rsearch proposal

Doc, we chose a Quantitative design because our goal is to measure the 'extent' and 'level' of accessibility and utilization. We need numbers and percentages to provide an objective profile of the community. A Descriptive design is appropriate because we aim to describe the current conditions without manipulating any variables.

Why did you choose Descriptive Quantitative instead of just interviewing a few mothers (Qualitative)?

No, Doc. Since this is a descriptive-correlational study, we can only determine if there is a significant relationship or association between variables, but not a direct cause-and-effect.

Can you establish 'Cause and Effect' with this design?

Sambag II is a diverse urban barangay, Doc. Its proximity to major hospitals like SWU and VCMC makes it the perfect locale to test if physical distance is still a barrier, or if other factors like cost and knowledge are more dominant in a city setting

Is Sambag II truly representative of an urban poor or urban middle-class community? How does that affect your data?

We delimited our study to Sambag II to ensure a focused and manageable data collection, and because it serves as a primary catchment area for the nearby health facilities we are studying.

Why not include other neighboring barangays?

Doc, we are not hand-picking based on personal preference, but based on strict inclusion criteria. They must be: (1) Currently pregnant and (2) Residents of Sambag II. This ensures that our data is relevant and comes only from the 'target population' who can actually answer our research problem

How can you say your study is 'Unbiased' if you are hand-picking your respondents (Purposive)?

Inclusion: Pregnant women, any age (as long as they can consent), residing in Sambag II.

Exclusion: Those who are not pregnant, those who just recently gave birth (post-partum), and non-residents.

What is your 'Inclusion and Exclusion' criteria?

We will coordinate closely with the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) because they have the master list of pregnant women in each 'purok'. This ensures that we reach our target sample size efficiently.

What if you cannot find enough pregnant women during your data collection? What is your plan B?

Most studies focus on rural areas where there are no clinics. Our study focuses on an urban area (Sambag II) where hospitals are physically close, yet utilization may still be low due to non-physical barriers.

What is the "Research Gap" your study is filling?

It provides a representative sample of an urban population with high physical proximity to tertiary hospitals (like SWU Medical Center or VCMC), allowing us to isolate variables like "knowledge" and "cost" from "distance."

Why did you limit your study to Barangay Sambag II?

It is essential for assessing fetal development, gestational age, and placental position, and for the early detection of complications that could lead to maternal or neonatal mortality.

What is the clinical significance of "Routine" Obstetric Ultrasound?

Through the frequency of visits and the timing of the first ultrasound (e.g., was it done in the first trimester as recommended?).

How do you measure "Utilization"?

This refers to the mother's trust in the technology and the healthcare provider, and whether she believes the ultrasound is safe for her baby.

What do you mean by "Attitude and Perception" in your study?

It is Quantitative, specifically using a descriptive-correlational design to measure and relate specific variables.

Is your study qualitative or quantitative?

It is limited to pregnant women currently residing in Sambag II. It does not include women who have already given birth or those living outside the barangay.

What is the scope and delimitation of your study?

Purposive Sampling. We chose participants based on specific criteria: they must be pregnant and residents of Sambag II.

What is your sampling technique?

Because we are testing the association between two categorical variables (e.g., Educational Attainment vs. Level of Utilization).

Why is Chi-square the appropriate test for your hypothesis?

We are using a p-value of 0.05. If the result is below this, we reject the null hypothesis.

What is your Level of Significance?

The null hypothesis states that there is no significant relationship between the demographic profile of the pregnant women and their level of ultrasound utilization.

Explain your Null Hypothesis (H_0).

The tool underwent face and content validation by experts in the field of Radiologic Technology and Public Health."

How did you validate your research instrument (survey)?

We will use data cleaning protocols to exclude surveys that are more than 20% incomplete to maintain the integrity of the statistical results.

How will you handle "Incomplete" survey responses?

We will use SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) or a similar statistical tool to calculate the Chi-square and frequency distributions.

What software will you use for data analysis?

Yes, Doc. The Independent Variables are the Demographic Profile and Accessibility, while the Dependent Variable is the Level of Utilization.

Does your Conceptual Framework follow the IV-DV model?

We strictly followed the APA 7th Edition format for both in-text citations and the final reference list, ensuring all 2025 sources are properly credited

How did you ensure the "Consistency" of your citations?

Yes. For every sub-problem in the SOP, there is a corresponding section in the survey questionnaire to ensure data alignment.

Is your Statement of the Problem (SOP) mirrored in your Survey Tool?

To ensure that the readers and the researchers have a synchronized understanding of technical terms like "Accessibility" and "Routine Ultrasound."

Why is the "Definition of Terms" section important in your paper?

It is organized thematically, focusing first on global trends, then the Philippine context, and finally the specific factors affecting utilization.

How did you organize your Review of Related Literature (RRL)?

We included Informed Consent, ensured Anonymity (Privacy), and followed Beneficence (ensuring the study does no harm to the pregnant respondents).

What ethical considerations did you include in your paper?

To measure the extent of accessibility (can they get to the clinic? can they afford it?) and the level of utilization (how many actually go and how often?). 

The Goal:

You want to see if a woman's background (age, income, education) directly affects whether she gets an ultrasound. 

The Relationship:

• It's an urban area where hospitals are physically close, yet we don't know if they are actually being utilized effectively.

Why Sambag II?

• It’s not just about the clinic being there; it’s about whether the women know it’s available and understand its importance.

What is 'Informational Accessibility'?

• Because we are comparing categorical data (like Employment Status vs. Level of Utilization) to see if they are independent or related.

Why Chi-square?

While physical proximity to hospitals is high in urban areas like Sambag II, "accessibility" isn't just about distance. We are looking at Financial and Informational accessibility. Just because a hospital is across the street doesn't mean a mother can afford the transmittal or understands why the scan is necessary.

Why did you choose Barangay Sambag II if hospitals are already accessible in urban Cebu City?

Accessibility refers to the opportunity to use the service (physical distance, cost, and awareness). Utilization refers to the actual act of using it, such as the timing of the first scan and whether they follow the recommended frequency. 

What is the difference between 'Accessibility' and 'Utilization' in your study?

We define it as standard prenatal ultrasound used to assess fetal development, gestational age, and placental position, rather than emergency scans.

How do you define 'Routine' in your study?

We are comparing categorical variables—like Employment Status (Employed/Unemployed) and Level of Utilization (High/Low). Chi-square allows us to see if these two categories are independent or if one significantly influences the other. 

Why is the Chi-square test of independence the right tool for your study?

Since our study specifically targets pregnant women in a specific location (Sambag II), purposive sampling ensures we only gather data from those who meet our inclusion criteria and can actually answer the research problem.

Why use Purposive Sampling instead of Random Sampling?

Our H_0 assumes that a mother's demographic profile (like her income or age) has no significant relationship with how she accesses or uses ultrasound services. We are testing to see if we can "reject" this and prove that a relationship actually exists.

Explain your Null Hypothesis (H_0)

"Thank you for that technical question, Doc. In our study, that would be counted as Utilization but not Compliance.

 * Utilization is the simple act of using the service.

 * Compliance, however, follows the WHO and DOH protocols which recommend at least one scan in the first trimester for dating.

If she only had one scan due to an emergency in the 3rd trimester, she utilized the service, but she failed the routine aspect of prenatal care. Our study aims to see if they are using it correctly (routine), not just when there is a scare (emergency)."

Killer Question 1: Ang "Emergency" vs "Routine" (Doc Apita)

Pangutana: "You mentioned 'Routine Ultrasound.' If a mother only gets one scan in her 3rd trimester because of an emergency, do you count that as Utilization or Compliance?"

"Good catch, Doc. If our data is too thin and we have cells with an expected count of less than 5, we will not proceed with the standard Pearson Chi-square because it might give us a 'Type 1 Error' (false positive).

Instead, we will use Fisher’s Exact Test. It is the more robust and accurate alternative for small sample sizes or unevenly distributed categorical data. This ensures that our 'p-value' remains reliable even if our respondents in a certain category are few."

Killer Question 2: Ang "Stats Violation" (Doc Manalo)

Pangutana: "What if your data violates the 'Expected Frequency' rule in Chi-square? What is your backup test?"

"While the geography is different, Doc, the socio-economic themes are universal. The study by Gashaw et al. identifies 'Knowledge' and 'Healthcare Trust' as primary drivers for utilization in developing regions.

We included it in our RRL as a Global Baseline. We want to see if the barriers faced by mothers in Africa—like the misconception that ultrasounds are only for sick babies—are also present in an urban Philippine setting like Sambag II. It helps us compare if our local issues are unique or part of a larger global trend in maternal health."

Killer Question 3: Ang "African Study" sa Cebu (Doc M)

Pangutana: "How does a study from Africa (Gashaw et al., 2025) apply to a mother in Sambag II?"

Imong Tubag: