Class 2A - ph 45

PH 45 Class 2A

  • Students are asked to sit with their assigned groups for the session.

Agenda

  1. Project Groups

  2. Icebreaker Activity

  3. Project Updates

  4. Review of NHIS (National Health Interview Survey)

  5. Literature Review Discussion

  6. Draft Specific Aims for Projects

  7. Updates and Reminders

Group Projects Update

Group Assignments

  • Unassigned Students: Please see the instructor during the icebreaker to get assigned to a group.

  • Waitlisted Students: Discuss group participation with the instructor during the icebreaker.

  • Group Size: Capped at 5. Any larger groups will be divided into smaller groups.

  • Importance of Group Participation: Essential for project completion.

Icebreaker Activity

Discussion Prompt

  • AI: Helper or Hindrance?

    • Discussion on the role of AI tools like ChatGPT in education.

    • Consider both benefits and drawbacks of AI in learning environments.

    • Co-develop classroom guidelines for AI usage.

    • Brief discussion today; detailed discussion on Thursday.

Data Usage in Group Projects

  • Focus on NHIS Dataset

    • Streamlined analysis process within the NHIS dataset.

    • Emphasis on learning practical research skills over personal research question development.

    • Research questions will be developed in the capstone course.

  • Pre-approved NHIS Variables: Available on Canvas to guide analysis.

Overview of NHIS Dataset

What is the NHIS?

  • Nationwide survey by CDC and U.S. Census Bureau since 1957.

  • Collects health information from the civilian, non-institutionalized U.S. population.

NHIS Survey Design

  • Sample Size: 30,000 households, 60,000 individuals interviewed annually.

  • Data Collection: Faced interviews with follow-up telephone surveys.

  • Sampling Design: Multistage probability sampling for representativeness.

  • Key Topics Covered:

    • Health status and chronic conditions

    • Healthcare access and utilization

    • Health behaviors (e.g., smoking)

    • Insurance coverage and preventive services

    • Demographics and socioeconomic factors

NHIS Modules

Core and Supplemental Content

  • Core Content: Annual collection on health status, access to healthcare, and demographics.

  • Supplemental Content: Addresses emerging health topics and trends (e.g., COVID-19).

Key Features of NHIS Data

  • Comprehensive and Flexible: Covers various health topics enabling diverse research questions.

  • Representative and Weighted: Sample weights for accurate population-level inferences.

  • Reliable and Validated: Standardized methods for consistent data quality.

  • Publicly Available: Free access to anonymized data for research purposes.

Using NHIS in This Course

  • Focus Areas: Analyze relationships between exposures and health outcomes.

  • Pre-Approved Variables: A curated list available on Canvas for ease of analysis.

  • Custom Variables: Additional variables require pre-approval to align with course goals.

Examples of NHIS Variables on Canvas

Selected Health Indicators

  • Key Variables:

    • HYPEV_A: High blood pressure diagnosis

    • CHLEV_A: High cholesterol diagnosis

    • CANEV_A: Cancer diagnosis

    • STREV_A: Stroke diagnosis

    • MIEV_A: Heart attack diagnosis

    • Other health-related metrics (asthma, emergency care utilization, BMI, etc.).

NIHS Codebook Examples

  • Variable Information:

    • Example Variable: SMKCIGST_A

      • Module: Adult

      • Questions regarding cigarette smoking status.

    • Example Variable: CANEV_A

      • Module: Adult

      • Questions regarding cancer diagnosis.

Next Steps for Group Projects

  • Identify exposure and outcome variables based on NHIS.

  • Develop research questions for formalization by week's end.

  • Custom variables must also be pre-approved.

Reviewing the Literature

Informal Sources

  • Use nontechnical documents from trusted sources (CDC, WHO) for initial learning; these are not citable in formal reports.

Statistical Reports

  • Utilize national government reports for demographic and environmental data for up-to-date information.

Abstract Databases

  • Definition: Collection of article summaries (abstracts). Useful for identifying relevant literature via keywords.

  • Search features: Boolean operators, filters by publication dates/parameters.

Examples of Abstract Databases

  • Key Databases:

    • MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Google Scholar, and more.

Google Scholar and PubMed

Google Scholar

  • Overview: Open access database for scholarly work; useful for initial literature searches.

  • Features: Citation metrics, alerts, wide-ranging literature.

PubMed

  • Overview: Resource for life sciences and biomedical literature; best for peer-reviewed articles.

  • Features: Advanced search tools and free full-text options.

Accessing Full-Text Articles

  • Open-access articles; university libraries often have subscriptions for research articles.

  • Contacting authors directly is also an option for obtaining articles.

Critical Reading Strategies

  • Initial reading plan: Review abstracts, tables, and full texts; check references for additional sources.

Questions for Critical Reading

Categories

  • Introduction/Background: Study goals.

  • Methods: Appropriateness and validity of methods.

  • Results: Reasonableness and clarity of results.

  • Discussion: Identifying limitations and biases.

  • Conclusion: Validity of claims and implications mentioned.

Validity

Internal and External Validity

  • Internal Validity: Evidence of proper measurement.

  • External Validity: Generalizability of results to other populations.

Annotated Bibliographies

Components

  • Citation, summary of the source, relevance, strengths and weaknesses.

Steps to Create

  1. Select relevant sources related to research topics.

  2. Format citations appropriately.

  3. Write concise annotations.

Examples of Annotation Format

Citation Example

  • Smith, J. (2023). Impacts of public health campaigns on smoking cessation. Health Policy Journal, 12(3), 123-134.

  • Annotation: Summarizes effectiveness of anti-smoking campaigns with robust analysis of demographic outcomes.

Tips for Annotated Bibliographies

  • Keep concise and consistent; alphabetize by authors.

Original Research

Key Concepts

  • Originality: New contributions to health science literature.

  • Identifying Gaps: Essential for establishing justification for research.

Ideas for New Studies

  • Synthesize existing literature to frame new research areas.

Replicability

  • Essential for confirmation of original findings through new population studies.

Defining Specific Aims

Refining Your Study Question

  • Determine clear research goals and specific aims to achieve those goals.

Specific Objectives

  • Develop 2 to 4 specific aims, utilizing SMART criteria for effectiveness.

Conceptual Frameworks

Framework Models

  • Use directed acyclic graphs (DAG) to display relationships among study components.

Theoretical Frameworks

Definition and Examples

  • Established models that inform research frameworks and designs.

Feasibility Studies

Assessment Factors

  • Resources, time, ethics, and scope need evaluation for project viability.

Essential Questions for Project Success

Key Areas of Inquiry

  • Purpose, feasibility, capacity, population access, ethical considerations, and intended audience.

Updates and Reminders

  • Read specified chapters for descriptive study approaches; finalize project teams and upcoming deadlines.