a) Please identify an implementation research question that will support the controlling and elimination of schistosomiasis in Central Sulawesi Highlands, Indonesia. Please discuss why you think that your question is an implementation research question? What would be your research objectives? (5 marks)

Assignment 2: Field methods

Total marks – 50 (Weighting - 50%)

SECTION 1 (total 15 marks)

Please review the paper

Cardarelli, R., Reese, D., Roper, K. L., Cardarelli, K., Feltner, F. J., Studts, J. L., ... & Shaffer, D. (2017). Terminate lung cancer (TLC) study—A mixed-methods population approach to increase lung cancer screening awareness and low-dose computed tomography in Eastern Kentucky. Cancer epidemiology, 46, 1-8.

Tasks (12 marks)

Please discuss how well this study becomes an implementation research. Please consider the following key questions (see the box below), as suggested by Peters et al (2013) to assess research designs or reports on implementation research.  

• Does the research clearly aim to answer a question concerning implementation?
• Does the research clearly identify the primary audiences for the research and how they would use the research?
• Is there a clear description of what is being implemented (for example, details of the practice, program, or policy)? Does the research involve an implementation strategy? If so, is it described and examined in its fullness? (3 marks)
• Is the research conducted in a “real world” setting? If so, is the context and sample population described in sufficient detail? Does the research appropriately consider implementation outcome variables?
• Does the research appropriately consider context and other factors that influence implementation? Does the research appropriately consider changes over time and the level of complexity of the system, including unintended consequences?

 

Please note that we are not expecting “Yes/No” answer to each of the above mentioned questions. We would expect in-depth and elaborate explanations reflecting your critical thinking on implementation research and its different aspects.

Overall format and presentation of section 1 (3 marks):

Please write your response to Section 1 in less than 1000 words (excluding in-text citations and reference list). You will lose marks for going over the word limit. Please submit an MS Word document of the final version of your assignment with font size not less than 11 and line space not less than 1.5.

Please follow an essay format with an introduction (that introduces the topic and clearly identifies the focus of the report) at the beginning and a conclusion (that summarises the contents of the report but does NOT include new information) at the end.

Your work should be evidence-based. Reference your work using a consistent standard referencing style. There is no limit for number of references for this writing. Check for following points before your submission:

• Report structure is logical and complete
• Referencing is correct and consistent
• Figures and tables are sourced and cited in the text
• Paragraphs are not too long and include only 1 or 2 ideas with relevant linking phrases.
• Headings and sub-headings are used appropriately
• English – grammar and punctuation and sentence structure have been checked.

This is an individual assignment. You will be penalized for the similarity found with your assignment with other sources.

SECTION 2 (total 35 marks)

Tasks (30 marks)

Please provide your answers to the questions below based on the story on Schistosomiasis endemic in Central Sulawesi Highland.

a)    Please identify an implementation research question that will support the controlling and elimination of schistosomiasis in Central Sulawesi Highlands, Indonesia.  Please discuss why you think that your question is an implementation research question? What would be your research objectives? (5 marks)

b)    If you are asked to design a mixed methods research addressing your implementation research question on the controlling and elimination of schistosomiasis in Central Sulawesi Highlands, what type of mixed methods research will you go for? Please justify your selection for this particular type of mixed methods research. Please draw a diagram showing your mixed methods research design and explain that. (3 marks)

c)    What would be the primary outcome variable of your study, given this is an implementation research? Please justify your answer briefly. (3 marks)

d)    Who will be the target population, study population and study sample for this research?       (3 marks)

e)    Based on your research question and primary outcome variable, please mention whether you are considering a one-sample or two-sample situation, and why? What is the expected effect size? What are the other assumptions for calculating your sample size? Please use Epi Info (https://www.cdc.gov/epiinfo/index.html) software to calculate your minimum required sample size. Please provide a snapshot of your output as an appendix to this document  (2 marks)

f)     Please design a sampling for the quantitative part of your research. Please justify why you chose to go for this sampling strategy. Please consider the administrative structure of the controlling and elimination of schistosomiasis in Central Sulawesi Highlands when designing your sampling. Please draw a flow chart showing different steps of your sampling. (3 marks)

g)    Please design a purposive sampling for the qualitative component of your research. Please justify why you chose to go for this sampling scheme. (3 marks)

h)    What statistical tests are you going to do for data analysis? Please discuss each of these steps considering your research questions, outcome variables, data types. (2 marks)

i)       In what form your qualitative data will be? How are you going to manage and analyze them? What underlying theory will you follow for your analysis of the qualitative data?  (2 marks)

j)      How are you going to integrate the findings of your quantitative and qualitative research? Please discuss. (4 marks)

Overall format and presentation of the Section 2 (5 marks).

The Section 2 should be less than 2000 words, excluding in-text citations, references and headings. You will lose marks for going over the word limit. You will need to decide about the length of the responses for each of the sections and subsections. Please submit an MS Word document of the final version of your assignment with font size not less than 11 and line space not less than 1.5.

Although there is no set format for this report, please try to make it tidy, precise and professional. Use dot points where appropriate. Your work should be evidence-based. Reference your work using a consistent standard referencing style. There is no limit for number of references for this writing. Check for following points before your submission:

• Report structure is logical and complete
• Referencing is correct and consistent
• Figures and tables are sourced and cited in the text
• Paragraphs are not too long and include only 1 or 2 ideas with relevant linking phrases.
• Headings and sub-headings are used appropriately
• English – grammar and punctuation and sentence structure have been checked.

This is an individual assignment. You will be penalized for the similarity found with your assignment with other sources.