22015 - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND BIOSTATISTICS

Subject type: Basic

Coordinator: Sara González Millán

Trimester: Second term

Credits: 6

• Catalan
• Spanish

The rapid development and growth of the various fields of health sciences has led to the need to base our work on scientific evidence. At present, it is no longer enough to justify decision-making with observation, but it is necessary to objectify and measure the effectiveness and validity of our interventions and treatments.

In order for the results of a research study to be reliable and to be extrapolated to the clinical field, it is necessary that the whole research process be developed according to a certain methodology and system. Likewise, biostatistics must be responsible for defining, synthesizing and interrelating the data obtained with the research with the aim of providing an objective measure of the object under study. 

Therefore, the aim of this subject is on the one hand, to teach the student the basics of the scientific method and to provide the bases and basic work tools to be able to design, analyze and interpret a research project.    

• Acquires evidence-based physiotherapy criteria, critical analysis of knowledge
• Acquires and masters English applied to the health and physical activity sciences.
• Understand the importance of reasoning based on scientific evidence. Justification of the interventions based on the evidence that supports them.
• Analyze the results of published evidence. It determines their degree of validity and applicability in the environment in which they must develop their intervention.
• It applies the evidence-based medicine method to the various fields of the health sciences and physical activity. Search in scientific databases, critical analysis of studies, drawing conclusions for their clinical applicability.
• It incorporates the communication and dissemination of results as part of the therapeutic intervention process. 
• It incorporates English as a language for learning and disseminating scientific knowledge. Use in inter-professional communication.  

The subject of research methodology and biostatistics is divided into three blocks:

BLOCK I: The scientific method

Topic 1: Introduction to research in health sciences

Topic 2: The scientific method. Types of research. 

Topic 3: The phases of research in health sciences

• The research question - PICO structure
• Objectives and hypotheses
• Types of methodological designs
• The population under study. Sampling
• Tools for data collection
• Main bias in research

Topic 4: Introduction to critical reading of scientific articles

• Types of scientific articles
• Structure of an original article

Topic 5: Ethics in clinical research

BLOCK II: Search and use of scientific information

Topic 6: Introductory concepts

Topic 7: Introduction to information sources

• Types of information sources
• Controlled language and free language
• Bibliometry

Item 8. Review of the literature

• Approach
• Strategies and instruments

Topic 9: Sources of information Physiotherapy, Physical Activity and Sports, and Health Sciences

• Resource directory
• Resource analysis
• Sources of information at the Tecnocampus

Item 10: Bibliographic citations

• Basics
• How to quote?
  • Vancouver
  • APA

Item 11: Managers of bibliographic references

• Basics
• Mendeley

BLOCK III: Biostatistics

Topic 12: Introduction to statistics

• Databases
• Statistical packages
• Types of variables and measurement scales

Item 13: Descriptive statistics

• Frequency tables
• Contingency and categorization tables.
• Indices and rates
• Central tendency estimators
• Dispersion and position estimators

Item 14: Probability Distributions

Item 15: Inferential Statistics

• Hypothesis test
• Types of errors and p-value
• Punctual estimators
• Confidence intervals
• Comparison of proportions
• Comparison of proportions

Plenary sessions: Master classes with the help of multimedia support and interactive platforms, aimed at debate and clarification of continuous debate-discussion and the presentation of houses.

Exercises and activities in the classroom: Work in the classroom in pairs or small groups with the computer to solve exercises and clinical cases 

Self-employment: Readings of recommended texts, articles, problem solving, etc. Self-learning (moodle activities). Personal study

This subject will be evaluated as follows:

To pass the subject it is necessary to obtain one grade of 5/10 in the theoretical exam.

According to current regulations, only those students who have obtained a grade of suspense to the theoretical examination during the ordinary period.

Salamanca Castro AB (2013). He aeiou of research in nursing. Fuden, Madrid.

Fletcher, HR; Fletcher, SW Fletcher GS, Clinical Epidemiology. 5th ed. Hospitalet de Llobregat. (Barcelona). Ed. Wolkers Kluwer, 2016.

METHODS OF CLINICAL AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL RESEARCH (4ª ED.) (ON PAPER). JOSEP Mª ARGIMON PALLAS; JOSEP JIMENEZ VILLA, 2012. 

Techniques for searching and using information. (2013). Madrid¿: Editorial Universitaria Ramo´n Areces.

Data analysis in social and health sciences I, 2.ª ed. Pardo, A; Ruiz, San Martín, R .. Publisher: Síntesis.

Piédrola Gil. Preventive Medicine and Public Health. 12ª Editing. Editors: by Joaquín Fernández-Crehuet Navajas, Juan Jesús Gestal Otero, Miguel Delgado Rodríguez, Francisco Bolúmar Montrull, Rafael Herruzo Cabrera and Lluís Serra Majem. Barcelona. Ed. Elsevier

Martínez González MA, Sánchez-Villegas A, Toledo Atucha EA, Faulin Fajardo J (2014). Friendly biostatistics (3rd edition). Barcelona Elsevier

Estrada, JM (2007). Chapter 2: Bibliographic search and its application in PubMed-MEDLINE. SEMERGEN - Family Medicine, 33 (4), 193–199. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1138-3593(07)73875-3

Turull, A., Ardanuy Baró, J., Arroyo and Amayuelas, E., & Arroyo and Amayuelas, E. (2017). Work and communication techniques¿: instrument for the legal and social sciences. Barcelona¿: Huygens Editorial

FUNDAMENTALS OF BIOSTADISTICS (2nd ED.) (ON PAPER). MARCELLO PAGANO; KIMBERLEE GAUVREAU, 2001. 

Cueva Marti´n, A. de la., Aleixandre Benavent, R., Rodri´guez i Gairi´n, JM, & Universitat de Vale`ncia. (2001). Sources of information in health sciences. Valencia¿: University of Valencia.

Gonzalez de Dios Javier, B. Á. JC (2006). Efficient search for the best scientific evidence available in the literature: primary and secondary sources of information. Evidence in Pediatrics, 2, 1–10.

Amat Salas, O., Rodrigo de Larrucea, J., & Rocafort Nicolau, A. (2017). How to do research¿: final degree project, master's thesis, doctoral thesis and other research projects (First ed.). Barcelona¿: Editorial Profit.

Lluch, G., & Nicolás, M. (2015). Academic writing¿: planning, documentation, writing, citation and models. Barcelona¿: Editorial UOC.