs, namely quantitative, qualitative and mixed method; however; mostly utilized in evidence-based practice are quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative and qualitative research designs are exclusive in the description and generate distinct outcomes. Quantitative research design explores relationship amongst independent design variables, the data compilation approach and design firmly controlled than the qualitative data compilation (Polit & Beck, 2017). The outcome of an
For the purpose of this descriptive study, a pre-experimental design was utilized. A limitation of the pre-experimental design is that it fails to include a control group. A single group was studied but no comparison between an equivalent non-treatment group was made.
At the basic level epidemiologists study the distribution, incidence and control of diseases. They do such by a conducting an epidemiological investigation in order to accurately, rather than hastily, prevent more of the population from becoming contaminated and infected with the disease (Wheeling Jesuit University). An example of how this process takes place can be seen in Richard Prestons’s “The Hot Zone” when veterinarians
Descriptive and non-experimental research is very relevant in the sciences, although many people may not understand that. Non-experimental research can come in two forms; a quantitative study, or a qualitative study. A quantitative study can include research methods such as interviews, questionnaires, surveys and/or psychological tests (Smythe, 2014). A qualitative study can include research methods including qualitative interviews, focus groups, ethnographic research and/or historical research (Smythe, 2014). Both methods of non-experimental research are beneficial in the world of science or psychology as they can both produce new knowledge.
Experimental designs are viewed as the most accurate, and most demanding of research designs, requiring strict attention to rules and procedures. Researchers use these research designs to manipulate and control testing procedures as a way to understand a cause and effect relationship. Commonly, independent variables are manipulated to judge or decide their effect on a dependent variable (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008).
Clinical trial is biomedical or health related research studies in human being that follow a pre-defined protocol. Research is an activity designed to test a hypothesis that helps in concluding and developing knowledge. It is a protocol that has an objectives and procedures to reach those objectives (1). There are two types of clinical studies. One is interventional studies in which the research subjects are assigned by the investigator to a treatment or other intervention, and their outcomes are measured. Second is an observational study in which individuals are observed and their outcomes are measured by the investigators.
Epidemiology Epidemiology is the study of the demographics of disease processes, including the study of epidemics and other diseases that are common enough to allow statistical tools to be applied. It is an important supporting branch of medicine, helping to find the causes of diseases and ways of prevention. It can, using statistical methods such as large-scale population studies, prove or disprove treatment hypotheses. Another major use of epidemiology is to identify risk factors for diseases. Epidemiological studies generally focus on large groups of people and relate to a target population that can be identified.
The nature of research instruments, the sampling plan and the type of data the research design constitutes the blueprint for the collection, the measurement and analysis of data. It aids the researcher in the allocation of his limited resources by posing crucial choices.
One of the study designs used in epidemiology is the cohort study (Heavey, 2015). The epidemiology studies are used to examine the distribution of disease (Heavey, 2015). The cohort epidemiology study examines the distribution of disease by following a group of prospects over a period of time and evaluating those that develop the outcome of interest (Heavey, 2015). One of the most important task that must be completed prior to the cohort study is the removal of prevalence cases (Heavey, 2015). This simply means that those who already have the disease of interest must be eliminate (Heavey, 2015).
Epidemiology in the 21st century has great significance, as health problems become more global, a global approach to health is important. Addressing public health problems on a global basis is fundamental to public health, epidemiology and the understanding of disease frequency. Collaboration across the globe has proved to provide a better outcome for public health and the population (Pearce 2013). Descriptive epidemiology embraces a respectable position within the global approach to disease surveillance along with the frequency of diseases, investigating the causes and underlying causes of disease together with understanding the means to control the disease is epidemiology in public health. The idea of epidemiology is that diseases form patterns
It would also work on the Cross-sectional method of study and the longitudinal method of study. The research scholar would also work to draw a comparison between both the methods of the study.
The Importance and Appropriateness of Utilizing Different Methodologies for Research. Introduction The process of research entails the logical as well as systematic search for useful data and information with regard to a specific topic (Jha, 2008). It is also comprised of the investigation of the best, most cost effective and appropriate solutions to both social and scientific issues, following an objective and logical analysis. Jha, (2008) defines research as the search for knowledge and the discovery of the truth. During this process, the data can be gathered from a wide pool of sources among them interviews, books, nature among others.The data can then be analyzed with the appropriate data analysis tools, so as to report the findings