(A case study on asthma patient in Rajasthan, India)

BY- Dr Atul Bhargava

Abstract

There are various methods in research by which one can collect primary and secondary data and later it can be analysed by using conventional methods. A questionnaire is one of the methods through which a researcher collects primary data. The same questions are asked of all patients in the sample data. It is not possible to customise a questionnaire as per every patient. However, each and every asthmatic patient is different from the others in many ways. Researchers and clinicians can customise communication by using digital tools like typeform, convertkit, and zapier, and analyse more accurately as compared to conventional methods. This may help in having better treatment and asthma management.

Introduction:

Conducting research on asthmatic patients is really challenging. Apart from degree and status, there are various socio-economic challenges that make it more difficult, as I experienced in my research “Prevalence of Asthma and its management in relation to socio-economic status in Rajasthan”. The quality of research depends on various factors like sample, sample size, data collection tool, e.g., questionnaire, and analysis done. The result obtained after analysis can only be generalized; it does give a solution to a specific patient’s problem. To customise the results, we can go into deep analysis with the help of digital tools. This method can help researchers obtain more accurate results and can also help clinicians in treating and managing asthma patients. To understand the whole concepts, we need to briefly discuss traditional methods of research and research with the help of digital tools.

Traditional Methods

The steps followed in conventional research are selecting a relevant topic,

Defining the research objectives

Developing the research hypothesis

Developing the research design

Planning the source of data collection

Presenting the questionnaire

Understanding the analytical & statistical tools to be used for data analysis

Presenting the scope & limitation of the study

Digitally augmented method :

Firstof all, we need to collect the email ID of the patient because without that, we cannot send customize mail and get response..

This can be done while collecting primary data. Their responses can be transcribed into typeform and this data can be pulled by convertkit and then, using the Zapier tool, which connects both typeform and convertkit, customised mail can be sent to the respective respondent. When mail is customized, patients have a personalised touch, and more relevant data can be obtained. There will be a sequence of personalised mail to these patients, and relevant information about the respective patients can be obtained. Based on this research, we can analyse research results in a more precise way, and clinicians can tailor-make treatments for patients.

Discussions :

Let us define

What is typeform?

Typeform is a cloud-based survey management platform that caters to businesses of all kinds. It is a package that includes survey design, configuration, distribution, and analytics.

Convertkit

ConvertKit is an email marketing platform that allows you to create and manage email lists, send email broadcasts, automate sequences, create segments, and construct landing pages.

Zapier

Zapier is a no-code application that allows you to automate repetitive operations between two or more apps. Zapier can tell another app to do (or do) a specific action when an event occurs in one app.

After doing factor analysis, we can note down various factors whose eigen value is more than 1. We can use typeform to fill in the above mentioned factors, and by using typeform, convertkit, and zapier, we can send customised emails to patients and record their responses, and clinicians can provide tailor-made treatment to respective patients.

Benefits:

1. Treatment can be customize for each and every patient.
2. Management of asthma can be more precise.
3. Mortality & morbidity can be drastically reduced
4. Prescription can be tailor made as per patient.

Limitation

1. Patient should be literate
2. Patient should have an email ID
3. Patient should be responsive

Conclusion & suggestions:

InIndia, a number of scholars are doing research in various fields but are unable to publish and the quality remains questioned. This is an initiative that shows researchers how to improve the quality of research. At the same time, if any research does not improve the quality of life, it is of no use to people. By combining the traditional method with the latest digital tools, we can achieve precise, effective, and more relevant results.

References:

1.”Prevalence of asthma and its management in relation to socio-economic status in Rajasthan, India” by Dr Atul Bhargava