How to Gather Data on Head Lice in a Homeless Shelter

The type of study design determines the type of data collected. In clinical trials, scientists conduct different types of medical tests or therapeutic interventions to collect data. Clinical research data uses questionnaires or interviews, while other research studies collect data from blood samples, hair samples, lice samples and so forth. Alternately a researcher can use existing data to perform secondary analysis. The researcher must adhere to strict ethical standards before he collects any data from humans.

Instructions

• 1

  Obtain IRB approval. The federal regulations protect human subjects through an approval process by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) and informed consent. Federal regulations require an IRB to review and approve any research conducted on human subjects including the informed consent. The IRB ensures that the research meets ethical standards and protects the people's rights and welfare. More information about federal regulations is available on the website of the Office of Human Protection.

• 2

  Recruit study subjects. Once a study receives IRB approval, research staff can begin recruiting human subjects into the study. Recruiting people to participate in a study can be challenging, especially in vulnerable populations like the homeless. Consider two important factors for recruitment. First, get access to the target population intended to be studied, in this case a homeless population. Second, recruit enough subjects to meet the sample size of the study requirements. In previous studies, researchers have collaborated with homeless shelters and public health departments to collect lice samples from homeless persons.

• 3

  Collect data using questionnaires. Some researchers may want to collect data from the homeless about attitudes, behaviors, knowledge, health and personal history as a way to examine how homeless person acquire lice, what they know about lice, hygiene issues and so forth. Questionnaires make an efficient and systematic way of administering simple questions. Interviews provide answers to more complicated questions that require probing or guidance. Both types of study instruments can be standardized, making data collection easier.

• 4

  Collect data from samples. Use standardized methods through a written protocol to collect blood samples, or in this case, lice samples. Lice feed on human blood and live on a person's body, clothing and bedding. In previous research studies medical and research staff used forceps to collect a portion of lice eggs (samples) found on an infested person's head, neck, body and clothing. They then identified the lice, sorted them by subspecies and placed them in screw-top vials labeled with the subject's identification. They filled the vials with 95% ethanol and sent them to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for analysis.