Health Systems Research Course

Health Systems Research Course

Fees: US$1200

Course Dates:
15 June - 10 July 2009

Course Outline

  • Introduction to HSR
    • Major characteristics of research
    • Components of health systems
    • Types of information needed for decision making
  • Purpose, scope and characteristics of HSR
  • Criteria for selecting health research problems
    • Selecting the research problem
    • Research questions
  • Analysis and statement of the problem
    • Formulating the problem statement
    • Review of available literature
    • Justification of research problem
  • Formulation of research objectives/ hypotheses
    • Reasons for writing objectives
    • General and specific objectives
    • Characteristics of research objectives
    • Research hypotheses
    • Group work to prepare title of the study research objectives (and questions, and hypothesis of appropriate)
  • Research designs (Study types)
    • Introduction
    • Variables
    • Study types; exploratory, descriptive, comparative or analytical, intervention
    • Validity and reliability of findings
  • Data Management
    • Data collection techniques
    • Sources of data
    • Quantitative and qualitative methods
    • Importance of combining different techniques
    • Bias in information collection
    • Ethical consideration
  • Design of research instruments
    • Interview guides (questionnaires/ schedules, training manuals, interviewer/ supervisor guides and manuals)
    • Interview skills
    • Focus group discussions (themes, training guides, conducting FGDs)
  • Sampling
    • Introduction
    • Sampling procedures
    • Sampling methods for qualitative data
    • Sampling methods for quantitative data
    • Bias in sampling
    • Sample size determination
  • Plan for data collection
    • Introduction
    • Stages in data collection process
    • Pre-testing study instruments
  • Plan for data processing and analysis
    • Introduction
    • Sorting data
    • Performing quality control checks
    • Data processing
    • Data analysis
    • Processing and analysis of qualitative data
  • Workplan
    • Introduction
    • Work scheduling and planning
    • The GANTT Chart
  • Budget
  • Plan for project administration, monitoring and utilization of results
    • Administrating research projects
    • Project monitoring
    • Planning for dissemination
    • Finalising and reviewing the research proposal
  • Introduction to SPSS
    • Creation of variables
    • Input of data
    • Data cleaning
    • Data analysis
  • Basic Statistics
    • Descriptive statistics
      • Measures of central dispersion
      • Frequency distribution tables
    • Statistical tests (chi square and T-test)
    • Interpretation of data
  • Introduction to data analysis
    • Methods of data presentation
    • Analysis of numerical data
    • Analysis of categorical data
    • Application of statistical tests of significance
  • Field activities

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Kenya - key health statistics

  • The government only contributes to 54% of health care services – as a result, non governmental, private and faith-based organisations and traditional healers fill the gap in health care provision
  • Only half of the population of Kenya has access to safe water and proper sanitation
  • Up to 60% of public hospital beds are filled with HIV/AIDS patients at any one time
  • 15% of women aged 15-40 die during childbirth

The Resource Centre

The AMREF Health Resource Centre is Sub-Saharan Africa's biggest. Health practitioners and researchers from around the world can acess both published material and AMREF's own reports

Conference Facilities

An ideal venue for workshops, seminars and conferences. The centre is popular with non-governmental and governmental organisations, educational groups and private corporations.