MSN600 Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Practice and Research

MSN600 Module 6 Discussion: Quantitative Research Design

Quantitative Research Design; Quantitative Data Collection & Analysis

1. Read this fictitious study and then answer the questions that follow:

Brusser and Joansy wanted to test the effectiveness of a new relaxation/biofeedback intervention on menopausal symptoms. They invited women who presented themselves in an outpatient clinic with complaints of severe hot flashes to participate in the study of the experimental treatment. These 50 women were asked to record, every day for 3 weeks before the intervention, the frequency and duration of their hot flashes. The intervention involved five 1-hour sessions over a period of 1 week. Then for 3 weeks after the treatment the women were asked to record their hot flashes again every day. At the end of the study, Brusser and Joansy found that both the frequency and average duration of the hot flashes had been significantly reduced in this sample of 50 women. They concluded that their intervention was an effective therapy in treating menopausal hot flashes.MSN600 Module 6 Discussion: Quantitative Research Design

a. What is the independent variable in this study?

b. What are the dependent variables in this study?

c. Was there random assignment in this study?

d. Is the design experimental, quasi-experimental, pre-experimental, or nonexperimental?

e. What is the specific name of the design used in this study?

f. Is the study design within subjects or between subjects?

g. Was there blinding in this study?

h. Provide at least one way in which this study could have been improved based on your chapter readings.

2. Here is a brief summary of the data collection plan of a fictitious study. Read the summary and then respond to the questions that follow.MSN600 Module 6 Discussion: Quantitative Research Design

Traina conducted a study to investigate the relationship between adults’ blood pressure and their suppression of anger. Data were gathered from a sample of 347 healthy men and women aged 22 to 60 who were members of a gym in Washington DC. Subjects completed two paper and pencil scales: The Feeling of Anger Scale and the Expression of Anger Scale. The scales used a 9 point rating scales. Responses to each scale were summed to yield a total score for each variable. The subjects’ BP was measured by nurses using zero calibrated aneroid sphygmomanometers. Weight was measured with subjects wearing only gym shorts and a t-shirt on an upright scale to the nearest 10th of a pound. Heights was measured without shoes, feet together. All instruments were assessed at being below the eighth grade level. The results indicated for both men and women higher diastolic and systolic BP was associated with higher levels of suppressed anger even when various variables were statistically controlled.

a. Which of the following types of data were collected in this study (self-report, observation, biophysiologic, records)?

b. Were the data collection methods structured or unstructured?

c. For which variables did Traina NOT derive numeric information?

d. Which of the following specific methods were used (likert-type scale, semantic differential scale, event history calendar, rank-order questions, Q-sort)?

e. Which type of data collection was used: telephone interview, personal interview, web-based interview, or self-administered questionnaire?

f. Was readability assessed? At what level?

g. Provide at least one way that data collection and measurement effort be improved in this study based on your readings.MSN600 Module 6 Discussion: Quantitative Research Design

 

 

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Community-Based Participatory Research Discussion

Introduction

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a way of engaging communities in health research through the use of community health workers, volunteers and other stakeholders. CBPR has been used to study environmental exposures and other environmental health issues. In this blog post we will discuss:

How would you characterize the CBPR relationship?

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a form of research that draws on the knowledge and experiences of participants to inform the design and implementation of projects. CBPR has become increasingly popular as an approach to social science research because it allows communities to have greater control over their own health care, education, and economic development; however, this does not mean that CBPR is easy!

There are many benefits associated with community-based participatory research:

• It builds trust between researchers and participants. Researchers can learn about issues from people who have lived them firsthand—and often in much more detail than they would get from traditional surveys or focus groups alone. This deeper understanding allows them access into realms where others may not otherwise go because they lack access or familiarity with certain topics within those realms; thus opening up new avenues for discovery (e.) However, the act itself poses challenges as well: In order for these relationships between researchers/researchers’ findings & communities’/communities’, etc., remain intact…one must ensure that any biases present within these studies do not affect how much transparency each party possesses during ongoing discussions about future plans & outcomes.”

When might a CBPR approach be best suited to address a public health problem?

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is a collaborative approach to understanding community contexts and how they influence health outcomes. In other words, it’s a way of engaging communities in research that involves their participation at every level of the process from identifying needs, designing solutions, implementing solutions and evaluating their effectiveness.

The goals of CBPR are often very different than those of traditional research methods. Instead of focusing on a single problem or issue for which we can find definitive answers through scientific experimentation or statistical analysis (e.g., determining why some people develop cancer while others do not), we want to understand the complex set of influences on health within our community so we can better prevent disease before it strikes…or if it already has struck us down…and then come up with strategies for preventing further damage done by these forces.”

When might a traditional research practices be more appropriate?

If a traditional research practices is more appropriate for your needs, then you should be able to determine what that is. The following situations may present themselves:

• When the focus of your study is on a specific population (e.g., an indigenous community) or health issue (e.g., diabetes).

• When you have a clear intervention in mind, such as education or treatment programs for children with ADHD and their families who live in poverty.

• When environmental exposures are involved, such as air pollution from coal-burning power plants or chemical spills near schools with high rates of asthma among children whose parents are immigrants from countries where smoke inhalation is common practice during childbirth (in this case it would be best not to use existing data sets).

What are some of the ethics issues that arise when research is conducted with community involvement?

Ethics are a huge part of any research project. As you can see from the list above, there are many ethical issues that arise when community involvement is involved in your research.

• Respect for the community: You need to be respectful of the people in your community and their culture, beliefs and values. This means making sure that you understand them well enough so that you can be transparent about what it is you want from them, how they fit into your study/research and why they’re being asked to participate as part of this process (e.g., because they might help us gather data). It also means being honest with everyone involved; if someone asks questions then answer them honestly! Don’t try spreading misinformation or half-truths just because someone has asked them first – do not mislead anyone unless absolutely necessary (and even then use reasonable caution). Finally… always consider who else might be affected by whatever actions/decisions come out of this process too – include those people too!

• Transparency: You need complete transparency throughout all stages of your project including input from others whose opinions matter greatly here too since these decisions may affect others’ lives outside just those directly involved but also indirectly through affecting how things work within society generally over time.”

What are some examples of community engagement and how has it been used in health research to study environmental exposures or other environmental health issues?

• Community-based participatory research (CBPR) can be used to address a wide range of health issues, including environmental health issues.

• Examples of community engagement in environmental health research include:

• Community-based participatory research for the study of environmental exposures or other environmental health issues. For example, one study involved interviewing residents about their exposure to pesticides and then measuring whether they had been exposed by looking at their blood levels of certain chemicals in their bodies. Another example involves collecting data from local farmers about how certain crops perform under different soil conditions before deciding which ones make sense for farmers to grow next year based on these findings instead of just relying on government regulations alone.*

Conclusion

If you are interested in working with community-based research, it’s important to understand the relationship between your institution and the community. It can be complex, but there are resources available online to help guide you along the way. For example, there are many websites that provide information about how to conduct CBPR and how to register as a community member in order to participate in research studies conducted by local organizations or institutions.