Rehabilitation Research Boot Camp: Research Priorities & Study Types

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How does the design of a study dictate the question-types that a study can answer? Inherently, it is imperative that a researcher understand and appropriately use the proper study design for their purposes in research. Although the research pyramid is useful in understanding the roles of study designs, it doesn’t necessarily define the intricacies needed to contribute to the evidence. This course introduces a number of study designs through purpose statements and gives perspective of the necessities of each and what one might take away to clinical practice.

Meet your instructor

Chad Cook

Dr. Cook is a professor at Duke University with a Category A appointment in the Duke Clinical Research Institute and an adjunct appointment in the Department of Population Health Sciences. He is a clinical researcher, physical therapist, and profession advocate with a long history of clinical care excellence and service and…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. Research Priorities, Study Types

Chapter one discusses the current research priorities at the time of the creation of this module. Priorities in the United States and beyond are dynamic and reflect the ever changing needs of the population and the abilities of health providers and policy makers to influence change.

2. Public Policy: Health Services Research and Outcomes Research

Chapter two discusses the overarching role of public policy and defines health services research. This module discusses how health innovations have improved quality of life and the nature of those innovations. It also discusses the role of clinical practice guidelines in policy.

3. Comparative Effectiveness Research

Chapter three discusses the initial purpose for comparative effectiveness research and how it’s been blended with other forms of research. This module discusses the challenges to performing good comparative research.

4. Diagnostic Accuracy Studies

Chapter four discusses diagnostic accuracy, one of the most challenging study types in research. Diagnostic accuracy studies are expensive, difficult to design and are generally rarely funded. The module discusses the most common mistakes made in this form of research and the reporting mechanisms that are designed to improve the outcomes.

5. Validation Studies

Chapter five is designed to introduce the learner to predictive validity studies and outcomes validation, including clinical prediction rules. Predictive validity studies are very popular in rehabilitation research and the pros and cons of each are discussed.

6. Mechanistic and Basic Science Research

Chapter six addresses mechanistic and basic science research, two forms of research that are commonly associated with rehabilitation and medicine. Pros and cons as well as transferability of each type are addressed.

7. Socio-Behavioral Science Research

Chapter seven addresses the very timely topic of socio-behavioral science research. Socio-behavioral science research addresses the role of the patients situations and thoughts in their own recovery process.

8. Summary

The summary chapter discusses the salient points of the course and provides recommended readings to the learners to enhance the materials within the modules.

More courses in this series

Rehabilitation Research Boot Camp: Understanding Research Methodology

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