Book Review: An introduction to Health Research Methods [i]

For this review, the preface says it all in the purpose of this book as a: "necessary foundation for meaningful improvements in clinical and public health practice." From an outcomes based view, to the research process itself the book is organised through five - very recognisable - steps:

1. The Research Question 5-43
2. Study approaches 35-100
3. Study design and data collection 101-211
4. Analysis 213-271
5. Dissemination 273-345

I have included the page numbers across the steps to give you an idea of the weighting. The text cuts across the various methods, disciplines and credentials of the researcher.

If you are looking for whitespace this book is not for you. As a result though this adds of course to value-for-money. As evidence of packing-it-in the publishers have packed the pages, which for a research book is welcome. The execution while dense with ink on the page, is well delivered in presentation. The font is large, clear, distinct and readable. The adopted format is established very quickly. The first paragraph refers to a figure which is also on the first page. Figures are used to good effect throughout the book, shaded tones not colour.

As per the steps outlined above, two structures to help formulate a general research topic and question are described Exposure, Disease, Population [EPD] and PICOT. Mental health represented here encouraged my reading early on. Literature is also explored, the process of reviewing and systematic revires and meta-analysis in chapters 3 & 22.

With so much research being conducted the matter of originality and gaps in the literature are included. Figure 3-1 provides useful "Ideas for new studies" p.18, the issue of gaps also earns a figure of its own. Chapter 4 quite rightly brought pangs of guilt here dealing with "Focusing the research question" - primary (new data), secondary (existing data), tertiary (review and synthesize the literature). I have struggled to finalise a goal and set specific objectives. This did give me something to ponder upon which I will save for the end.

Each chapter begins with a pithy sentence of advice. Some chapters are very short, e.g. chapters 5 and 6 but this is justified and not suggestive of a need for an alternative structure. Step 2 signifies the arrival at more technical content; time frames, population selection, case definitions, cohort studies, cross sectional surveys, case control studies - with odds rations. This is all framed in accord with the introductory theme. Even an introductory book cannot avoid maths and Jacobsen deploys the figures to very good effect, for example Incidence in figure 11-5. Chapter 12 may be less heavy on the maths but it is a vocabulary expander for the uninitiated in research, as figure illuminate random control trial approaches, randomization efficacy, numbers needed..., flows of participants and screening a diagnostic test results (positives and negatives). The author's picking out Qualitative Research - Chapter 13 gave me hope for Hodges' model which can readily differentiate between quant and qual. And yes, brainstorming and mapping are mentioned at the start of the book.

TO BE CONTINUED...