Applied Biostatistics Research Outline: Reforms and Controversy

This research outline examines the complexities of healthcare reforms and the controversies surrounding them, with a specific focus on the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It investigates whether the ACA has improved healthcare access and quality, acknowledging ongoing debates and modifications. The outline includes an introduction that poses the central research question, a thesis statement, and arguments supporting the need for continuous reform. It provides background information on the healthcare sector in America, healthcare reforms, and controversies, referencing relevant statistical data and sources. The methodology section outlines a systematic literature review and analysis, detailing research instruments, population, sample size, variables, and statistical tests. The document also includes an annotated bibliography of key sources, exploring topics such as the impact of the ACA on women's care, infant mortality, Medicaid expansion, and access to opioid treatment. The outline concludes with recommendations for future healthcare improvements and a summary of the findings.

Running head: APPLIED BIOSTATISTICS RESEARCH OUTLINE 1
Applied Biostatistics Research Outline
Name
Institution

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Applied Biostatistics Research Outline
Research Outline
Title: Healthcare Reforms and Controversy
Introduction
The main question that has been raised for years regarding healthcare is whether the
Affordable Care Act has improved health care access and quality.
Thesis: Although the Affordable Care Act was introduced to solve health care access issues, it
has continuously been reformed to make it better and controversies impact it in equal measure.
Argument: Health care in America has become better and accessible by millions of people who
could not have accessed it previously. However, some of the issues it seeks to address have
remained unsolved and have continued to be debated as modifications are proposed amid
controversies.
Background
i. Healthcare Sector in America: Over $3.65 trillion is spent by citizens on health care
in 2018. Its marked a rise by 4.4 percent from 2017 (Herman, 2019). The $3.65
trillion spendings on health care translate to $11,212 per person.
ii. Healthcare Reforms: The cost of health care has continued to rise and has continued
to consume a large proportion of the federal budget (Amaded, 2019). The cost of
preventive care has become unaffordable.
iii. Healthcare Controversy: Affordable Care Act is dogged with various controversies,
including the individual mandate, Medicaid, exchanges, insurance regulations, and
cost (Courtemanche, Marton, Ukert, Yelowitz, & Zapata, 2017).

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iv. Benefits of Healthcare: Broad insurance coverage, lower infant mortality, quality care
etc.
Literature Review
a. Research Design: The research will use a systematic literature review and analysis to
investigate the issues of reforms and controversies in health care.
b. Research instruments: Various studies conduct surveys where they use interviews and
qiestionnaires as well as observation. Some will secondary data from governement
studies.
c. Population and Sample size: The population will be defined by various quantitative
studies.
d. Dependent and independent variables: Healthcare reforms and controversies will
independent variables while health access, quality, coverage etc will be the dependent
variables.
Findings and Analysis
a. Hypothesis testing: Random samples of both null and alternative hypothesis will be
analyzed.
b. Statistical tests and analysis: Parametric tests, non-parametric test, correlation test,
comparison of means, and regression tests can be used.
c. Mutivariable methods: The research can use matrix plot, correlation analysis, principle
components and factor analysis, cluster analysis among others.
d. Principles of multivariate methods: Such as multiples variables, relationships,
independent and dependent variables etc
Annotated Bibliography

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i. Causal impact of the Affordable Care Act:
ii. ACA impacted on care for the women
iii. ACA reform and infant mortality
iv. Reason for Medicaid expansion and non-expansion
v. ACA contribution to access of opioid
Recommendations
Focus on futuristic needs and changes to be addressed to make health care better.
Conclusion
Give a summary of the findings from the literature reviews

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References
Amaded, K. (2019). Why reform health care. Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/why-
reform-health-care-3305749
Courtemanche, C., Marton, J., Ukert, B., Yelowitz, A., & Zapata, D. (2017). Early impacts of the
Affordable Care Act on health insurance coverage in Medicaid expansion and non‐
expansion states. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 36(1), 178-210.
Herman, B. (2019). America’s health care economy keeps ballooning. Retrieved from
https://www.axios.com/health-care-spending-2018-hospitals-doctors-drugs-economy-
b520930a-0cd9-4c68-9dd1-f31cc08ec264.html