Research Methods Analysis
This literature demonstrated various gaps, the context of which the study should be considered. One is that this study’s results cannot be used to generalize due to the method of participant recruitment utilized. For instance, the men identified outside the venue could not fit in the criteria for generalization. Therefore, the data did not account for the likelihood of being selected for men who attend the venues. Additionally, this study’s data was subject to recall or social desirability bias since it was based on self-report data. Furthermore, the study results were subject to recording errors by the interviewers, thus leaving a significant gap in the literature despite the highly trained interviewers. Moreover, the noted increase in the use of PrEP drugs may be a reflection of administration projects which have been launched within the time of the study, and not an indicator of changed interviewee attitude.
Q.2
This study’s internal validity was high as a result of there being one independent variable in this study; the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men in the two selected cities. Although the participants were not chosen randomly, they were selected according to their common characteristics. Besides, the study also assessed all the possible explanations for the use of PrEp, such as belonging to a minority race, and thus, there could be no other explanation for the noted relationship between in this study. Moreover, the cause (increased awareness and willingness to use PrEp) preceded the observed time frame effect. Furthermore, the internal validity of this study was increased by the manipulation of the study subjects through questions such and analyzing questions such as ‘very likely’ or ‘not likely at all,’ which further shaped the objectivity of this study. Since there was only one independent variable, and all the possible explanations for the noted relationships accounted for, this study’s internal validity was high.
- 3
This study utilized a venue based application of time-space sampling to identify men who have sex with men in the chosen location. This method is especially useful in this case because of its convenience in getting to hard to reach populations. This method identifies the days and times when the study population gathers at certain places, making it most effective for the group under study. Therefore, the researchers constructed a study frame of venue and randomly selected the visiting individuals as well as intercepting and collecting information from the willing members of the target population. However, given the study subjects’ method, the results from this study are hard to make generalizations.
Q.4
This study utilized a cohort study design in which the selected group of men having sex with men was observed across the stipulated time (2011-2014). This study design facilitated the scientific observation of the changes in the use of PrEp drugs among the study population across the same time frame. Using this study design, the study successfully establishes various factors arising from the increased use of PrEp drugs, such as the decrease in protective sexual practices. Notably, this study design helps avoid selection bias, given that the study population is hard to reach. This method allowed for evaluating the changes in the use of prep across the study population in the specified time frame. Thus, the cohort study design contributed to the clarity and objectivity of this study in analyzing the impact of various factors in the use of prep drugs.