NCM-111 USI Vincentian Learning Module

Lesson 1: INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH RESEARCH

Lesson Overview

Have you ever wondered how drugs for different diseases were developed? How were
epidemiologists able to show that smoking is associated with lung cancer? How were scientists
able to determine that vaccination is effective for the prevention of a number of diseases like
measles, poliomyelitis, and hepatitis B? And more recently, how are scientists able to determine
the nature of the dreaded COVID and its empirical management? All these are examples for the
different applications of the research process which will be discussed in the module.

This module shall provide to you examples of areas covered in health research, and
present an overview of the different steps involving in planning and conducting research.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the lesson, you will be able to:

1. Describe the characteristics of the research process.

2. Give examples of problems which can be investigated through health research.
3. Explain the different steps in the research process.
4. Differentiate between internal and external validity of research results.

Learning Content and Self-Assessment Questions (SAQs)

Characteristics of the Research Process

• It is a problem-solving activity.
• It involves the application of the scientific method in investigating a problem.
• Conclusions are made from the research process are based on empirical
evidence or observed facts.
• It is an activity which is: systematic, objective and reproducible.

Definition of Research

• It is the systematic and rigorous investigation of a situation or problem in order

to:
o generate new ideas; or,
o validate existing knowledge

• Research for health covers the following five generic areas of activity:
o measuring the magnitude and distribution of the health problem

Lesson 1: Introduction to Health Research

NCM-111 USI Vincentian Learning Module

o understanding the diverse causes or the determinants of the

problem, whether the are due to biological, behavioral, social, or
environmental factors
o developing solutions or interventions that will help to prevent or
mitigate the problem
o implementing or delivering solutions through policies and programs
o evaluating the impact of these solutions on the level and distribution of
the problem

Areas Covered in Health Research

• Etiology (biologic, endogenous, psychological, social, economic)

• Disease prevention and promotion of well-being (interventions to modify
behavior, promote well-being or alter physical, biological and environmental risks)
• Detection, screening and diagnosis (all phases – from development to
evaluation – of markers and technologies)
• Development of treatments and therapeutic interventions
(pharmaceutical, medical devices, psychological, behavioral, physical)
• Evaluation of treatment and therapeutic interventions (pharmaceutical,
medical devices, psychological, behavioral, physical)
• Management of diseases and conditions (individual care, end-of-life care,
management and decision-making)
• Health and social care services (organization and delivery of services, health
economics, policy ethics and governance, resources and infrastructure, research
design and methodology)

Examples of Health Research Topics

• Growing microbiological resistance in, for example, diseases like tuberculosis and
malaria
• Absence of effective treatments for diseases in low-income countries such as
dengue fever
• Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS
• Prevention and control of neglected tropical diseases
• Understanding the epidemiology of, and developing preparedness for
new/emerging infections
• Need for new knowledge about local contexts, conditions and health priorities
• Need for new knowledge about social, political, economic and environmental
determinants of health
• Health policy and systems research – how to make the health system perform
better
• Research on environmental health, the interaction between economic activity,
environment and human health

Lesson 1: Introduction to Health Research

NCM-111 USI Vincentian Learning Module

Steps in Conducting Research

I. Identify and define the research problem

a. Select a research topic
b. Identify the research problem
c. Formulate the research objectives
d. Determine the significance of the research problem and objectives
identified

II. Review the literature related to the problem identified

a. Involves answering the question: “What is already known about the
topic and the research objectives which I wish to investigate?”

III. Develop the conceptual framework underlying the research problem and objectives
to be studied
a. The conceptual framework explains either in the form of a figure, in
narrative form, or both, the main variables being studied and how
they are related to each other

IV. Revisit the research objectives and redefine the actual problem for investigation in
more clear and specific terms.
a. Refers to the process of reviewing, refining or fine-tuning the first
draft of the general and specific objectives based on new knowledge
derived from the review of related literature
b. It may involve delimiting the scope of the study without dealing with
a trivial problem

V. Define the variables to be studied.

a. Formulate operational definitions of variables
b. Identify attributes of the variable to be studied in the research project
i. Estimate magnitudes
ii. Determine differences
iii. Investigate relationships between variables
c. Identify the dependent, independent and control variables, if
applicable
d. Formulate testable hypothesis, if asked for by the research objectives

VI. Construct the research design

a. Areas of concern include:
i. Study design
ii. Methods of subject selection
iii. Sample size
iv. Strategies for control and manipulation of relevant variables
v. Establishment of criteria to evaluate outcomes
vi. Instrumentation
b. Internal Validity
i. Does the study measure what it intends to measure?

Lesson 1: Introduction to Health Research

NCM-111 USI Vincentian Learning Module

ii. Refers to the extent to which various types of biases are

controlled in the study like comparability of subjects,
measurements bias and others
c. External Validity
i. Refers to the extend to which the study results can be
generalized to a larger population
ii. Covers issues related to sample selection and sample size

VII. Design the tools for data collection

VIII. Design the plan for data analysis

a. Construct dummy tables
b. Identify statistical techniques to be applied in order to achieve the research
objectives

IX. Plan for the administrative aspects of the research

a. Get ethical clearance
b. Determine the project timeline
c. Develop the budget

X. Collect the data

XI. Process the collected data

XII. Analyze the data

XIII. Write the research report

XIV. Disseminate the results

XV. Utilize the results

Helpful Things to Remember About Research

• Research is not for the highly sensitive, onion-skinned and proud persons.
• The success of a research project is highly dependent on how potential problems
have been identified and resolved BEFORE DATA COLLECTION BEGINS.
• The best research teacher is research experience itself.
• Research concepts and methodologies are dynamic and a good researcher should
always be open to new ideas, concepts, and new ways of doing things,

Lesson 1: Introduction to Health Research

NCM-111 USI Vincentian Learning Module

Self-Assessment Questions

Instruction: Read each item carefully. Kindly provide the correct answer/s on the
questions/statements provided.

In a tabular form, compare the different STEPS IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH to a household or

leisure or sport or any activity, citing the similarities between the two (per step). You may cluster
the different steps that may fall under one part of your chosen activity. Please refer to the table
below for your format and reference: (20 points)

STEPS IN CONDUCTING COMMON DENOMINATOR

ACITIVITY
RESEARCH (Similarity)
1. a.

2. b.

3. c.

4. d.

Rubrics: 2 POINTS EACH ITEM

2 points Comparison of steps in conducting research and the activity and the
similarity between these two are properly identified and established.
1 point Comparison of steps in conducting research and the activity is identified but
the similarity is not properly established.
0 No information given.

Key Points

• Research is a systematic and rigorous investigation of a situation or problem in order to

generate new ideas or validate existing knowledge.
• Health research covers five generic areas which include measuring the magnitude and
distribution of the health problem, understanding causes or determinants of the problem,

Lesson 1: Introduction to Health Research

NCM-111 USI Vincentian Learning Module

developing solutions or interventions to the problem, implementing solutions through

policies and programs and evaluating the impact of the solutions.
• Areas covered in health research include etiology, disease prevention and promotion of
well-being, detection, screening and diagnosis, development and evaluation of treatment
and therapeutic interventions, management of diseases and conditions, and health and
social care services.
• Steps in conducting research encompasses a series of activities from identification of the
research problem, review of literature related to the problem, development of theoretical
and conceptual framework, formulation of objectives and statement of the problem,
definition of variables, construction of research design, designing tools for data collection
and analysis, planning for the administrative aspects of the research, collection,
processing and analysis of data, writing the research report, and dissemination and
utilization of the research results.

References

Mendoza, O.M (2000). Steps in Planning and Conducting Research (Chapter 3 in BIO 201
Fundamentals of Biostatistics). Manila. Distance Education Program, University of the Philippines
Manila-College of Public Health.

Mendoza, O.M., et. Al. (1996). Foundations of Statistical Analysis for the Health Sciences. Manila.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of the Philippines Manila-College of
Public Health.

World Heath Organization (2012). The WHO Strategy on Research for Health. Gevena. World
Health Organization.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Health Research