RM1

Definition of research

A systematic, rigorous enquiry to describe phenomena, test theories, and improve health outcomes.

Basic research

Lab-based research aimed at improving scientific theories.

Applied research

Applies scientific theories in practice to solve real-world problems.

Goal of research vs audit vs service evaluation

R: Generate new knowledge

A': Check performance against standards

SE: Assess quality of current care

Quality improvement

Solving problems in practice using tools from research, audit, and evaluation to improve services.

Importance of research in pharmacy practice

Embedded in practice through surveys, evaluations, and projects.

Research protocol contents

Background, aims, design, ethics, plan, references.

Cross-sectional survey

One-time data collection using questionnaires, measures prevalence.

Cohort study

Follows groups over time based on exposure.

Case control study

Compares those with and without a condition, looks back in time.

Experimental design

Hypothesis testing with control

Challenge with experimental designs

Costly, hard to control confounders, not always realistic.

Appropriate design for cough management research

Cross-sectional survey.

Tools in quantitative research

Questionnaires, existing datasets, activity recordings.

Tools in qualitative research

Interviews, focus groups, observations.

Hypothesis

A prediction about how independent and dependent variables relate.

Confounding

External variables distort true variable relationships.

Bias

Systematic error in results due to sample or measurement issues.

Positivism

Belief that knowledge comes from observable, measurable phenomena.

Interpretivism

Understanding meaning

Triangulation

Using multiple methods to explore a research question.

Mixed methods

Combines qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Advantage of mixed methods

Offers a more complete picture

balances strengths and weaknesses.

Limitation of mixed methods

Complex design

difficult to integrate data

time-consuming.

When to use quantitative methods

To answer “how many” or “how common” questions.

When to use qualitative methods

To answer “why” or explore unclear issues.