Research Questions

Last time we considered theories and that they should lead to predictions. Now we take it to the next step and use those predictions to develop research questions. We examined the patient-by-treatment-context interactive model of Christensen and Johnson (2002), and we predicted that it is the primary health provider (PHP) who is the determining factor- so if the PHP was understanding of a patient's nontraditional medical beliefs, it should increase vaccination use.  Now let's develop a research question based on the prediction. 

RQ1: What is the relationship between PHP's support of patients' nontraditional medical beliefs and patients' use of vaccinations? 

To use this research question we would need to have a way to measure "PHP's support of patients' nontraditional medical beliefs" and also a way to measure the patients' beliefs. If you were able to find such measurement tools in the literature, great! You could do a quantitative study measuring PHPs' support, patients' beliefs, and the actual use of vaccinations. But let's say you could not find such measurement tools. You have a couple of choices: 1) develop your own measures or 2) do a qualitative study to examine the opinions of both patients and PHPs. This last choice would require two new research questions. 

RQ2: What are PHPs' opinions about patients' nontraditional medical beliefs and vaccinations? 

RQ3: What are patients with nontraditional medical beliefs opinions about their PHPs and vaccinations? 

Let's consider how we went about this process.  

Literature review led to Theory, which led to Predictions which led to Research Questions which led to the Research Method 

So some things to notice, I did not start with the method, rather I let the theory, predictions, and research questions determine the appropriate method. Next time we will consider when to use various research designs. Do you have an issue or a question that you would like me to discuss in a future post? Would you like to be a guest writer? Send me your ideas! leann.stadtlander@waldenu.edu