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Chapter 2: Problem 38

A study in Florida is examining whether health literacy classes and using simple medical instructions that include pictures and avoid big words and technical terms can keep Medicaid patients healthier (San Luis Obispo Tribune, October 16, 2002). Twenty-seven community health centers are participating in the study. For 2 years, half of the centers will administer standard care. The other centers will have patients attend classes and will provide special health materials that are easy to understand. Explain why it is important for the researchers to assign the 27 centers to the two groups (standard care and classes with simple health literature) at random.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Random assignment of health centers to the two groups is critical in this study to ensure there are no inherent biases. It ensures that each group is representational of the whole, and not skewed towards particular types of health centers. This removes potential confounding variables and increases the validity and accuracy of the study's results.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the scenario & question

The scenario describes a health literacy study involving 27 community health centers, divided into two groups. One group is following standard care and the other is receiving enhanced information in the form of classes and simplified health materials. The student should explain why it's important that these two groups were assigned randomly.
02

Identify the purpose of random assignment

The most important aspect here to note is that the assignment of centers to the two groups is done randomly. This is a common practice in studies where there are two or more groups being compared. By randomly assigning subjects (in this case, health centers) to groups, researchers try to ensure that the groups are equivalent in all relevant aspects except for the treatment they receive. This approach helps to reduce bias and increase the validity of the results.
03

Explain the potential pitfalls of non-random assignment

In case the health centers were not assigned randomly, one group may end up having more of a certain type of health center than the other. For example, one group could have more urban health centers while the other could have more rural ones. These variabilities could potentially affect the results. Random assignment ensures each group is representative of the whole sample.
04

Conclusion

In conclusion, random assignment is fundamental in such studies as it ensures that the results obtained are as unbiased as possible, giving the researchers more accurate and legitimate results.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A mortgage lender routinely places advertisements in a local newspaper. The advertisements are of three different types: one focusing on low interest rates, one featuring low fees for first-time buyers, and one appealing to people who may want to refinance their homes. The lender would like to determine which advertisement format is most successful in attracting customers to call for more information. Describe an experiment that would provide the information needed to make this determination. Be sure to consider extraneous factors, such as the day of the week that the advertisement appears in the paper, the section of the paper in which the advertisement appears, or daily fluctuations in the interest rate. What role does randomization play in your design?

An article in the San Luis Obispo Tribune (September 7,1999 ) described an experiment designed to investigate the effect of creatine supplements on the development of muscle fibers. The article states that the researchers "looked at 19 men, all about 25 years of age and similar in weight, lean body mass, and capacity to lift weights. Ten were given creatine \(-25\) grams a day for the first week. followed by 5 grams a day for the rest of the study. The rest were given a fake preparation. No one was told what he was getting. All the men worked out under the guidance of the same trainer. The response variable measured was gain in fat- free mass (in percent)." a. What extraneous variables are identified in the given statement, and what strategy did the researchers use to deal with them? b. Do you think it was important that the men participating in the experiment were not told whether they were receiving creatine or the placebo? Explain. c. This experiment was not conducted in a double-blind manner. Do you think it would have been a good idea to make this a double-blind experiment? Explain.

"More than half of Califomia's doctors say they are so frustrated with managed care they will quit, retire early, or leave the state within three years." This conclusion from an article titled "Doctors Feeling Pessimistic, Study Finds" (San Luis Obispo Tribune, July 15,2001 ) was based on a mail survey conducted by the California Medical Association. Surveys were mailed to 19,000 Califomia doctors, and 2000 completed surveys were returned. Describe any concerns you have regarding the conclusion drawn.

Based on a survey of 4113 U.S. adults, researchers at Stanford University concluded that Internet use leads to increased social isolation. The survey was conducted by an Internet-based polling company that selected its samples from a pool of 35,000 potential respondents, all of whom had been given free Internet access and WebTV hardware in exchange for agreeing to regularly participate in surveys conducted by the polling company. Two criticisms of this study were expressed in an article that appeared in the San Luis Obispo Tribune (February 28,2000 ). The first criticism was that increased social isolation was measured by asking respondents if they were talking less to family and friends on the phone. The second criticism was that the sample was selected only from a group that was induced to participate by the offer of free Internet service, yet the results were generalized to all U.S. adults. For each criticism, indicate what type of bias is being described and why it might make you question the conclusion drawn by the researchers.

Briefly explain why it is advisable to avoid the use of convenience samples.
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