Cross-sectional and prospective data-collection in North Macedonia-methodological considerations
Emil Kostovski1, Vesna Miloshevska Jakimovska1,2, Ingeborg Beate Lidal1
11Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital, Nesoddtangen, Norway.
Spinal Cord Series and Cases
|October 22, 2019
Summary
Collecting data on spinal cord injury (SCI) in North Macedonia faced challenges in logistics, ethics, and scientific quality. Addressing these issues is crucial for future epidemiological research and improving participant trust.
Area of Science:
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
- Trauma Research
Background:
- Epidemiological data collection in North Macedonia presents unique challenges.
- Understanding these methodological issues is vital for accurate health research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and describe methodological challenges in data collection for spinal cord injury (SCI) research in North Macedonia.
- To propose improvements for future epidemiological data collection in the region.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional and prospective cohort study design.
- Data collected from 78 individuals with acute and chronic traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) using questionnaires and assessments.
- Examination and interviews conducted between 2015-2017.
Main Results:
- Key challenges identified include research logistics (recruitment, infrastructure, compensation), ethical considerations (building trust), and scientific quality (representativeness).
- These factors significantly impact the interpretation of study findings.
Conclusions:
- Methodological issues are influenced by local settings, including healthcare systems, language, and culture.
- Building trust through attentive participant interaction is essential for successful data collection.
- Recommendations are provided to enhance future epidemiological data collection in North Macedonia.
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