Frequently asked questions

Lecture 1: Introduction to health research

Q1. What is implementation research?

Implementation research is the scientific inquiry into questions concerning implementation—
the act of carrying an intention into effect, which in health research can be policies, programs,
or individual practices (collectively called interventions). It is the study of methods to improve
the uptake, implementation, and translation of research findings into routine and common
practices. It is used as a general term for research that focuses on the question ‘What is
happening?’ in the design, implementation, administration, operation, services, and outcomes
of an intervention – eg: smoking cessation intervention, nutritional supplementation to
pregnant mothers, incentives for treatment completion, etc.

Q2. What is translational research?

Translational research is when research findings are moved from the researcher’s bench to the
patient’s bedside and community. This refers to knowledge transfer from basic to clinical
research and subsequently to practice settings and communities, for better health outcomes.
Example: Drug development, vaccine development – This involves initial laboratory work and
then it finally reaches the community. Other examples are biomarkers of disease progression,
treatment outcomes.

Q3. Between scientific committee and the ethics committee approval, which approval is
mandatory prior to starting a study?
Both scientific and ethics review and approval are mandatory before starting any study.
However, some institutes may not have a scientific review committee. In that case, the ethics
committee may play a dual role.

Q4. What is a confounder? Can you explain with an example?

Confounder is an extraneous factor that can independently affect the study outcome. It is
associated with the exposure but is not an intermediate step in the causal pathway between
exposure and outcome.
Example:
A study is planned to estimate the prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) among adult
smokers and non-smokers in a village. Here, hypertension is a confounder since irrespective of

1
Basic Course in Biomedical Research, ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology
As mandated by the National Medical Commission
 Frequently asked questions

smoking habit people with hypertension are more likely to have coronary heart diseases. Also,
there is a relationship between smoking and hypertension; smokers are more likely to have
hypertension.

Q5. What is an effect modifier? Can you explain with an example?

Effect modifier is an exposure variable that differentially modifies the observed effect of a risk
factor on outcome either positively or negatively.
Example:
Socio-economic status can be considered as an effect modifier. Since the association between
Obesity and CHD could vary in different strata ie. low, middle and high socio-economic status.

2
Basic Course in Biomedical Research, ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology
As mandated by the National Medical Commission