Research methodology
Dilla university
By: Fikru B (MPH)
[Link]
Definition: Research is a scientific inquiry aimed at learning
new facts, testing ideas, etc.
It is the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation
of data to generate new knowledge and answer a certain
question or solve a problem.
Health research is the process of obtaining systematic
knowledge and technology which can be used for the
improvement of the health of individual groups.
It provides the basic information on the state of health and
diseases of the population;
1.1 Characteristics of research
It demands a clear statement of the problem
It requires a plan (it is not aimlessly “ looking” for
something in the hope that you will come across a
solution)
It builds on existing data, using both positive and
negative findings
New data should be systematically collected and
analyzed to answer the original research objectives
1.3 purposes of health research
• To generate new knowledge and technologies to deal with
major unresolved health problems.
• To identify priority problems and to design and evaluate
policies and programs that will deliver the greatest health
benefits, making optimal use of available resources.
1.4 Type of research
1. Empirical and theoretical research
The philosophical approach to research is basically of two types:
empirical and theoretical.
Health research mainly follows the empirical approach, i.e. it is
based upon observation and experience more than upon theory
and abstraction.
Epidemiological research, for example, depends upon the
systematic collection of observations on the health related
phenomena of interest in defined populations.
Moreover, even in abstraction with mathematical models,
advances in understanding of disease occurrence and causation
cannot be made without a comparison of the theoretical
constructs with that which we actually observe in populations.
Type of research cont...
Empirical and theoretical research complement each other
in developing an understanding of the phenomena, in
predicting future events, and in the prevention of events
harmful to the general welfare of the population of interest.
Type of research cont...
• Empirical research in the health sciences can be qualitative or
quantitative in nature.
• Generally, health science research deals with information of
a quantitative nature.
[Link] and Qualitative researches:
• quantitative” research concerned with investigating things
which we could observe and measure in some way.
• Early forms of research originated in the natural sciences
such as biology, chemistry, physics, geology etc
• observations and measurements can be made objectively and
repeated by other researchers.
Type of research cont...
• Qualitative research is concerned with developing
explanations of social phenomena. researchers working
in the social sciences: psychology, sociology,
anthropology
• it aims to help us to understand the world in which we
live and why things are the way they are.
• It is concerned with the social aspects of our world and
seeks to answer questions about:
Why people behave the way they do
How opinions and attitudes are formed
How people are affected by the events that go on
around them
How and why cultures have developed in the way
they have
Type of research cont...
3. Basic and applied
• Research can be functionally divided into basic (or pure) research
and applied research.
• Basic research is usually considered to involve a search for
knowledge without a defined goal of utility or specific purpose.
Ultimately some of this new sake knowledge may be applied).
• Applied research is problem-oriented, and is directed towards the
solution of an existing problem.
• concentrates on finding solutions to immediate problems of
practical nature
Type of research cont...
[Link] based on Object of Analysis
• Biomedical Research (Basic biological processes, structure
and function of the human body, pathological mechanisms)
• Clinical Research (Efficacy of preventive, diagnostic, and
therapeutic procedures, natural history of diseases)
• Epidemiologic Research (Frequency, distribution, and
determinants of health)
• Health Systems research (Effectiveness, quality, and costs
of services: development and distribution of resources for
care )
Health systems research
Health systems research
Research that supports health development has come to be
known as Health Systems Research.
It is ultimately concerned with improving the health of a
community, by enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the
health system as an integral part of the overall process of
socioeconomic development.
Definition of “health system”
A health system may be described as:
A set of cultural beliefs about health and illness that forms the basis
for health-seeking and health-promoting behaviour.
The institutional arrangements within which that behaviour occurs;
and The socioeconomic (political) physical context for those beliefs
and institutions.
Health systems research cont..
• it consists of what people believe and know about health
and illness and what they do to remain healthy and cure
diseases.
• Beliefs and action are usually closely connected. For
example, if in a society people perceive germs as the cause
of disease, they will look for modern (biomedical) health
care.
• The institutional arrangements within which the health-
seeking and health-promoting behaviour occurs may
include:
1.5 Health systems research cont..
1. The individual, family and the community
2. Health care services private sector: traditional and
modern
medical practice (legal or illegal)
Public (governmental) sector
Health workers, health
institutions, etc.
3. Health related sectors education, agriculture, etc.
4. The international sector, including bilateral and multilateral donor
agencies (UNICEF, WHO, etc.) that may support health as well as
Essential Features of Health Systems Research (HSR)
Health systems research cont..
HSR is undertaken primarily to provide information to support
decision-making at all levels that can improve the functioning
of the health system, some of the essential features are
summarized as follows
HSR should focus on priority problems.
It should be action oriented (i.e., aimed at developing solutions)
An integrated multidisciplinary approach is required (research
approaches from many disciplines)
The research should be participatory in nature (from policy makers
to community members)
Research must be timely.
Emphasis should be placed on comparatively simple, short-term
research designs that are likely to yield practical results
1.6 Main components of any research work
I. Preparing a research proposal
II. Fieldwork (i.e., data collection)
III. Analyzing data and preparing a research
report
1.7 A Research Proposal
A research proposal is a document that presents a plan for a
project to reviewers for evaluation.
It can be a supervised project submitted to instructors as
part of the educational degree
Its purpose is to convince reviewers that you, the researcher,
are capable of successfully conducting the proposed research
project.
Reviewers have more confidence that planned project will be
successfully completed if the proposal is well written and
organized, and if you demonstrate careful planning.
1.7 A Research Proposal cont..
The proposal is similar to a research report, but is written
before the research project begins.
A proposal describes the research problems and its
importance, and gives detailed account of the methods that
will be used and why they are appropriate.
The proposal for quantitative research has most of the
parts of the research report: a title, an abstract, a problem
statement, a literature review, a method or design section, and
a bibliography.
It lacks result, discussion and conclusion sections.
