ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the research methodology used to answer the proposed research questions and hypotheses. The research design employed is mixed methods in nature, through quantitative and qualitative survey research. The sampling methodology employed is a convenience sampling technique, through communication with physicians across numerous electronic portals, websites, conferences, and forums. The procedures taken to ensure research ethics and participant privacy are to provide an employed consent form and give participants an option to exit the survey if they choose to do so. The dissertation meets Institutional Review Board (IRB) exemption 8578, suggesting that the research does not meet the IRB definition of human subjects research. Details about the operationalization of key variables and the survey instruments are discussed, including questions from each of the three research subquestion sections. Finally, specific data analysis techniques, such as linear, logistic, and multinomial logistic regression techniques, are briefly summarized and will be applied to the models in Chapter 5.
