Benchmark- Research Critique and Picot Statement Final Draft
Running head: QUALITATIVE ARTICLE CRITIQUE 1
Qualitative Article Critique
Your Name: Idalmis Espinosa
Institution: Grand Canyon University
Course: NRS-433V Introduction to Nursing Research
Date: 05/05/17
Qualitative Article Critique
Summary of Article Topic
In “A qualitative study on hypertensive care behavior in primary health care settings in Malaysia” Shima, Farizah, and Majid (2014) explore the issue of hypertension. In particular, the study conducted in Malaysia focused on understanding the behavior of hypertensive patients in primary healthcare facilities. In this qualitative study, the authors seek to understand patients’ experiences with their health conditions as well as explore the various reasons that cause them not to adhere to the recommended care plans. Some of the hypertensive care recommendations usually include diet changes, physical activity, and antihypertensive medication intake (Burns & Grove, 2011).
Background of Study
Hypertension, a condition associated with abnormally high blood pressure, is responsible for the loss of many lives throughout the world each year. It is possible for a person to have a high blood pressure without being aware of it because its signs and symptoms are not easily noticeable. With proper management of the condition, it is possible to avert fatalities associated with the condition. In addition, early diagnosis and regular health checkups can greatly help to promote proper management. To control and manage hypertension effectively, it is important to identify and manage the lifestyle risk factors associated with the condition as that helps to lower blood pressure, thereby significantly improving health outcomes. This study aimed to study the experiences of patients with hypertension and to establish the reasons that cause them not to adhere to the recommended care plans (which include diet changes, taking medication for hypertension, and engaging in exercises) in primary healthcare facilities. The reader should care about this study because in most cases hypertension does not have noticeable symptoms. However, with early diagnosis, it is possible to manage it effectively and to avert possible fatalities from the condition. Of the known hypertensive patients in Malaysia, 78.4 percent of them stated that they were on oral antihypertensive medications. Having a high number of people on medication significantly increases the overall cost of health care in a country such as Malaysia. Shima, Farizah, and Majid (2014) have not explicitly provide the questions for this study; nevertheless, it is possible to infer the questions from the answers. In this case, the researchers aimed to find out how the participants think and feel with regard to their behavior and their medications as far as their hypertensive conditions are concerned. I consider the purpose and research questions of this study to be well related.
Method of Study
Shima, Farizah, and Majid (2014) used in-depth interviews, which involved 25 with hypertension who were attached to 9 government primary healthcare facilities in 2 districts (Klang and Hulu Langat). I consider that method to be quite fitting for this study. The authors analyzed the transcribed data using thematic analysis, which is also a reliable and suitable method for analysis. The authors do not identify a specific perspective from which they developed the study. The authors mainly included journals in the study. Most of the journal articles were qualitative in nature while a few of them were quantitative in nature. The authors also included books and credible websites, which helped to improve the quality of research and information available on this topic. More than half of the articles that the authors cited in this study were more than five years old from the date of publication of this study. Nevertheless, the authors ensured to use only relevant sources for their study. Shima, Farizah, and Majid (2014) have not expressly indicated any weaknesses with the studies that they used in their research. The authors have provided an in-depth literature review, which explores many aspects of hypertension, which enables the reader to get a better understanding of this health condition. There was no framework or diagram developed from the findings of this study.
Results of Study
This study reveals that there are sufficient facts indicating lack of community support and empowerment of patients the Malaysian society. It is also evident that most of the participants failed to adhere to the recommended lifestyle changes (such and changes in diet and engaging more in physical activity) and most of them also failed to take their antihypertensive medication after diagnosis. In addition, the findings reveal that the health care professionals and patients entered into some form of agreement before commencement of the treatment recommendation; however, there was no follow-up monitoring and counseling. Some of the reasons that most patients gave for failing to engage in physical activity, failing to take their antihypertensive medication, and not adhering to diet recommendations include inadequate information from healthcare professionals, patients’ attitudes, side effects of the hypertension medication, fear of those side effects, and inadequate social support from their immediate environments (Shima, Farizah, and Majid, 2014). These findings have profound implications to nursing because it means that health care professionals can then take corrective action to ensure better adherence to the care recommendation plans that they devise for their patients, thereby significantly helping to boost health outcomes. These findings contribute to nursing knowledge in the sense that they help to identify the thoughts and feelings of hypertensive patients and the possible measures that they can take to control the situation. The findings are quite significant because they have impact on all areas of nursing including administration, education, and practice.
Ethical Considerations
Shima, Farizah, and Majid (2014) ensured to obtain ethical approval for their study, which they got from the University Malaya Medical Ethics Committee. The Malaysian Ministry of Health (National Medical Research Register number 12-625-12500) also approved the study. More importantly, the researchers ensured the confidentiality of the participants during the interviews and in any other engagements during the research. In this case, the interviewer ensured exclusivity of the answers by conducting the interviews only in the presence of the interviewee. The interviewer conducted the in-depth interviews face-to-face and in a secluded location in the healthcare facility. This happened after the subjects had completed their sessions with caregivers and had taken their medication.
Conclusion
This study shows that health care professionals should take a more proactive role in supporting their hypertensive patients to adhere to the care recommendation plans provided for them. In their study, Shima, Farizah, and Majid (2014) show that health care professionals can use dialogue to facilitate management among hypertensive patients. In addition, health care professionals should give hypertensive patients sufficient time to accept the recommendations and to overcome their shyness of asking questions (Burns & Grove, 2011). Essentially, a self-management approach should be helpful in facilitating better healthcare for individuals, communities, and ethnicities.
References
Burns, N., & Grove, S. (2011).Understanding nursing research (5thed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Shima, R., Farizah, M. H., & Majid, H. A. (2014). A qualitative study on hypertensive care behavior in primary health care settings in Malaysia. Patient Preference and Adherence, 8, 1597–1609. Retrieved from http://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S69680
