Research Topics in Health Administration

Assignment 1: Final Project Part II: Reading a Study.  Using this checklist read and evaluate the article “Diagnosed with Breast Cancer While on a Family History Screening Programme: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.”

Research Evaluation Checklist

Complete the checklist below for the study/article you are to evaluate.

Definetopicandneed.

·         Whatphenomenon does the study investigate?

·         Isthe phenomenon a problem, an opportunity, or a dilemma?

·         Whatsymptoms (easily observable signs) indicate thatit is a problem, opportunityor a dilemma?

·         How do people who know this organization explain these symptoms? Whatdo administrators wanttoknow about the phenomenon?

·         How can it be expressed in manageable terms?

Assessrelevantknowledge.

·         How much is already known?

·         Isadditional background information necessary? Should this research be conducted?

·         Isthe topic a special case ofa broader, more fundamental and important problem?

Identify variables andmeasures,andresearchquestionsandhypotheses.

·         Whatvariables associated with the phenomenon areinvestigated? How are the variables measured?

·         Whatare the research questions?

·         Whatspecific hypotheses are formulated?

Identify andanalyzetheresearchdesign.

·         Whatis the research design—exploratory,descriptive, or causal research? Isthis non-experimental, quasi-experimental, or experimental research? Whatis the nature ofdata—primary or secondary?

·         Whatis the source ofdata—interviews,questionnaires,existing databases? Are answers obtained through interviews and questionnaires objective?

 Analyzethesample.

·         Whatis the population from which the respondents have been selected? How large is the sample?

·         Isit random, stratified,or other sample?

Gather  data.

·         How are data gathered?

·         Does the procedure ofgathering data ensure objectivity?

Analyzedata.

·         Are the data words (qualitativedata) or numbers (quantitative)? How are qualitative data analyzed?

·         How are quantitative data recorded and checked foraccuracy? Whatstatistical methods are used toanalyze data?

Assessresults.

·         Whatare the answerstoresearch questions? Are hypotheses supported?

·         Whatevidence did the study produce thathelps answer research questions or support/refute hypotheses?

Evaluaterecommendations.

Whatrecommendations can be made on the basis ofresults?

Whatrecommendations are made thatcannot be supported with results?

Evaluatethestudy.

·         Whatlimitations does the study have?

·         Whatimprovements in research design can be recommended?

Assignment 2: Final Project Part III: Designing a Study

You are the hospital administrator in a medium-sized, urban, for-profit hospital that caters to middle-income groups. You wonder if patients’ satisfaction with the hospital stay will increase significantly if they are given better and more flexible meal options. You decide to conduct a research study to find the answer. The first step is to design the study.

Design a descriptive study to investigate if better meal options will increase patient satisfaction. Include the following elements of design:

1. Develop a research question or purpose of the study
2. Selection of subjects for study (what is the sample)
3. Assignment of subjects to experimental or control groups
4. Study time period
5. Type of data to be gathered
6. Measures of meal options and of patient satisfaction
7. Method of data collection
8. Guidelines for data interpretation

After you complete building the study design, list three design elements you considered in your study that were not readily obvious in the one you read last week “Diagnosed with Breast Cancer While on a Family History Screening Programme: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.”

By Week 3, Day 6, submit your study design and list of three identified design elements in a Word document to the W3: Assignment 2 Dropbox.

Name your document as SUO_HCM4004_W3_A2_LastName_FirstInitial.doc.

Cite relevant sources in the APA format on a separate page.

Assignment 3: Final Project Part IV: Comparing Study Designs

In previous weeks you have reviewed, researched and evaluated finding a study, reading a study, and designing a study,

Using the knowledge you have gained from these exercises, describe, and compare the three study designs—exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory. What biases are built into these three research study designs? Provide specific examples to illustrate your points, building on the material covered to date.

Click here to download the assignment template and enter your responses in it. This is the template.

Study Designs

Compare the three study designs— exploratory, descriptive, and explanatory.

1. What biases are built into these three research study designs?

2. Explain your answer

3. Provide specific examples.

Enter your answers below.

Exploratory

<Describe the bias likely in this design.>

<Explain your reasons for thinking this bias is likely in this design.>

<Give examples of studies where this bias might appear.>

Descriptive

<Describe the bias likely in this design.>

<Explain your reasons for thinking this bias is likely in this design.>

<Give examples of studies where this bias might appear.>

Explanatory

<Describe the bias likely in this design.>

<Explain your reasons for thinking this bias is likely in this design.>

<Give examples of studies where this bias might appear.>

Assignment 4: Final Project Part V: Quality Checklist

Review the following two research studies.

1. Garne, D., Watson, M., Chapman, S., & Byrne, F. (2005). Environmental tobacco smoke research published in the journal Indoor and Built Environment and associations with the tobacco industry. Lancet, 365(9461), 804–9. Retrieved from http://www.lphi.org/LPHIadmin/uploads/Lancet-%20I+BE.pdf

1. Sclar, E. D., Garau, P., Carolini, G. (2005). The 21st century health challenge of slums and cities. Lancet, 365(9462), 901–3; Retrieved from http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/documents/TheLancetSlums.pdf

Based on your review of the two studies, create a checklist to analyze the quality of research studies.

• Your checklist should not have more than 20 items. Avoid repetition.
• Explain how each item on the checklist helps evaluate a study.
• The checklist should be clearly worded. A person using it should not have to ask for an explanation of any item.