Research is a critical element of public health services delivery. It is often used to examine the relationships between cost, quality, and access with the goal of improving population health, clinical, and organizational practices and informing public health care policies. It is essential that you as a public health care professional develop an understanding of the purpose and value of health care research.
To prepare for this assignment, think about some of the important issues in public health and health care today. Consider the topics you have been exposed to through previous courses in your program of study and any news items that have caught your attention lately. How can and how should research be used to inform the public of these issues?
Next, review peer-reviewed journals that provide credible information on a particular topic in public health.
Identify a public health topic of interest and articles that relate to this topic to begin your final research paper.
With your one selected topic, and with information from your resources in mind (peer-reviewed, scholarly articles), think about the purpose and value of this particular research. Answer the questions below.
1) What is your research topic (provide details and background about the topic)?
2) Why did you select this topic?
3) What is your research question?
4) Identify ethical issues that could occur in your research study, consider how you will avoid them.
5) Discuss how ethical standards will protect any human subjects who participate in your research study and include information from the Belmont Report that supports your thoughts (remember, this is a hypothetical research study that you will not conduct).
Full Answer Section
3. Research Question:
Does excessive social media use (defined by X criteria) correlate with increased levels of anxiety, depression, and lowered self-esteem in adolescents aged 13-18? (X criteria will be defined during the research design phase)
4. Ethical Issues and Mitigation Strategies:
- Confidentiality: Confidentiality of participant data will be ensured through anonymization and secure data storage.
- Informed Consent: Parental consent will be obtained for all participants under 18, and adolescents will be presented with an age-appropriate informed consent form outlining the study's purpose, procedures, and their right to withdraw at any time.
- Privacy: Data collection methods will be designed to minimize personal information gathering beyond demographics and survey responses.
- Deception: The study's purpose and methods will be clearly communicated to participants to avoid any deception.
5. Ethical Standards and the Belmont Report:
The Belmont Report, a cornerstone document in research ethics, outlines three core principles: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. This research will adhere to these principles as follows:
- Respect for Persons: Adolescent participants will be treated with respect, and their autonomy will be acknowledged by allowing them to choose participation and withdrawal freely.
- Beneficence: The study aims to benefit public health by providing valuable insights into the potential risks of social media use on adolescent mental health. Potential risks to participants will be minimized through anonymous data collection and the right to withdraw.
- Justice: The study will be designed to recruit a diverse sample of adolescents to ensure generalizability of findings and avoid bias.
By adhering to these ethical principles and drawing guidance from the Belmont Report, this research can be conducted responsibly while potentially yielding valuable knowledge to improve adolescent mental health outcomes in the digital age.
Sample Answer
Public Health Research Topic: The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health
1. Research Topic: This research will explore the impact of social media use on the mental health of adolescents, specifically focusing on anxiety, depression, and self-esteem. Social media platforms have become a ubiquitous part of adolescent life, raising concerns about their potential negative influence on mental well-being.
2. Why This Topic?
Adolescence is a crucial developmental stage characterized by increased social interaction and self-discovery. Social media use has exploded during this time, with potential consequences for mental health. Understanding these connections can inform public health interventions and promote healthy online habits among adolescents.