Outcomes research differs from traditional quantitative research in which of the following ways? (Select all that apply.)

Question

a. Outcomes research measures the effects of interventions; quantitative research measures the theory underlying the effects of interventions.
b. Quantitative research identifies variables before the study onset. Outcomes research may or may not identify variables before the study onset.
c. Quantitative research may use a number of appropriate theoretical frameworks; outcomes research's theoretical and philosophical bases are all nested within Donabedian's paradigm.
d. Outcomes research focuses on medical practice; quantitative research focuses on nursing practice.
e. At the outset, the researcher selects a traditional quantitative research sample according to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Outcomes research initially uses all available data and then focuses on specifics.

Answer 1

ANS: B, C, E
Quality is the overriding construct of the theory; however, Donabedian never defined this concept himself. Outcomes research may focus on any potential input to quality of care, regardless of which discipline "owns" it. Research strategies for outcomes studies have emerged from a variety of disciplines, and innovative new strategies continue to appear in the literature. One source of samples for outcomes studies is large databases. Strategies for outcomes studies tend to employ fewer controls than traditional research designs and cannot be as easily categorized. The research strategies described in this section are only a sampling from the outcomes research literature and include: consensus knowledge building, practice pattern profiling, prospective cohort studies, retrospective cohort studies, population-based studies, geographical analyses, economic studies, and ethical studies.