Research Methods for Public Health

Description

Research Methods for Public Health provides foundational knowledge and practical guidance for all steps in the research process using public health examples and real-world applications to reinforce all concepts. It covers everything students need to have a firm basis on how to design public health research, how to collect and manage data using a variety of study designs and methods, and how to share research results. Foundational topics such as searching the literature, finding gaps, formulating research questions, operationalization and measurement, sampling, budgeting for research studies, summarizing and visualizing data, disseminating results and more are explained in clear and accessible prose. The textbook emphasizes skills including question development, survey design and implementation, qualitative methodology, mixed methods research, how to record and analyze quantitative and qualitative data, and how to use secondary data.Regardless of whether you are starting your scientific research career path, or are on track to become a public health practitioner, or plan on becoming a health policymaker, this textbook provides an authoritative introduction to research and its importance on improving public health practice for everyone entering the field. Richly illustrated and with an abundance of helpful tables, boxes, and practical public health case studies and examples, this textbook contains the core principles, concepts, and knowledge of how to design, plan, evaluate, and disseminate public health research. Research Methods for Public Health comes with a full Instructor package including PowerPoints, test banks, and an Instructor's Manual with detailed classroom activities, CEPH competency mapping, and more. Key Features:Provides the principles and best practices of general research methods texts combined with specific public health relevanceApplicable to students who want to conduct research as part of their career as well as those who need the skills to understand how public health evidence is developed through researchIncludes chapters on Developing Budgets and Timelines for Research Studies and Disseminating Research Results, topics often overlooked in other textbooksAligns content with program competencies and skills essential for those entering the public health fieldContains numerous illustrations, tables, boxes, and case studies which provide important context to key conceptsComes with access to the digital eBook Cover Title Contents Preface Part I: Public Health Research Basics Chapter 1: The Importance of Research in Public Health Introduction Why Learn About Research Methods? Phases in the Research Process Categories of Research Purpose Final Thoughts on the Importance of Research in Public Health References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 2: Literature Search and Research-Question Development Introduction Why Review the Literature? Literature-Review Nomenclature Conducting a Literature Review Developing Research Questions References References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 3: Ethics in Public Health Research Introduction Historical Cases Shaping Research Ethics Ethical Guidance for Public Health Research Institutional Review Boards (IRB) IInformed Consent Other Ethical Considerations Bias and Cultural Considerations in Research Public Health Ethics Framework and Code of Ethics References Additional Readings and Resources Part II: Research Details and Design Chapter 4: Operationalization and Measurement Introduction Variables in Research Relationship Among Variables Conceptual Framework and Hypothesis Development Measurement References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 5: Sampling Introduction The Sampling Process Sampling Methods Sampling Issues References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 6: Quantitative Study Designs: Experimental Introduction Internal Validity Experimental Study Designs References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 7: Quantitative Study Designs: Nonexperimental Introduction Quasi-Experimental Study Designs Cross-Sectional Study Designs Longitudinal Study Designs Other Nonexperimental Quantitative Study Designs External Validity References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 8: Developing Budgets and Timelines for Research Studies Introduction Funders of Public Health Research Developing a Research Budget References Additional Readings and Resources Part III: Quantitative Research Chapter 9: Quantitative Data Collection Introduction Quantitative Data Collection How Do You Get People to Provide Data? Methods of Survey Implementation Objective Measurement Available Records References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 10: Quantitative Data Analysis Introduction Descriptive Statistics Inferential Statistics Parametric and Nonparametric Tests Other Notes on Quantitative Analysis Additional Readings and Resources Part IV: Qualitative Research Chapter 11: Qualitative Study Designs Introduction Approaches to Qualitative Research Qualitative Versus Quantitative Research Issues to Consider in Qualitative Research Design Quality in Qualitative Research Studies Ethics in Qualitative Research References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 12: Qualitative Data Collection Introduction Individual and Group Interviewing Focus Groups Developing Questions for Interviews and Focus Groups Using Observation to Collect Qualitative Data Data Collection for Qualitative Content Analysis Community-Based Participatory Research References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 13: Qualitative Data Analysis Introduction Preparing Data for Qualitative Analysis Coding Qualitative Data Reviewing and Summarizing Qualitative Data References Additional Readings and Resources Part V: Visualizing, Messaging, and disseminating Results Chapter 14: Summarizing and Visualizing Data Introduction Data Visualization Infographics References Additional Readings and Resources Chapter 15: Disseminating Research Results Introduction Challenges to Dissemination Planning for Dissemination Ethical Issues Related to Dissemination Telling the Research Story References Additional Readings and Resources Index