Research Question

[Richo]

Hello All

I have to come up with a research question for a subject i am currently doing. I am considering doing something along the lines of Are men aware of self checks for prostate cancer? I want to do a qualitative approach and propose to interview a group of men who have had or have prostate cancer to see whether they carried out the self check before diagnosis. My problem is I am unsure of how to find the men for this study (target group)? I dont actually have to do the research, just have to come up with a question. I have been reading about sampling techniques which is sort of going over my head at the moment. Can anyone please help??? This is my 2nd last assignment for the degree!

Cheers

Tracy

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Tracey if you are talking about qualitative research they do not normally use sampling because they deal with small groups anyway.

Now when you are talking self checks are you talking about this??

http://www.prostate.org.au/peeball.htm

If you are talking about Testicular Self examination that only detects testicular cancer not prostate cancer - prostate cancer can only be detected by the following methods

digital rectal examination (DRE);

prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing;

transrectal ultrasound (TRUS);and

biopsy.

[Richo]

Ok thanks for that Gwenith, yes I meant testicular self examination. I was thinking along the lines of the more men that carry out the exam then the earlier abnormalities are detected. So I guess I would have to interview a group of men who have had the cancer and see how many of them carried out the self exam prior to being diagnosed. Just have to work out where I get the group of men from. Thanks for your help.

Tracy

Tracey if you are talking about qualitative research they do not normally use sampling because they deal with small groups anyway.

Now when you are talking self checks are you talking about this??

http://www.prostate.org.au/peeball.htm

If you are talking about Testicular Self examination that only detects testicular cancer not prostate cancer - prostate cancer can only be detected by the following methods

digital rectal examination (DRE);

prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing;

transrectal ultrasound (TRUS);and

biopsy.

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

Just don't see many guys trying complying with self -examination for Prostate cancer:chuckle

You would have difficulties bedause it is relatively rare

http://www.disability.vic.gov.au/dsonline/dsarticles.nsf/pages/Testicular_cancer

You would be better either doing a quatative research on compliance to self-examination in men OR if you want to go qualative research do a phenomonological study on "testicular cancer - the lived experience"

I have to go out now but I will be online later tonight and will answer any questions you might have - between us we should come up with something good.

[Richo]

Thanks Gwenith

I am really struggling with this one. I have tried coming up with other questions - but they are probably not the right criteria for a research question. I was also thinking along the lines of while I was on prac in the childrens ward of Katherine hospital I noticed there was a problem with sometimes getting children to take meds and thought about doing something on whether parents or nurses should administer meds in the kids ward - but there are probably legislative rules and process that overrule this one anyway. Oh well I will keep thinking.....and reading.....and turning red in the face everytime I try and produce something!!!

Thanks

Tracy

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

http://www.fairfieldct.org/health_survey.htm

How about a questionnaire with several other health questions? ait seems you could do this in a Mall or perhaps in Lowe's or Home Depot. Some kind of little prize for doing the quiz....pencils, key chains, calendar......

[nursemaa]

Here are some ideas:

"Do men who receive education demonstrate increased adherence to recommended schedules for testicular self-examination than men who do not receive education?" Your sample could be recruited from a physician practice by having the office give introductory letters to patients within your desired age range with information about the study and a return postcard to indicate interest in participating. You could survey them about their practice before and after attending an educational program. (quantitative, correlational)

"What is the experience of men who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer?" You could recruit participants from an inpatient oncology unit or an oncology physician practice, with open-question interviews to describe their experiences and feelings. (qualitative)

If you just want to know whether men who are diagnosed with testicular cancer have performed self-exams, you have to relate the two somehow, and be able to state the purpose of your study. Maybe something like: "Does testicular self-examination lead to earlier diagnosis and more successful treatment in men who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer?".This would be a tough study to carry out, as you would have to do extensive chart reviews and follow-up studies. But since you're not actually going to do the research, it could work. (quantitative, non-correlational)

The first step is to determine what the problem is that your study will address, then do a literature search to determine what's already been done. Then formulate your question based on gaps in the literature regarding your topic. All research requires sampling, the tricky part is figuring out how to recruit participants. Incentives are nice, but you must be careful to avoid coercion. Don't forget to mention informed consent in your proposal. It's always good if your study can demonstrate value to nursing practice, such as showing that education by nurses increases adherence to treatment, or that increased knowledge of an experience can help to develop plans of care.

Good luck with your project, I just finished a grad-level research course and we had to write a proposal, it was tough but an interesting project.

[Richo]

Wow nursemaa, you obviously did well in your studies. Thankyou so much, you have helped me out alot just by your examples that you have given! Thankyou to all of you it is much appreciated thats for sure. This is the most difficult assignment I have come accross since starting this degree without a doubt. Nursemaa, your third paragraph is what I was trying to find a way to say but my lack of experience was making it difficult. I dont know that I would have to actually add the chart reviews in (hopefully not!) as this is only a proposal question. I will probably try and go for something more simple (as my lecturer advises me to stick to something basic and says that quantative may be easier for me) and I am thinking that interviewing the patients who have had testicular cancer like your example in your second paragraph would be easier for me to find the patients to interview although this is qualitative. I have emailed my lecturer twice now, but I think I confused him aswell as myself as I was unsure exactly what it was I was trying to ask him. I will keep reading so that I get a good grip on the terminology involved with research and I then have to try and find out how to set the research question out. Thanks again to all of you! Very Much appreciated.

Here are some ideas:

"Do men who receive education demonstrate increased adherence to recommended schedules for testicular self-examination than men who do not receive education?" Your sample could be recruited from a physician practice by having the office give introductory letters to patients within your desired age range with information about the study and a return postcard to indicate interest in participating. You could survey them about their practice before and after attending an educational program. (quantitative, correlational)

"What is the experience of men who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer?" You could recruit participants from an inpatient oncology unit or an oncology physician practice, with open-question interviews to describe their experiences and feelings. (qualitative)

If you just want to know whether men who are diagnosed with testicular cancer have performed self-exams, you have to relate the two somehow, and be able to state the purpose of your study. Maybe something like: "Does testicular self-examination lead to earlier diagnosis and more successful treatment in men who have been diagnosed with testicular cancer?".This would be a tough study to carry out, as you would have to do extensive chart reviews and follow-up studies. But since you're not actually going to do the research, it could work. (quantitative, non-correlational)

The first step is to determine what the problem is that your study will address, then do a literature search to determine what's already been done. Then formulate your question based on gaps in the literature regarding your topic. All research requires sampling, the tricky part is figuring out how to recruit participants. Incentives are nice, but you must be careful to avoid coercion. Don't forget to mention informed consent in your proposal. It's always good if your study can demonstrate value to nursing practice, such as showing that education by nurses increases adherence to treatment, or that increased knowledge of an experience can help to develop plans of care.

Good luck with your project, I just finished a grad-level research course and we had to write a proposal, it was tough but an interesting project.

[nursemaa]

I know, the terminology itself can give you quite a headache! Just keep asking yourself "What is it that I want to find out?" and read examples of questions to help you formulate yours. Good luck!! :)

[Richo]

Hi again everyone

I have just been reading some literature about testicular cancer in Australia. I have read that although testicular cancer is the most common cancer found in men in Australia, it easily cured compared to prostate cancer and other cancers that are not so easy to detect and cure. I just wondered if this then makes for a weak research question, though am clinging to the hope that "the early detection" of testicular cancer significantly increases the chances for cure, hence why increasing awareness of self exams is so important. What do you think?

Tracy

I know, the terminology itself can give you quite a headache! Just keep asking yourself "What is it that I want to find out?" and read examples of questions to help you formulate yours. Good luck!! :)

[BeachNurse]

http://www.fairfieldct.org/health_survey.htm

How about a questionnaire with several other health questions? ait seems you could do this in a Mall or perhaps in Lowe's or Home Depot. Some kind of little prize for doing the quiz....pencils, key chains, calendar......

This one might not be a bad idea. Not many men go to their Primary care on a regular basis and it's a great idea to go somewhere public where men are most likely to lurk. You could also try at a health fair is one is coming up, but I really like the hardware store as a place to survey.