Results vs Discussion
Results: Specific lab, clinical, objective, or subjective findings
Discussion: Interpretation of results
In a study, which group receives the program/treatment?
Experimental group
Study Designs: Parallel
Participants are randomly assigned to a particular treatment group and remain on that treatment throughout the study
Descriptive Research
Gathers new data needed to generate cause & effect relationships
- Provides baseline data and monitors change over time
- Establishes associations among factors, but does NOT allow causal relationships to be determined
Types of Descriptive Research
- Qualitative research
- Case report, case study, or case series
- Surveys
- Correlation/ecological studies
Qualitative Research
A type of descriptive research
- Often precedes other research
- Describes observations in non-numerical terms
- Data (narrative, non-numeric) is collected via interviews, observations, questionnaires
Case report, case study, or case series
A type of descriptive research
- Intensive inquiry abut a person or population with a common disease/condition
- Helps identify variables related to the condition’s etiology, care, or outcomes
Survey
A type of descriptive research
- Questionaire or interview to describe the characteristics of a population
- Has defined time frame; pinpoints problems
Correlation/Ecological Study
A type of descriptive research
- Compares the frequency of events (or disease rates) in different populations VS the per capita consumption of certain dietary factors
- Ex: Correlation between fish consumption and breast cancer incidence
Analytical Research
Evaluates the effects of variables to establish cause & effect relationships
Types of Analytical Research
- Experimental Model
- Quasi-experimental design
- Cohort studies
- Case-control studies
- Cross-sectional/prevalence studies
Experimental Model
A type of analytical research
- Participants are randomized into experimental and control groups
- Gold standard: Randomized control trial (RCT)
Best method for evaluation medical treatments and interventions
Randomized control trial
Parallel Design of a RCT
Participants are randomly assigned to a particular treatment group and remain on that treatment throughout the study
Quasi-Experimental Study Design
A type of analytical research
- Time series: Measurements are taken before and after a program to see if there’s a noteworthy change
Cohort Study
A type of analytical research
- Tracks a group of people with something in common (to see if they develop a disease/condition over time)
Case-control Study
A type of analytical research
- Compares the past behaviors of two similar groups - one with a disease and the other without - to see how they differ
Cross-sectional/prevalance study
A type of analytical research
- One-time data collection (snapshot) to count all cases of a specific disease among a group of people at a specific time
- Describes current, not past events
Relevance/Validity: Definition and when it is used
Ability to measure phenomenon it intends to measure
- Used when several products compete against one another
Reliability
Consistency/reproducibility of test results
Sensitivity vs Specificity
Sensitivity: Proportion of afflicted individuals who test positive
Specificity: Proportion of non-afflicted individuals identified as non-afflicted
Percentage of all observations in a normal distribution that fall within 1 SD of the mean
68% (2/3)
Double-blind study
Neither the researcher nor the subject know who is receiving treatment vs placebo (removes bias from research)
Mortality
Rate of death
