Dental Public Health: Research Methods for the Dental Hygiene Student A Slide Series Review

Why Research? Science which can make diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis better Practice utilized evidence- based theories Industry Safety Others

What is Research? Stats Rats Mazes

Research in Dental Hygiene Why We Need To Be Educated in Research Methods

The Debate Is dental hygiene a field of study or a discipline?

Research in Dental Hygiene The greatest value of research is in its contribution to the body of knowledge that can be used by the practitioner.

Research in Dental Hygiene Why practicing dental hygienists should get involved

BS and MS Degrees in Dental Hygiene Where do they fit in? Why do they help the entire profession?

Michaels Research and scholarship are not merely activities; they are a way of life and a way of thinking about life. Research and scholarship are founded on skepticism, distrust of authority, constructive criticism, clarity of thinking, trust in evidence, and recognition that knowledge is tentative, conditional, and probabilistic. Research and scholarship require a way of thinking about the world and things in it that provokes the drive to search for the truth and the drive to share publicly not only the truth but the methods for searching for it. The drive to search for the truth, the drive to share the truth, and the methods of the search are relentless, uncompromising, and discomforting.

Critiquing Studies and Products The Art of Criticism

Location of Published Material Author Purpose of the Publication Statement of the Problem Hypothesis

The Art of Criticism Purpose: Should explain what is studied Problem: Clearly identified goal Literature Review: Thorough and current Methods: Described methods utilized, research designs, and materials to be used in the study Results/Discussion: Conclusions justifiable with recommendations for future studies

The Art of Criticism Assumptions Limitations Definitions of Terms Sample Size and Technique Research Design Methods and Materials

The Art of Critism Peer-reviewed journal Blind review process Referred journals

Reviewing the Literature What makes a great article? Literature Search Reference Books Government Documents Periodicals

Literature Review Computer Searches Locating Articles and Books Organizing the Material Length Stumbling Blocks

Biostatistics Descriptive and Inferential

Measures of Central Tendency Mean: The arithmetic average Median: The middle item of the data set (midpoint) Model: Most frequently occurring number in the data set

Measures of Dispersion Range: The highest score minus the lowest score Variance: The sum of the squared deviation of the sample mean divided by one less than the total number of items Squared Deviation: The square root of the variance

Inferential Statistics Parametric Pearson Product Movement Spearhman Rho Product Movement ANOVA Nonparametric Chi Square Others

Depiction of Data Frequency Tables Bar Charts Histogram Frequency Polygon Scattergram Pie Chart

Distribution Normal Distribution: a frequency distribution of scores that when graphed yields a bell-shaped curve. –Gaussian Distribution Skew: extreme scores that affect the distribution

Correlation Positive linear relationship: The scores vary together. Negative linear relationship: The scores are inverse. Perfect or strong correlation would be close to +1 or –1. No Correlation: Close to O

P-Values/Statistical Significance Significant p-values indicate that the association between the dependent and independent variables was not due to random change. Rare chance occurrences and statistically significant results <.05.

Errors Type I Error: Null hypothesis is false when it is actually true. Type II Error: Null hypothesis is true when it is actually false.

Sampling Techniques Random: Selected independently with an equal chance at selection. Systematic: Every nth subject Convenience: Selection from readily available subjects Stratified Sampling: Delineating subjects into age, weight, race, etc.

Terms to Review Mortality: Deaths from a given disease/condition Morbidity: Illness from a given disease/condition Prevalence: All existing cases of disease/condition Incidence: New cases of a disease/condition Epidemic: A disease/condition among many individuals at the same time Pandemic: Widespread outbreak of a disease/condition across a region or continent Endemic: Low but constant level of a disease/condition among a population

Terms to Review Risk Factors: Characteristics that may increase the likelihood of disease/condition/health Surveillance: Methods of systems used to monitor health and disease in a population Etiology: The study of disease Independent Variable: Condition being manipulated or controlled Dependent Variable: Measure thought to change Extraneous Variable: Uncontrolled variables that may affect study

Terms to Review Statistically Significant: Obtained result is likely to be a result of the independent variable. Validity: The degree to which the study measures what it intended Reliability: The study could be reproduced and yield the same results. Pilot Study: A small study done prior to a large study to help set controls Placebo: A nontreatment given as an independent variable, “the sugar pill”

Terms to Review Blind: Subject does not know whether he/she is receiving treatment. Double blind: The researcher and subject do not know whether subject is receiving treatment. Cross-over: Subject is tested on two different treatments at different times. Wash-out: Subject has a period of no treatment during the crossover. Split-mouth: Half of the mouth is used for treatment, the other half as a control.

Terms to Review Longitudinal Study: An investigation over a long period of time Prospective Study (Experimental): Clinical trials Retrospective Study (Ex Post Facto): Looks at population with disease/health in the past Epidemiological Study: Study of the factors causing disease/conditions/health Descriptive Study: Involves description, analysis, and interpretation of current conditions Case Study: Intensive investigation of a person, family, or small group in a natural setting.

Summary Understanding the concepts of research is necessary for the practicing dental hygienists.