Complete the Capstone Abstract. See PowerPoint and use the example capstone abstract as guide. 120-180 words

Chapter 3: Methodology

Student name

National University

COH 694B

July 31, 2023

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

The research design that will be used in this study is the qualitative research method. This type of research method focuses on collecting and analyzing non-numerical data to understand the reality of the situation (Bowling, 2023). Different research methods can be used in a study; therefore, the researcher needs to understand the nature of their research to use the most effective method to collect and analyze data. This research will use qualitative study because it has various benefits. It addresses two important questions "How?" and "Why?". This ensures that detailed data is collected, and the reality will be revealed through analysis. Interviews are not restricted. Therefore, more profound and more helpful information will be gathered. The qualitative research method is beneficial because it makes it possible to use multiple ways to collect data. The technique is also efficient because few resources are used, but the output is enormous.

Research Question

A research question is what the research focuses on. When research is conducted, it intends to make some revelations. Research questions guide the process. In other words, the entire research is focused on answering the research questions. In this study, the research question is:

What factors lead to poor access to healthcare by communities in rural America?

Previous research has revealed that rural communities in the United States have challenges accessing proper healthy care. This study will focus on unearthing the reasons for the situation and providing recommendations.

Description of the Participants

Participants are the people the research is focused on; they are the subjects the research will target to collect data (Bowling, 2023). Selecting participants is one of the most essential steps in a research process. They are the data sources; therefore, they should be chosen carefully. In this research, participants were residents of rural areas in the United States. They are the recipients of the services and will play a critical role in providing information concerning the research question. These participants were selected because they were directly affected by the situation. They will provide first-hand information that will help in understanding the problem.

Another lot of participants is made of healthcare service providers. These are professionals of different capacities in the healthcare sector working in facilities in the rural communities of the United States. They were selected randomly from different healthcare facilities in the rural areas. They have a deeper understanding of why their services are insufficient. They will be essential in providing information, especially about the resources available. The recommendations made after data analysis will primarily rely on the feedback received from healthcare professionals. They come in direct contact with the patients and the situation on the ground; therefore, they have helpful information to help make decisions to solve the problems.

Government agencies responsible for different types of infrastructure, such as roads and communication, will also participate. They will help address how infrastructure can be used to increase accessibility in rural areas. Every research has different participants. It is vital to ensure that the participants have relevant information about the study.

Instrumentation

The internet is a rich source of information. Several websites were used to obtain data. One of the websites used is www.gao.gov . This is the website for the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which is responsible for assisting Congress in overseeing federal programs and operations to make sure they are accountable to the American people. Rural health is one of the areas that the GAO website has valuable information, which is why it was used to obtain data. The U.S. Department of Health also has vital statistics about access to healthcare services by rural communities in the United States. These websites are reliable because the data and information available are based on professional research. They have factual content that can be used to make strategic decisions. Instruments used in research should be reliable because their content must be accurate and research-based (Samuels et al, 2014).

Data Collection Procedures

Informed consent was used in the process. Respondents and participants were educated about the research, its purpose, procedures, and potential impacts. They voluntarily decided to take part in the process. Informed consent is an important element in healthcare research. It is in line with ethical requirements. Participants have a right to understand what is entailed in a research process (Rushton & Youde, 2017). Interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data. They contained sets of questions that aimed at the primary research question. Most of the open-ended questions allowed respondents to speak their minds. Depending on the nature of the research, different data collection procedures can be used to obtain the best outcomes.

Data Analysis and Results

The most common type of data collected was ordinal data. This data type has ordered or ranked categories (Griffiths, 2009). For instance, ordinal data ranks the levels of satisfaction of patients. To prepare data for analysis, it will first be assembled from the different tools used in the collection process. The next step involves cleaning. This implies that errors will be removed or corrected to ensure everything is accurate. The data will then be labeled so that it is easy to identify different data sets. Lastly, the data will be validated and visualized. The data will be coded depending on the participants it collected from. For instance, data from residents will be coded differently from those from healthcare professionals. Data will be initially analyzed through the grounded theory. The methodology explains the experiences of people participating in the research; it gives meaning to their interactions.

Ethical Considerations

The first ethical consideration is the use of the informed consent protocol. Participants were educated about the research, and they confirmed that they understood what it entailed. They willingly took part in the process. The study promotes the aims by revealing problems in the system and recommending how the problem can be solved. It also enables the values of collaborative work because different stakeholders are putting their efforts together to get the job done. The research promotes moral and social values by focusing on improving accessibility to healthcare in rural communities in the United States.

References

Bowling, A. (2023). Research methods in health: Investigating health and health services. Open University Press.

Griffiths, F. (2009). Research Methods for Healthcare Practice. Los Angeles: SAGE.

Rushton, S. & Youde, J. (2017). Routledge Handbook of global health security. Routledge.

Samuels, K., McClellan, M., Patel, K., & Darling, M. (2014). Transforming rural healthcare: High-quality, sustainable access to quality care. Retrieved from