Frequently Asked Questions

1. What exactly is Clinical Epidemiology Research?
This simple and straight to the point definition was taken from this glossary. 
Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health conditions or events among populations and the application of that study to control health problems. Clinical epidemiology uses the information from classical epidemiology to aid decision-making about identified cases of disease.

2. I am interested in conducting clinical research and need some help in planning it out. Would CEU be able to help me?
Yes we would! CEU offers research consultative clinics as well as offer collaborative services to interested researchers. We basically work together with you by providing our expertise on research methods as well our knowledge on protocol development, ethical considerations, grant application right through to the publication of the final report or manuscript.
Just click here to view the list of services that our friendly, helpful and ever efficient group can offer you.

3. I am a clinician, and am very interested in doing research. However, my basics in research methodology are at best rusty. What are my options?

For further information and to view the latest dates and venues please click here.

CEU offers a 3 day Basic Research Methodology and Biostatistics Course every year.

Topics covered are as below:

• Overview of clinical research
• Stating research questions, objectives and hypothesis
• Literature review
• Research design
• Variable & measurements
• Study population & sampling technique
• Sample size calculation
• Statistical analysis plan (dummy tables)
• Proposal writing
• Making a budget and ethics & grant submission
• Registering your research
• Descriptive analysis
• Correlation and liner regression
• Logistic regression
• Inferential statistics

For further information and to view the latest dates and venues please click here.

4. What actually happens in a Research Consultative Clinic?

For information on our Research consultative clinic, please click here

5. I am a medical officer / allied health science officer and am very interested to work in clinical research, would I be able to join CRC / CEU?

Of course! CRC always welcomes those who are truly interested in doing research, especially clinical research. Don’t worry if you feel you have no background in clinical research, in house training will be available and all our staffs are encouraged to participate in external workshops/ short courses/ seminars to further their knowledge.
All you have to do is contact CRC's main office.

 

6. What are they?

 

Clinician-initiated ongoing cohort of patients followed up for a certain disease or condition in public and private healthcare facilities in Malaysia by a group of clinicians.

 

7.How do they recruit patients?

Patients who are diagnosed or found to have a condition/disease are recruited onto the specific registry where they are followed up at a particular healthcare facility for many years  till they succumb to the disease or are cured.

 

8.Who started the registries? Who runs them?

A particular clinician or group of clinicians working in the hospitals initiate the formation of a registry. Once the registry is formed a Registry Manager and Registry Office runs the day-to-day work of the Registry. The Patient Registry Unit at the Clinical Research Centre coordinates the running of all these registries throughout the country.

 

9.How do registries capture information?

The first time a patient is diagnosed or determined to have a particular conditions he/she is recruited into the registry and registered via a CRF (Case-Report-Form) which is filled in by trained staff. Every time the patient returns for a follow up his/her condition is assessed and the updates also recorded.

 

10.How is the data collected?

 

 

Each hospital follows-up these patients function as a data collection site or also known as a Source Data Provider (SDP).  Each SDP keys in into an online secure electronic database information collected from each patient. Data for the all the SDPs  i.e the whole country is then complete and can be analysed when needed.

 

11.How many patients and sites are there in a registry?

A registry may have many patients depending how widely the disease is prevalent in Malaysia. Some registries have many SDPs as the disease or condition they are treating is widespread and every hospital follows up some patients with this problem. Some Registries require sub-specialised services available only in 2-3 centres in the whole country, and all Malaysian patients are referred to these centres anyway so data captured here is representative of the national picture.

 

12.What is registry data used for ?

Registry Data is analysed and provides an accurate picture of a particular disease or condition in Malaysia. This enables clinicians and policymakers to assess treatment modalities and change national guidelines as well as enable policymakers to indulge in knowledgeable healthcare planning and proper allocation of resources. Registry data is also integral for benchmarking, outcome monitoring as well as a clinical and economical audit tool.

 

Clinical Research Centre,
3rd Floor, Dermatology Block,
Hospital Kuala Lumpur,
Jalan Pahang 50586
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Phone: 603-2692 4249 / 603-2691 1486

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