Introduction
There is a number of various information sources that are related to the nursing discipline and are available on the Internet and in certain journals. Thus, it is necessary to understand the basic principles of a critical assessment of research and know how to use them in interprofessional healthcare practice. Evidence-based practice is aimed at employing a three-pronged approach through blending clinical expertise, values and preferences of the patient, and the most appropriate research evidence. The purpose of this paper is to analyze two articles: one of them is primarily quantitative, and another is primary qualitative research.
Quantitative mobility assessment for fall risk prediction in dementia: A systematic review
The Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this systematic review was to provide critical research and analysis of the evidence that is able to link quantitative measures of balance and gait to the risk of falls in older adults who have dementia. Moreover, its aim was to adequately assess the risk of falls (Dolatabadia et al., 2018). It included the usage of clinically meaningful protocols and metrics that are appropriate for people with dementia.
Research Used to Support the Study
The literature research was conducted in July 2017, and a number of electronic databases, including Medline, Web of Science, Compendex, and PsychINFO were searched for studies. Moreover, keywords and terms related to the subject were used in order to capture the concepts of “Gait/Balance,” “Falls,” and “Dementia” (Dolatabadia et al., 2018). Only those English-language retrospective and prospective clinical studies that measured gait or balance included older adults with dementia and examined falls as an outcome were selected.
Data Analysis
All research results were checked and combined for duplicates, the articles’ abstracts and titles were reviewed, and irrelevant studies were excluded. After that, titles and abstracts of the articles were independently reviewed by the two authors, and a third party resolved all disagreements, and a flow diagram of the study selection was created (Dolatabadia et al., 2018). It is essential that all the paper’s authors contributed to the selected articles’ analysis.
Methodology
The chosen method for conducting the study was to analyze a number of other articles. They were not chosen randomly; instead, the members of the team selected only those articles that suited specific parameters. The implications for future research and the study’s outcome are supported by the evidence that is presented in the article (Dolatabadia et al., 2018). As for the cultural considerations, the researchers gained the approval of the authors of analyzed articles and did not infringe anyone’s rights.
Strength and Limitation
The strength of this study was that data analysis was performed rather professionally. However, there also was a limitation related to the clinical generalizability and feasibility of the studies. The problem was that many of the researches either involved a rather short follow-up after only one assessment or were cross-sectional (Dolatabadia et al., 2018). The heterogeneity of the disease makes it almost impossible for a single cross-sectional assessment to identify people who are at risk of falling.
A qualitative exploration of chronic pain and opioid treatment among HIV patients with drug use disorders.
The Purpose of the Study
Approximately 39%–55% of Americans who are HIV-positive report chronic pain, and finding a solution is crucial. Some evidence supposes that it may be associated with this disease’s non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy and low retention in medical care (Isenberg et al., 2017). The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of high-risk patients with pain management and providers regarding the clinical use of and access to prescription opioid analgesics.
Research Used to Support the Study
Recruitment of the participants was performed via flyers and from among people who took part in the ALIVE study and the AFFIRM study. In order to become a participant, people had to meet specific criteria (Isenberg et al., 2017). They had to have a history of using a forbidden drug, receive care at the Johns Hopkins HIV clinic, and be over the age of eighteen. In-depth interviews were conducted at a community-based research facility from August 2014 to May 2015.
Data Analysis
All the interviews were rather professionally transcribed; after that, the transcripts were thematically coded. During the coding process, the members of the research team discussed transcript coding, applied the constant comparison method, and organized meetings with a community advisory board and co-investigators (Isenberg et al., 2017). What is more, their aim was to achieve inter-coder consistency. Moreover, the researchers used an inductive and iterative process to unite emergent topics into themes.
Methodology
In-depth interviews were created and conducted in order to gather information related to the issue. To refine and identify several themes into a coding structure that successfully achieved theoretical saturation, the constant comparison method was used (Isenberg et al., 2017). After identifying all the major themes, the team members of the study chose notable quotes to support each of them. As for the protection of human subjects, before the research, all participants gave their written consent, and the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Institutional Review Board approved all study protocols (Isenberg et al., 2017). Moreover, after the study, all participants were paid $25 for their effort and time.
It is possible to suggest that the limitation of the research was that those who did not speak English were excluded from the study. It provides a reason for doubting the trustworthiness of the whole study. As for its strength, it is excellent that the interviews were transcribed verbatim rather professionally. Since there is limited research on how HIV patients experiencing chronic pain engage with health care providers, this article is rather helpful for the implications for future research.
References
Dolatabadia, E., van Ooteghema, K., Taatia, B., & Iaboni, A. (2018). Quantitative mobility assessment for fall risk prediction in dementia: A systematic review. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 45(5), 353-397.
Isenberg, S. R., Maragh-Bass, A. C., Ridgeway, K., Beach, M. C., & Knowlton, A. R. (2017). A qualitative exploration of chronic pain and opioid treatment among HIV patients with drug use disorders. Journal of opioid management, 13(1), 5–16.