Section outline

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    INTRODUCTION TO OPERATION AND EVALUATION RESEARCH

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    INSTRUCTORS Francine Birungi MD, MPH, PhD, Rwanda School of Public Health; E-mail: fbirungi@nursph.org Sabine Musange, MD, MSc, Rwanda School of Public Health; E-mail: smusange@nursph.org

    BACKGROUND

    The course introduces the operations research methodologies most frequently used by international reproductive health programs, and prepares current/future program administrators and policymakers to play an active role in programmatic research. The course has a strong focus on the role, rights and responsibilities of program managers and policymakers in establishing research priorities and in setting parameters for the research design, including deciding the time and program resources available for the study, tolerable levels of obtrusiveness in program operations, the absolute magnitude of improvement required to change program procedures, and the degree of precision required of the results. Participants will use the methodological principles and managerial criteria taught in the course to critique the programmatic usefulness of actual reproductive health OR proposals and reports.

    Operations Research (OR) is research that attempts to improve services delivery and is an integral and long-established part of public health practice. Managers of health programs are often required to collaborate with researchers whether in making facilities available for research, identifying problems requiring research, or judging the usefulness of the research findings. Often, managers are not prepared for their rights and responsibilities in the research process.

    The study of factors under program managers’ control is what differentiates OR from other research. Managers can manipulate independent variables, and dependent variables are program outputs, client behavioural outcomes, or health impacts. OR is the problem defined and not limited to any specific methodology (e.g. surveys, experiments, models).

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    Introduction to Operations Research

    Learning Objectives
    To distinguish OR from other types of behavioral science research
    •Match appropriate OR techniques to program problems
    •Design and conduct OR in international settings
    •Evaluate the program usefulness of OR in international settings
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    Topic 2

    •Define OR and how it differs from other types of research
    •Distinguish between factors under and not under the control of managers
    •Distinguish between diagnostic and intervention studies
    •Understand that successful OR requires close collaboration between managers and researchers

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    Topic 3

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    Topic 4

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    Topic 5

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    Topic 6

    This session covers

    • Operational definitions
    • Types of indicators
    • Characteristics of ideal indicators
    • Criteria for the practical selection of sound indicators
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    Topic 7

    By the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

    • Understand the purpose, strengths and shortcomings of different research designs
    • Distinguish between research designs that enable causally linking program activities to observed changes from others
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    Topic 8

    By the end of the session the participants should be able to:-

    1.Describe the evolution of research ethics as documented in the various declarations, codes, regulations and guidelines.
    2.Explain the fundamental principles of human research ethics.
    3.Describe how ethical conduct of research can be achieved.
    4.Identify the roles of IRBs
    5.Recognize and know how to deal with issues that may arise during research.
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    Topic 9

    By the end of the session the participants should be able to:-

    1.Describe the evolution of research ethics as documented in the various declarations, codes, regulations and guidelines.
    2.Explain the fundamental principles of human research ethics.
    3.Describe how ethical conduct of research can be achieved.
    4.Identify the roles of IRBs
    5.Recognize and know how to deal with issues that may arise during research.
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    Topic 10

    Upon successful completion of this session, students will:

    •Understand the survey questionnaire design process
    •Identify alternative forms of questions and their strengths & weaknesses
    •Be able to critically evaluate a survey questionnaire
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    Topic 11

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    Topic 12

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