Social And Preventive Medicine

1. Research Methodology by
Abramson
Chapter 3,4,5

2. Expectations from today's session
 Understanding stages of investigations.
Steps to consider when Formulating the objectives.
Concepts behind the objectives of descriptive,
analytical and evaluating studies.

3. Stages of investigations.
1. Preliminary Steps
Clarifying the purpose .
Reviewing the literature.
Ethical Considerations.
Formulating the topic.
2.Planing
3.Preparing for data collection
4. Collecting the data.
5.Statistical analysis
6.Interpretations of the results.
7.Writing reports

4. Stages of investigations.
Planning Phase.
1.Formulation of study objectives.
2.Planning of methods
a. The study population
Selection and definition
Sampling
Size
b. Variables
Selection and definition
Scales of measurement
c. Methods of collection data
d. Methods of recording and processing

5. Formulating the objectives.
What to study?
Why?
Topic
Purpose
Knowledge learnt and shared
Questions that it answers

6. Good Research Question must be
FINER
F-FEASIBILITY
I- INTERESTING
N-NOVEL
E-ETHICAL
R-RELEVENT

7. A “Well-built” question should include four
parts,reffered to as PICOthat identify the
P-Patient problem or Population
I -Intervention
C-Control or Comparision
O- Outcome

8. Objectives Should Be SMART..
S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Relevant
T - Time bound

9. Formulating the objectives.
Objective of descriptive surveys
Objectives of analytical studies
Objectives of evaluative studies

10. Objective of descriptive surveys
 Targeting a set of population with diagnostics purpose ( usually easy to
formulate)
 Investigator can choose the characteristics that one wants to measure.
 Can include Disease , Deaths and disabilities, discomforts
 Positive aspects may also be covered like Physical fitness, Mental ability,
Quality of life etc.
 Some neutral aspects may also be covered which include somatic or
psychological characteristics e.g. body weight, biological markers, left
handedness etc.

11. Objective of descriptive surveys
Contd..
 Thumb rule.
 Characteristic(C) a proxy measure for Disease(D).
 C just a screening Test
 E.g. High casual BP measurement (C) in a community can be
an indicator for a person for further investigation of (D).
 C proceeds D in time it can be used as risk marker.

12. Objective of descriptive surveys Cont..
 If C is amenable to change and if a change in C will reduce
the risk of D , then there may be a case for intervention at C,
in such instances C is termed as modifiable risk factor.
General objectives of a descriptive study is to
determine the prevalence of or to identify people who
have specified factors( modifiable and non
Modifiable risk factors).

13. Objectives of analytical studies
 Analytic studies seek information about two variables.
 Aim of Analytical Studies are:
 Explain the health status of a specific group of population
 Seek new knowledge about factors affecting health an d disease or
 Test the value of tools used in health care. E.g screening or
diagnostics tests or risk markers etc.
 Analytical studies have a descriptive as well as analytical element.

14. The objective of Evaluative studies
 Evaluation of a treatment/studies should be based on facts and
explicit criteria must be used and should not be based on subjective
elements.
 An evaluative study sets out to collect these facts and the facts to
be collected should be specified in the study objectives.
 Evaluative studies may be descriptive, analytic or both and their
objective should be formulated accordingly.

15. The basic question of Evaluative studies
1.Requisiteness
 To what extent is care needed?
2. Quality
 How satisfactory is the outcome
Attainment of desirable effects? (Effectiveness)?
Absence of undesirable effects (Harmlessness)?
 How satisfactory is the process?
Performance of the activities by providers of care?
Compliance and utilization of services by recipients of care?
 How satisfactory are the facilities and settings (structure)?

16. The basic question of evaluative studies
Contd..
3.Economic Efficiency
How efficiently are resources used?
Types:
Cost Benefit Analysis
Cost Effectiveness Analysis.
Cost Utility Analysis.
4.Satisfasction
How satisfied are the people concerned?
5.Differential value

17. Thanks
Presented by
Dr. Umar Nazir
PG 1st Year