Scientific researches are studies that should be systematically planned before performing them. In this review, classification and description of scientific studies, planning stage randomisation and bias are explained. Research conducted for the purpose of contributing towards science by the systematic collection, interpretation and evaluation of data and that, too, in a planned manner is called scientific research: a researcher is the one who conducts this research. The results obtained from a small group through scientific studies are socialised, and new information is revealed with respect to diagnosis, treatment and reliability of applications. The purpose of this review is to provide information about the definition, classification and methodology of scientific research. Before beginning the scientific research, the researcher should determine the subject, do planning and specify the methodology. In the Declaration of Helsinki, it is stated that ‘the primary purpose of medical researches on volunteers is to understand the reasons, development and effects of diseases and develop protective, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions (method, operation and therapies). Even the best proven interventions should be evaluated continuously by investigations with regard to reliability, effectiveness, efficiency, accessibility and quality’ (1). The questions, methods of response to questions and difficulties in scientific research may vary, but the design and structure are generally the same (2). Descriptive Research: in this type of research, the participant examines the distribution of diseases according to their place and time in society. It includes case reports, case series and surveillance studies. Case Report: it is the most common type of descriptive study. It is the examination of a single case having a different quality in the society, e.g. conducting general anaesthesia in a pregnant patient with mucopolysaccharidosis. Case Series: it is the description of repetitive cases having common features. For instance; case series involving interscapular pain related to neuraxial labour analgesia. Interestingly, malignant hyperthermia cases are not accepted as case series since they are rarely seen during historical development. Surveillance Studies: these are the results obtained from the databases that follow and record a health problem for a certain time, e.g. the surveillance of cross-infections during anaesthesia in the intensive care unit. Analytical Scientific Research: the most important difference of this and the descriptive research is the presence of a comparison group. They are categorised as observational and interventional research. Observational Research: the participants are grouped and evaluated according to a research plan or protocol. Observational research is more attractive than other studies: as necessary clinical data is available, coming to a conclusion is fast and they incur low costs (4). In observational studies, the factors and events examined by the researcher are not under the researcher’s control. They cannot be changed when requested. All the variables, except for the examined factor or event, cannot be kept constant. Randomisation can be restrictedly used in some cases. It might not be always possible to apparently and completely detect a cause and effect relationship. The results are considerably similar to real-life situations since the events are examined as they are and special conditions are not created. Since the repetition of the observed cases is impossible most of the times, it may not be possible to recreate the same conditions (5). Moreover, some studies may be experimental. After the researcher intervenes, the researcher waits for the result, observes and obtains data. Experimental studies are, more often, in the form of clinical trials or laboratory animal trials (2). Analytical observational research can be classified as cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies. Cohort Studies (Prospective, Retrospective and Ambidirectional): A cohort is a group formed by patients having common characteristics. A cohort study is the one in which a group of patients is followed-up in time, e.g. comparison of academic performances of children (who underwent anaesthesia in their neonatal period) in their adolescence. Firstly, the participants are controlled with regard to the disease under investigation. Patients are excluded from the study. Healthy participants are evaluated with regard to the exposure to the effect. Then, the group (cohort) is followed-up for a sufficient period of time with respect to the occurrence of disease, and the progress of disease is studied. The risk of the healthy participants getting sick is considered an incident. In cohort studies, the risk of disease between the groups exposed and not exposed to the effect is calculated and rated. This rate is called relative risk. Relative risk indicates the strength of exposure to the effect on the disease. Cohort research may be observational and experimental. The follow-up of patients prospectively is called a prospective cohort study. The results are obtained after the research starts. The researcher’s following-up of cohort subjects from a certain point towards the past is called a retrospective cohort study. Prospective cohort studies are more valuable than retrospective cohort studies: this is because in the former, the researcher observes and records the data. The researcher plans the study before the research and determines what data will be used. On the other hand, in retrospective studies, the research is made on recorded data: no new data can be added. In fact, retrospective and prospective studies are not observational. They determine the relationship between the date on which the researcher has begun the study and the disease development period. The most critical disadvantage of this type of research is that if the follow-up period is long, participants may leave the study at their own behest or due to physical conditions. Cohort studies that begin after exposure and before disease development are called ambidirectional studies. Public healthcare studies generally fall within this group, e.g. lung cancer development in smokers. Case-Control Studies: these studies are retrospective cohort studies. They examine the cause and effect relationship from the effect to the cause. The detection or determination of data depends on the information recorded in the past. The researcher has no control over the data (2). Cross-Sectional Studies: in cross- sectional studies, the patients or events are examined at a particular point in time. Prevalence studies (the percentage of a population having a disease at a certain time) are the ones in which the diagnosis and disease mechanism are detected and the cause and effect relationship is examined at the same level. Cross-sectional studies are advantageous since they can be concluded relatively quickly. It may be difficult to obtain a reliable result from such studies for rare diseases (2). Cross-sectional studies are characterised by timing. In such studies, the exposure and result are simultaneously evaluated. While cross-sectional studies are restrictedly used in studies involving anaesthesia (since the process of exposure is limited), they can be used in studies conducted in intensive care units. Interventional Research (Experimental Studies): in this type of research, there is a control group aimed to be tested. The researcher decides upon which effect the participant will be exposed to in this study. Post-intervention, the researcher waits for the result, observes and obtains the data. Interventional studies are divided into two: quasi-experimental and clinical research. Quasi-Experimental Research: they are conducted in cases in which a quick result is requested and the participants or research areas cannot be randomised, e.g. giving hand-wash training and comparing the frequency of nosocomial infections before and after hand wash. Clinical Research: they are prospective studies carried out with a control group for the purpose of comparing the effect and value of an intervention in a clinical case. Clinical study and research have the same meaning. Drugs, invasive interventions, medical devices and operations, diets, physical therapy and diagnostic tools are relevant in this context (6). Clinical studies are conducted by a responsible researcher, generally a physician. In the research team, there may be other healthcare staff besides physicians. Clinical studies may be financed by healthcare institutes, drug companies, academic medical centres, volunteer groups, physicians, healthcare service providers and other individuals. They may be conducted in several places including hospitals, universities, physicians’ offices and community clinics based on the researcher’s requirements. The participants are made aware of the duration of the study before their inclusion. Clinical studies should include the evaluation of recommendations (drug, device and surgical) for the treatment of a disease, syndrome or a comparison of one or more applications; finding different ways for recognition of a disease or case and prevention of their recurrence (7).
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