Advantages and Drawbacks of Quantitative Research Methods

Explanation of the Research Method that will be Used

There are three types of research methods: quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methods. The choice of a specific research method depends on the types of questions the researchers are seeking to answer. For instance, a quantitative research method is used to explore "what" relationships among variables. Qualitative research approaches use reduction of phenomena to numerical values to enable performance of statistical analysis (Smith, 2015).

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On the other hand, qualitative research method is used to address "why" or "how" questions. This method involves the collection of data regarding naturalistic verbal reports, followed by textual analysis (Smith, 2015). Lastly, mixed research method is the deliberate integration of quantitative and qualitative methods. This enables the researcher to draw on the strengths of each to address real-world research questions (Tariq & Woodman, 2013; Doorenbos, 2014; Kaur, 2016). To determine whether patients' socio-demographic characteristics are associated with the likelihood of non-adherence to the DB2 post-diagnosis management plan, a quantitative research method will be utilized.

Explanation of Why Quantitative Research Method Will Be Chosen Over Others

This type of research method is the most appropriate because the independent variable (socio-demographic characteristics) and the dependent variable (non-adherence to medication) can be assessed quantitatively. According to Salam and Siddiqui (2013), socio-demographic determinants of compliance among diabetic patients include age groups, gender, marital status, educational status, and BMI grades. The collection of patients' demographic data can be done using quantitative research instruments, such as a questionnaire with closed-ended questions. Such questionnaires will yield numerical data that can be analyzed statistically as the researcher sought to examine whether there is a relationship between patients' socio-demographic characteristics and non-adherence to the DB2 post-diagnosis management plan.

Data regarding patients' adherence and non-adherence to medication can be collected using questionnaires which yield quantitative data that can be analyzed statistically using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviations) and inferential statistics such as Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analyses (Riaz, Basit, Fawwad, Yakoob Ahmedani, & Ali Rizvi, 2014). The CIRT (2018) further noted that a quantitative research method enables the researcher to determine the relationship between two variables as well as to examine the presence of cause and effect relationships and therefore, necessary in making predictions.

Advantages and Drawbacks of Quantitative Research Methods

Quantitative data is focused on the quantity of things, especially the statistical patterns that can be derived from such data. The data used in quantitative research is in the form of numbers with the analysis involving counting to draw conclusions. The use of quantitative research methods has been reported to have some benefits as well as some limitations. According to, the use of quantitative research method is beneficial because it enhances the generalizability of the research findings or the conclusions. Generalizability is the extent to which research results from a study carried out on a sample population can be extended to the broader population (Suresh, 2014; Flick, 2017). The generalizability of quantitative research methods is associated with the use of large sample sizes. The advantage of a large sample size is increased power in hypothesis testing and narrow confidence interval (Mellinger & Hanson, 2016).

Another advantage associated with quantitative research design is the use of statistical methods for analysis of data. Because of the statistical approaches to data analysis, the results are often considered reliable. Reliability of quantitative methods means that it can determine whether one concept is better than the alternatives (Nykiel, 2007). Additionally, the use of statistical data in quantitative research saves time and resources (Eyisi, 2016). It has also been argued that by placing more emphasis on numbers and figures in data collection and analysis, quantitative research method can be seen as more scientific than qualitative approaches (Eyisi, 2016).

Moreover, the use of this research approach enhances the replicability of the research (Lichtman, 2013). That is, because of its reliance on hypotheses testing, this research method adheres to strict guidelines and objectives rather than relying on guesswork. Consequently, quantitative research can be replicated at any time and location and still yield the same findings.

The use of a quantitative research method has also been found to have some limitations. First, their generalizability may be limited by the size of the sample. More specifically, when the sample size is small, the findings of a study become less generalizable and more subjective. Secondly, the fact that the researcher is detached from the research subjects in this research approach. That is, the researcher is just an observer and is not involved in the in-depth exploration of phenomena in its natural settings (Eyisi, 2016). Thirdly, this type of research approach has been faulted for giving respondents limited choices. That is, it does not provide adequate opportunity for the researcher to capture the vivid description of each of the participants' experiences of their social world (Novak, 2015). Lastly, quantitative research methods do not provide an in-depth look at the full complexity of human perceptions because the respondents have limited choices.

References

CRIT (2018). When to use quantitative methods. Retrieved from https://cirt.gcu.edu/research/developmentresources/research_ready/quantresearch/whentouse

Doorenbos, A. Z. (2014). Mixed methods in nursing research : an overview and practical examples. Kango Kenkyu. The Japanese Journal of Nursing Research, 47(3), 207-217. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4287271/

Eyisi, D. (2016). The usefulness of qualitative and quantitative approaches and methods in researching problem-solving ability in science education curriculum. Journal of Education and Practice, 7(15), 91-100.

Flick, U. (2017). The SAGE handbook of qualitative data collection. Sage Publishers.

Kaur, M. (2016). Application of Mixed Method Approach in Public Health Research. Indian Journal of Community Medicine : Official Publication of Indian Association of Preventive & Social Medicine, 41(2), 93-97. https://doi.org/10.4103/0970-0218.173495

Lichtman, M. (2012). Qualitative research in education: A User's Guide: A user's guide. Sage.

Mellinger, C. D., & Hanson, T. A. (2016). Quantitative research methods in translation and interpreting studies. Taylor & Francis.

Novak, M. (2015). Issues in aging. Routledge.

Nykiel, R. A. (2007). Handbook of marketing research methodologies for hospitality and tourism. Psychology Press.

Riaz, M., Basit, A., Fawwad, A., Yakoob Ahmedani, M., & Ali Rizvi, Z. (2014). Factors associated with non-adherence to insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 30(2), 233-239. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3998985/

Salam, M. A., & Siddiqui, A. F. (2013). Socio-demographic determinants of compliance among type 2 diabetic patients in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research : JCDR, 7(12), 2810-2813. https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2013/6986.3708

Smith, J. A. (2015). Qualitative psychology: a practical guide to research methods. Sage Publishers.

Suresh, S. (2014). Nursing research and statistics. Elsevier Health Sciences.

Tariq, S., & Woodman, J. (2013). Using mixed methods in health research. JRSM Short Reports, 4(6). https://doi.org/10.1177/2042533313479197