Schneider Institute for Health Policy,The Heller School for Social Policy and Management,Brandeis University
Components of health services research projects
August 18, 2004
Jose Suaya, MD, MBA, MPH
Funder/project name etc info.
Source
• Designing and conducting health system research projects
• Corlien Varkevisser
• IDRC (Canada) & WHO
Background
• Part of the health system: set of cultural beliefs about health and illness that provide the basis for health seeking and health promoting behavior
Health system
• 1- The individual, family and community
• 2- The health care services: public and private sector
• 3- Health-related sectors
Health services research
• It is problem oriented:
• Concentrate on those factors that help to explain/solve a problem under examination
Types of problems/concerns
• Policy: Role of government/MOH
• Administration and management: monitoring and evaluation procedures
• Direct services: access, acceptability, appropriateness, coverage, quality, cost, effectiveness
• Individual: social/psychological/physical needs ; families
Stages
• I- Statement of the problem• II- Objectives of the study• III- Methodology• IV- Pilot study• V- Work plan• VI- Administration• VII- Monitoring• VIII- Budget Justification• IX- Deliverables
Stage I: Statement of the problem
• Identification of the problem for research
• Analysis of the problem
• Formulation of the statement of the problem
Stage II: Objectives of the study
• Literature Review
• Objectives:• General• Specific
• Title of the study
Stage III: Methodology -a
• Selection, definition, and operationalization of the variables
• Outcome of interest• Exposure or intervention• Confounders
Stage III: Methodology -bStudy design
• Non-interventional studies (observational)• Exploratory• Cross sectional• Follow-up (cohort)• Case control
• Interventional studies• Experiment• Quasi-experiment
Goal of the study
• To obtain:
• Valid: true conclusions
• Reliable: same method, same circumstances, same results
Threats to validity
• Confounders
• History
• Differential loss
• Hawthorne effect
Stage III: Methodology -c
Data collection techniques
• Use of available data• Observation: watching and recording
behavior• Interviews• Written questionnaires• Focus groups discussions• Combination of the above
Stage III: Methodology -dSampling
• Non Probabilistic• Convenience• Quota
• Probabilistic• Simple random sample• Systematic• Cluster sampling• Multistage
Stage III: Methodology -e
Sample Size
• Desirable• Expected value (expected proportion)• Margin error for the estimate • Precision (e.g. 95%)
• Feasible• Cases, human, time, money
Stage III: Methodology -f
Data Collection and Data Handling
• What• How• By whom• When• Sequence• Quality control
Stage III: Methodology -g
Data Compilation
• Software• Data base development• Coding• Data entry• Verification and Validation• Programming
Stage III: Methodology -h
Data Analysis
• Plan for data analysis• Univariate• Bivariate• Multivariate• Graphical representation
Stage IV: Pilot Study
• Helps to identify potential problems in methodology and logistics
Stage V: Workplan
• Workload: tasks, duration, and person responsible for each of the activities
• Time schedule (Gantt): describe graphically the order and the duration for each of the activities
Stage VI: Administration
• Human • Material• Financial• Logistical resources
• Accountability
Stage VII: Monitoring
• Ongoing process of checking implementation of the project:
• Track of resources used• Number and quality of tasks completed
Stage VIII: Budget Justification
• Starting from the working plan, identify the resources needed for each activity and calculate the unit cost and total cost
Stage IX: Deliverables
• Progress Reports• Scientific• Financial
• Final Report/ Publishable Papers