Table of Contents

Introduction to Population Health Research

• Structure of the Textbook
• The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study

Chapter 1: Conceptualizing Health

• Conceptualizing Health
• Measures of Health
• Determinants of Health
• Genetic & Behavioral Determinants of Health (BDH)
• Social Determinants of Health (SDH)
• Interactions Between SDH and BDH
• Researching Population Health

Chapter 2: The Research Process

• The Purpose of Research Methods is to Test Theories
• Interdisciplinary Nature of Health Studies
• The Health Research Process
• Introduction to the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study

Chapter 3: Research Questions

• Iterative Nature of Research Design
• Starting with a Broad Research Topic
• Drawing Inspiration From… Anywhere
• Evaluating Ideas for a Research Project
• Research Questions and Hypotheses with Variables
• Exploratory vs. Confirmatory Research
• Quantitative vs. Qualitative Measurement
• Independent vs. Dependent Variables
• Hypotheses with Variables
• Falsifiable Hypotheses: The Pillar of Empirical Research
• Grounding the Research Direction in Scientific Literature
• Using Literature to Shaping Initial Ideas
• Hypotheses Formulation

Chapter 4: Study Design

• Overview of Study Design Types
• Basic Science
• Experimental vs Observational Research
• Experimental Study Designs
• Observational Study Designs
• Meta-Analyses
• Strength of Conclusions by Study Design Type
• Correlation vs Causation
• Sources of Bias
• Twin Studies
• Iterative Development of Hypotheses and Study Design
• Ethical Considerations: Patient-Informed and Community-Engaged Study Designs
• Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study Design

Chapter 5: Literature Reviews

• The Purpose of a Literature Review
• Planning a Literature Review
• Searching for Scholarly Sources
• Screening and Selecting Sources
• Organizing the Literature
• Writing the Literature Review
• Creating an Outline
• Example Literature Reviews with ABCD

Chapter 6: Sampling

• Introduction to Sampling
• Defining the Research Population & Sample
• Developing Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
• Random Sampling Methods
• Non-Random Sampling Methods
• Determining Sample Size in Clinical Trials
• Economic and Ethical Considerations in Determining Sample Size
• Introduction to Statistical Power and Effect Sizes
• Calculating Sample Size
• Determining Sample Size in Observational Studies
• Study Design Factors
• Statistical Objectives
• Practical Constraints
• Determining Sample Size in Qualitative Studies
• The Concept of Saturation in Qualitative Research
• Sample Size Factors in Qualitative Studies
• Participant Recruitment Strategy
• The ABCD Sample
• Sampling Methods & Participant Recruitment
• Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria
• Demographic Information
• Examples of Sampling Methods in Published ABCD Research

Chapter 7: Instrumentation

• Instrumentation vs Operationalization vs Measurement
• Common Types of Instrumentation in Health Studies
• Validity & Reliability in Instrumentation
• Practical Considerations in Instrument Selection
• Overview of ABCD Instrumentation
• Imaging Instruments
• Non-Imaging Instruments
• Examples of Instrumentation Sections of Published Studies with ABCD

Chapter 8: Procedures

• Preregistration of Studies
• Planning Reproducible Research
• Ethical Practices in Data Collection
• Responsible Use of ABCD Data
• Data Collection & Ethical Procedures in Research
• Addressing Ethical Dilemmas in Research
• ABCD Data Collection Procedures & Protocols
• Examples of Procedures Sections in Studies Published with ABCD

Chapter 9: Analysis & Results

• Data Preparation: Handling Missing Values & Outliers
• Data Analysis vs Data Science
• Data Analysis in Health Research
• Choosing Statistical Tests
• Caution in Interpretation of Results
• Examples of Data Analysis in ABCD Research
• Data Science in Health Research
• Discovering Patterns: Predictive Modeling with Machine Learning
• Discovering Similarities: Clustering for Targeted Interventions
• Extracting Meaning: Natural Language Processing for Richer Insights
• Challenges & Opportunities of Data Science in Health Research
• Examples of Data Science in ABCD Research
• Qualitative Data Analysis
• Identifying and Discussing Research Limitations

Chapter 10: Reporting & Dissemination

• Publishing in Peer Reviewed Journals
• The Role of Peer Review
• Components of Published Research Articles
• CONSORT and STROBE
• CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)
• STROBE (Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology)
• Dissemination Strategies
• Presenting at Conferences and Seminars
• Utilizing Media and Social Media
• Engaging with Stakeholders
• Ethical Considerations in Dissemination

Chapter 11: Student Workbook & Assignments

• Assignment 1: ABCD Research Questions & Hypothesis
• Assignment 1 Example
• Assignment 2: Writing a Thematic Literature Review
• Assignment 2 Example
• Assignment 3: Instrumentation & Measurement
• Assignment 3 Example
• Assignment 4: Data Collection & Sample
• Assignment 4 Example
• Assignment 5: Data Ethics & Data Analysis
• Assignment 5 Example
• Assignment 6: Study Preregistration

References

Acknowledgements

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