Health Services Research, Part 3: Research Questions
Health Services Research: The Questions!
Crafting successful health services research questions presents a deceptively challenging task. Healthcare organizations often gather large amounts of data. However, if they design their surveys or other data collection instruments poorly, they may fail to answer their original questions. As a result, they sometimes render much of the data they collect unusable.
Health services research projects are often costly to administer. This blog outlines some of the most serious errors that healthcare organizations tend to make when deploying surveys.
Research Methods
Appropriate research purpose statements should drive health services data collection. These statements should drive the selection of proper research methods. Surveys are not the best method of data collection for all projects.
Qualitative data collection may be better to address the informational needs of an organization. Some examples include open-ended interviews, focus groups, or observations>
Surveys are best suited for collecting quantitative data. This data is defined as data that can be summarized and expressed numerically from relatively large groups. They are often used when the goal is to measure outcomes or make inferences from a sample to a population.
Statement of Research Purpose
An unclear or improperly specified statement of purpose will potentially negatively impact a survey’s completeness and focus. For example, if a healthcare provider initiates a healthy diet program and wants to measure the outcomes, they need a clear and specific research purpose. A statement like “Have members’ eating habits changed?” lacks the appropriate level of specificity.
A statement of research purpose, like “How has the healthy diet program affected members’ knowledge, behavior, and attitudes about eating?” is more complete and focused. By specifying several essential components of a healthy diet, this statement is more likely to result in a survey that better addresses various issues. In contrast, the less specific statement could lead to survey writers omitting important domains for assessment.
More specific research questions can be crafted once a clear research purpose statement has been elaborated. From the research purpose statement above, at least three research questions can be asked.
- “How much have members learned about the health risks associated with an unhealthy diet?”
- “How much have members’ eating habits changed?”
- “How much have members’ values and beliefs about healthy eating changed?”
Specific Measures / Variables
Survey writers can identify the specific measures (sometimes called variables) that indicate how much change has occurred.
Why It Matters
There can be serious implications for failing to assess outcomes properly. Healthcare organizations often report to the local, state, and federal government or other cooperating agencies. Thus, adequately documenting specific outcomes is essential for their continued funding. In addition, when applying for a contract, an organization’s outcome assessment tools are sometimes evaluated for scope and relevance. Having poor assessment tools can hinder an organization’s ability to secure contracts.
The Series
The entries that follow in this series detail more specifically how to create successful surveys.
- Various types of health-related surveys and measurable outcomes
- Creating meaningful research questions
- Conceptualizing and operationalizing variables
- Developing sophisticated survey questions
Part 1: Introduction to Health Services Research
Part 2: Types of Surveys & Outcomes
Part 3: Research Questions
Part 4: Conceptual & Operational Definitions
Part 5: Writing Survey Questions
For more information, check out:
Crestline Advisors
Compliance Resource Center
Resources Include
https://www.ahrq.gov/cahps/surveys-guidance/index.html
http://www.hosonline.org/en/survey-instrument/
http://www.rand.org/health/surveys_tools.html
Aday, Lu Ann and Llewellyn J. Cornelius, 2006. “Designing and Conducting Health Surveys: A Comprehensive Guide,” Jossey-Bass: San Francisco, CA.
As an experienced health care professional, Susan (Sue) Dess brings a wide range of experiences to Crestline. Her 15 year administrative and executive management background spans the operations of both managed care and provider organizations.
Sue spent 25 years as an Emergency Room and Intensive Care Registered Nurse.
