RESEARCH METHODS IN HEALTH

Part 1 Investigating health services and health: the scope of research; introduction; evaluating health services -multidisciplinary collaboration; social research on health -sociological and psychological concepts and approaches; health needs and their assessment - epidemiology and demography; costing health services - health economics. Part 2 The philosophy, theory and practice of research: introduction; the philosophical framework of measurement; the principles of research. Part 3 Quantitative research sampling and research methods: introduction; sample size and sampling; quantitative research - surveys; quantitative research - experiments and other analytic methods of investigation; sample selection and group assignment methods in experiments and other analytic methods. Part 4 The tools of quantitative research: introduction; data collection methods in quantitative research - questionnaires, interviews and their response rates; questionnaire design; techniques of survey interviewing; preparation of quantitative data for coding and analysis. Part 5 Qualitative research methods and combined research methods, and their analysis: introduction; unstructured and structured observational studies; unstructured interviewing and focus groups; other methods using both qualitative approaches - case studies; consensus methods, action research and document research.