Data And Measures in Health Services Research

Cluster randomised trials are trials in which groups (or clusters) of individuals are randomly allocated to different forms of treatment. In health care, these trials often compare different ways of managing a disease or promoting healthy living, in contrast to conventional randomised trials which randomise individuals to different treatments, classically comparing new drugs with a placebo. They are increasingly common in health services research. This book addresses the statistical, practical, and ethical issues arising from allocating groups of individuals, or clusters, to different interventions.

Today, as never before, healthcare has the ability to enhance the quality and duration of life. At the same time, healthcare has become so costly that it can easily bankrupt governments and impoverish individuals and families.

This book showcases international research on health care organizations. It presents diverse and multidisciplinary approaches to studying differing health care settings, in international context.

This book is about emotions and reflexivity when doing field research in health and social care settings. Health and social care students often undertake field research in their own area of practice using observation and interviews. All contributing authors have a dual identity as researchers and health or social care professionals.