Learning Objectives
At the end of this session the student will be able to:
Analyze the circumstances for appropriate use of the different study designs
Use appropriate study designs which properly answer the research question/ objective
2 Design options
Quantitative
Qualitative
Mixed
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
3 The research design
The research design refers to the overall strategy that you choose to integrate the different
components of the study in a coherent and logical
ay, thereby, ensuring you will effectively address the research problem;
research design is the overall structure of the research study whereas research methods
are the various processes, procedures, and tools used to collect and analyze data.
The design is the construction and documentation of an idea while the technique is the
approach that is used to do something.
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
4 Criteria for selecting a research design
1) the research problem
2) personal experience
3) Audience
4) Resources available for the study
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5 Criteria for selecting cont..
1) the research problem
Research problems call for specific approaches
Eg. If the problems calls for:
a) the identification of factors that influence an outcome
b)) the utility(usefullness) of an intervention, or
c) knowing the prevalence of diseases
Then a quantitative approach is best
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
6
If a concept or phenomenon needs to be understood because little research has been done
on it,
qualitative approach is preferred
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7
A mixed methods design is useful when either the quantitative or qualitative approach by
itself is inadequate to best understand a research problem or
the strength of both quantitative and qualitative research can provide the best
understanding
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
8 4
Diff. types of study design are not considered equal in the strength of evidence they
provide
Hierarchy:
1st-Randomized controlled trial (High strength)
2nd-Cohort
3rd-Case control study
4th-Observational descriptive studies
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
9 Hierarchy of Epidemiologic Study Design
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10 Epidemiologic Study Design
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11 Case report & case series
A case report is a descriptive study of a single individual (case report)
case series is a descriptive study of small group
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
12 Ecologic Studies
Ecological study is an observational study in which at least one variable is measured at the
group level. ES is especially appropriate for initial investigation of causal hypothesis( is
supposition or theory how things interact, specifically, on whether one thin causes
another).
The unit of analysis is the group, not the individual.
Example:
Childhood lead poisoning in communities in Massachusetts.
Mean systolic blood pressure levels and stroke mortality rates in the Seven Countries
Study.
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13 Cross-sectional study
A type of prevalence study.
Exposure and disease measures obtained at the individual level.
Single period of observation.
Exposure and disease histories collected simultaneously.
Both probability and non-probability sampling used.
Example: Prevalence of congenital malformations across maternal age groups.
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
14 Non-Directionality
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15 Uses of cross-sectional study
Intervention planning
Hypothesis generation
Estimation of the magnitude and distribution of a health problem
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16 Cohort Studies
In a cohort study, subjects with an exposure to a causal factor are identified and the
incidence of a disease over time is compared with that of controls (persons who do not
have the exposure).
In a longitudinal study, subjects are followed over time with continuous or repeated
monitoring of risk factors or health outcomes, or both.
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
17
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
18 A cohort study is a particular form of longitudinal study (panel study) that sample a cohort
(a group of people who share a defining characteristic, typically who experienced a
common event in a selected period, such as birth or graduation), performing a cross-
section at intervals through time.
A cohort study is a panel study, but a panel study is not always a cohort study as
individuals in a panel study do not always share a common characteristic
Panel study is an investigation of attitude changes using a constant of set of people and
comparing each individuals opnions at different times. The key feature is the collect is that
they collect repeated measures from the same sample a a different points in a time.
in medicine, it is an analysis of risk factors and follows a group of people who typically
do not have a given disease, and uses correlations to determine the absolute risk of subject
contraction.
It is one type of clinical study design and should be compared with a cross-sectional
study.
Cohort studies are largely about the life histories of segments of populations, and the
individual people who constitute these segments.
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A cohort is a group of people who share a common characteristic or experience within a
19 defined period (e.g., are currently living, are exposed to a drug or vaccine or pollutant, or
undergo a certain medical procedure). Thus a group of people who were born on a day or
in a particular period, say 1948, form a birth cohort. The comparison group may be the
general population from which the cohort is drawn, or it may be another cohort of persons
thought to have had little or no exposure to the substance under investigation, but
otherwise similar. Alternatively, subgroups within the cohort may be compared with each
other.
Indicators of cohort study:
When there is a strong association between cause and effect, established by any
observational study
When the exposure is rare, but incidence of disease among exposed is high
When people's attrition can be minimized
When resources are ample
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20 Directionality: Always forward
Timing: Prospective or Retrospective
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21 Case-control studies
Case-Control Studies identify existing disease/s and look back in previous years to identify
previous exposures to causal factors.
Cases are those who have a disease
Controls are those without a disease
Analyses examine if exposure levels are different between the groups.
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22
Case-Control studies
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23
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24 Clinical trial studies
T ria l
C o n tro lled N o t co n tro lled
R a nd o m ised N o t ran d om ised
B lind ed N o t b lind ed
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25 Summary
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26 Advantage (bold) and disadvantage
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27 Quantitative designs
If the problems calls for:
a) the identification of factors that influence an outcome
b) the utility(usefulness ,value) of an intervention, or
c) knowing the prevalence of diseases
Then a quantitative approach is best
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
28 Quantitative designs cont…
Since quantitative studies are traditional mode of research, carefully worked out
procedures and rules exist for them
Researchers may be more comfortable with the highly systematic procedures of
quantitative research
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
29 Qualitative designs
If a concept or phenomenon needs to be understood because little research has been done
on it, qualitative approach is preferred
Qualitative research is exploratory and is useful when the researcher does not know the
important variables to examine
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
30 Qualitative designs cont…
This type of approach may be needed When:
the topic is new,
the topic has never been addressed with a certain sample or group of people, and
existing theories do not apply with the particular sample or group under study
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
31 Qualitative designs cont…
Qualitative approaches allow room to be innovative and to work more within researcher-
designed frameworks
They allow more creative, literary-style writing
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
32 Mixed methods
Mixed methods are becoming popular
The problems addressed by social & health science researchers are complex
The interdisciplinary nature of research calls for mixed methods
Formation of research teams with individuals having diverse methodological interests and
approaches is required
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
33 Mixed methods cont…
Eg. If researcher wanted to both generalize the findings to a population as well as develop
a detailed view of the meaning of a phenomenon or concept for individuals
The researcher first explores generally to learn what variables to study and then
studies those variables with a large sample of individuals
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
34
Choose a study design for your research topic in groups and give your rationale? (5 min)
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35 Methodology: data
Data collection: what, How, who, where, when
Data analysis: coding, entering, cleaning, storing, recoding, choice of statistical methods
Operational definitions of crucial concepts
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36 Methodology: practical's
Selection and training of field workers/research staff
Field testing the research methods and tools
Supervision and quality control
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37 Ethical Considerations
Professional obligation to safeguard the safety of study subjects
Refer to national and international guidelines
Describe potential ethical concerns and mechanisms to minimize harm and maximize
benefits
Every research can potentially cause ethical concerns!!
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38 Work plan
Work plan summarizes (in a table, chart, graph) the various components of a research
project and how they fit together.
Includes:
Tasks to be performed
When the task will be performed
Who will perform the task (identify human resource needed for each task)
Number of staff needed to perform the task
Time needed to accomplish the task (person-day)
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
39 Dissemination and Utilization of Results
Briefly describe the dissemination plan
Feedback to the community
Feedback to local authorities
Identify relevant agencies that need to be informed
Scientific publication
Presentation in meetings/conferences
Briefly describe how the study results can be best translated into application
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
40 Budget- Cost of the Project
Clearly identify the resource requirements
Be realistic in costing/budgeting
The work plan is a good starting point for preparing budget- budget for activities
Prepare budget justification
Include 5-10% contingency
Identify funding source & prepare budget according to the required format
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
41 Your Proposal
Simple and clear
Good statement of the problem: why do you want to study?
Pertinent literature review
Few objectives
Clear and detailed methodological description
Good work plan
Reasonable budget
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
42 Visualize Your Thesis
Cover pages
Acknowledgment
Abstract (1)
Introduction (1-2)
Literature Review (4-5)
Justification (1/2-1)
Objective (1)
Methods (3-4)
Ethical consideration(1/2)
Dissemination (1/2)
Results (7-10)
Discussion (4-6)
References (1-2)
Annexes
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
43 Managing your research project
Keep good note
Establish good communication with your advisor(s)
Keep time and promises: always motivate your advisor(s)
Keep your document to a manageable size: readability and clear message
Lead your research work: be ready to manage crisis
Advisors: advisors/tutors, assessors but not dictators
Be faithful to your research
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44 Task II
Develop a justification, objective and methodology for the topic you selected.
Submit a softcopy of the presentation
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45
Thanks
By : BONSO AMI (BSc, MSc, PhD fellow ) 01/11/2024
