Reference no: EM134034421

Literature Review

Assignment Title

Literature review and data extraction table

Assignment Task

Develop a brief literature review, supported by a data extraction table, that leads to the statement of a qualitative research aim or question. Students seeking additional guidance on structuring academic assessments can refer to Assignment Help.

Purpose

Completing this assessment task will enable you to develop knowledge and applied skills in the first phases of research, specifically the literature review and formulating the research aim or question. This will involve developing and applying skills in literature searching, critical appraisal and synthesis, leading to the identification of limitations in the current literature (evidence) regarding a particular population health research topic.

Identification of these limitations (or gaps in current evidence) will lead to the development of a qualitative research aim or question. You will explore your AT1 topic further in your AT2 and AT3. In AT2, you will design a qualitative research study based on your AT1 topic, and in AT3, you will design a quantitative questionnaire based on your AT1 topic.

Please refer to the Unit Guide for the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) and Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) you are developing and evidencing in this assignment.

Background

This task will build upon knowledge, concepts and skills around literature searching and critical appraisal that you will have been introduced to in foundation units of your course (such as HBS108), and requires you to apply them in the context of real-world population health research processes. The literature review is the essential first step in any population health research, as it requires you to examine current evidence to identify what is currently known about a particular health topic, but just as importantly, what is not known. It is ‘what is not known' that reveals the gaps in current knowledge and evidence, and this provides the rationale for the need to undertake research to explore the gap and develop new understandings.

You may be required to undertake a literature review in many different types of roles in future employment and careers, not just research careers. For instance, you may be working in a community health organisation where you first need to understand the current context of an issue before taking further action, such as developing a program or other intervention, or you may need to ‘make a case' to get funding or resources to undertake further work (such as programs or interventions) around an issue. Thus, developing a clear and succinct literature review that leads to a clear statement of a problem (question or aim) is an essential skill.

Assignment Task

The task requires you to produce a brief literature review of 1000 words (+/- 10%) and accompanying data extraction table around one of the following current and topical population health issues:

Arts-based social prescribing for mental wellbeing
Peer-led interventions supporting people leaving prison
Housing First approaches to homelessness

For your chosen topic, consider the parameters below and clearly define them when developing your search strategy and presenting your review. Your review should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of interventions rather than describing the health issue itself. You may choose to narrow your review to a specific population, setting, intervention type, or geographic context to ensure a focused and manageable review.

The examples below are intended as a guide only. You are not expected to include every parameter. Instead, use them to define the scope of your review and develop a focused search strategy.

At the conclusion of your literature review, develop a qualitative research aim or research question that addresses an important gap identified in the literature (i.e. a gap in current knowledge highlighted by your review).

Process for the Task

Select your topic and any specific focus within the topic.
Develop a search plan. It is advisable to use the library search planner to assist you.
Search the literature (using library databases for greater specificity and quality) and identify 8-10 relevant articles.
Develop a data extraction table that describes the details of each article separately, to assist you in synthesising and writing your literature review. You can follow the example of an MS Excel data extraction table or the Deakin University Library's 'Notetaking matrix for writing a literature review', both of which can be found in the HSH219 AT1 resources folder. Alternatively, you can present the information in a table format in MS Word. You need to upload your data extraction table with your literature review. You can upload it either as part of the one document or as a separate attachment.
Write your literature review, synthesising the literature from your data extraction table.

Your brief literature review should include the following information:

A brief introduction to the topic (approx. 100–200 words)

This is where you will introduce the key concepts in the topic, including defining any key population groups, concepts or parameters.

Discussion of the literature (approx. 750–800 words)

This is where you provide a critical and synthesised narrative discussion of the current literature, which should comprise 8–10 articles. For example, what factors contribute to the health issue? And/or what are the experiences of this group with regard to the issue? And/or what are the health and social impacts of the health issue for this group? And/or what is currently being done to address the issue? These questions are not prescriptive, but rather serve as examples and a guide only. The discussion in this section will depend on the focus of your topic and what current literature is available.

You are strongly encouraged to use subheadings to help structure the review into key topics or themes.

Key things to note:

This section of your review MUST be based on the research literature published in peer-reviewed journal articles. You should use the Deakin Library electronic databases to search journals. For additional academic support with literature reviews and research-based assessments, you may also refer to Assignment Help.

Your review should be synthesised, drawing multiple studies together in an integrated discussion. A literature review does not discuss studies separately, such as one study in one paragraph, then another study in the next paragraph, and then another study in the next paragraph, and so on. A literature review synthesises the literature to identify common or consistent findings and divergent findings. For more support with conducting a literature review, refer to the Topic 3 resources in this unit or the Deakin Library Literature Review resources.

Your discussion should also include critical analysis - not just stating the findings, but providing some discussion of the context (e.g. population group, setting, and limitations of the studies). A strong critical analysis will really help set up the following section, the discussion of gaps and limitations, and the revelation of a new key research question or aim.

Summary discussion of the gaps and limitations of the current research, leading to a clear statement of a qualitative research aim or question to address a key gap (approx. 50–100 words).

For Topic 1, key parameters you might consider:

Population: older adults, young people, university students, adults experiencing mental ill-health, people experiencing social isolation or loneliness, people living with chronic illness

Health issue: mental wellbeing, depression, anxiety, loneliness, social isolation, stress, quality of life

Geographic location: State or territory level in Australia, or a comparison of similar socio-environmental contexts

Context: primary healthcare, community health settings, social prescribing programs, community arts organisations, primary care referral schemes

Types of evidence: randomised controlled trials, cohort or longitudinal studies, qualitative studies, mixed-methods studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses. If you require assistance with reviewing evidence and structuring academic research, Assignment Help can support the research process.

Examples of interventions: community art classes, music therapy or community music programs, dance or movement programs, creative writing workshops, drama or theatre programs, community cultural arts programs

For Topic 2, key parameters you might consider:

Population: adults leaving prison, women leaving prison, young adults leaving custody, people with substance use disorders, people with mental illness

Health issue: community reintegration, mental health, substance use recovery, housing stability, employment, health service engagement, social connectedness, recidivism

Geographic focus: Comparable correctional systems (e.g. Australia vs Canada, UK, New Zealand)

Context: prison throughcare programs, community reintegration programs, correctional transition programs, community-based support services

Examples of interventions: peer mentoring, peer navigation, lived experience support workers, peer recovery coaching, peer-led support groups, employment mentoring, peer-led housing navigation

Types of evidence: program evaluations, cohort studies, qualitative studies, mixed-methods studies, systematic reviews

For Topic 3, key parameters you might consider:

Population: adults experiencing chronic homelessness, families, young people, veterans, people experiencing severe mental illness, people with substance use disorders

Health issue: housing stability, mental health, physical health, social exclusion, substance use, quality of life, service access

Geographic focus: Australia, countries with established Housing First programs

Context: Housing First programs, community housing services, homelessness support services, integrated health and housing programs

Types of evidence: randomised controlled trials, longitudinal studies, program evaluations, qualitative studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Examples of interventions: permanent supportive housing, scattered-site Housing First models, single-site Housing First models, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) delivered within Housing First programs, Intensive Case Management (ICM) within Housing First, integrated housing and health support services, Housing First programs for specific populations (e.g. young people, veterans, women, people with severe mental illness). Students seeking guidance with research design and evidence synthesis may also benefit from Assignment Help.