Demystifying Research: Demystifying Research: You Don’t Have to Be an You Don’t Have to Be an Academic to Plan and Academic to Plan and Evaluate ProgramsEvaluate Programs

Midwest Farmworker Health ForumNovember 18, 2010Austin, TX

Alice Larson, Ph.D.Larson Assistance Services

Liberty Day Ruihley, MSHealth Outreach Partners

Challenges BrainstormChallenges Brainstorm

Types of ResearchTypes of ResearchAcademic

◦Technical, for publicationInformal/Informational

◦Internet search, ask someoneMid-ground

◦Structured research process

All begin by identifying what you want to know…

Defining the Research Defining the Research QuestionQuestionWhat is the question or issue?

◦Population◦Keep it simple

How are we going to get the answers?◦Organizing upfront

What’s the Research What’s the Research Question?Question?Scenario #1: The health center

intends to increase the identification of farmworkers either with or at risk for developing diabetes through new screening process.

What’s the Research What’s the Research Question?Question?Scenario #2: Employees of the

health center think that the number of farmworkers coming into the clinic has been declining over the past few years.

What General Kinds of What General Kinds of Information are You Looking Information are You Looking For?For?Quantitative –

numbers, countsQualitative –

opinions, what do you think or believe?

You can mix quantitative and qualitative methods.

What Methods Can You Use What Methods Can You Use to Gather Information?to Gather Information?Third Party – existing sources

◦Data bases◦Reports

First Party – you generate the data◦Surveys◦Focus groups◦Observations◦Pre-post tests

Use what you knowUse a variety of methods and

sources

Answering a Research Answering a Research QuestionQuestionClearly state what your research

question is going to beWhat techniques are you going to

use to answer it?What information would you try

to collect?What additional questions do you

have about how to go about collecting information?

How to Put it All TogetherHow to Put it All TogetherGo back to your research questions

◦Go back to your list of broad topics◦That’s how you organize to analyze

Two ways to analyze information◦Look at each method you used

separately◦Use list of topics looking at all methods

Look for patternsYou have an obligation to report

back to those who helped

ResourcesResourcesHandoutsHOP Outreach Reference Manual

◦ www.outreach-partners.orgMigrant Health Promotion Evaluation

Toolkit◦ www.migranthealth.org

Center for Sustainable Health Outreach Toolkit◦ http://www.usm.edu/csho/index.html

Community Health Worker Evaluation Toolkit◦ http://www.publichealth.arizona.edu/

chwtoolkit/toolkit.htm

Wrapping it upWrapping it upThank you!If you want more information

please contact Liberty at liberty@outreach-partners.org or Alice at las@wolfenet.com