Introduction
Obesity is one of the most critical health issues of the 21st century. For obese adults suffering from a life-threatening type of obesity, diet and other forms of health management schemes are no longer applicable intervention strategies. In this type of health scenario, most physicians prescribe a radical approach that requires a surgical procedure, the purpose of which is to make the stomach size of the patient smaller. This method is known as bariatric surgery. The intervention relies upon the principle that a reduced stomach size causes a reduction in food intake (Radcliffe, 2013).
There are at least four popular types of bariatric surgery: laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding; intervention type Mason; gastric bypass; and sleeve gastrectomy (Pham et al., 2014). In the article entitled “Long-Term Outcomes of Bariatric Surgery in Obese Adults”, the researchers documented the results of a research initiative attempting to find out the long-term impact of bariatric surgery (Courcoulas et al., 2014). The authors’ initial objective was to find out the long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery in obese adults that availed of the same medical procedure for the first time in their lives.
The research problem was to identify the effect of bariatric surgery in the long run. There were three main points that the authors highlighted in the article. First, they pointed out the danger of obesity and the way surgery can help solve the problem. However, at the same time, they stressed the dearth of knowledge when it comes to the long-term effects of this particular medical intervention. The second main point was the need to conduct a study to determine if long-term weight loss was possible three years after performing bariatric surgery on the patient. Finally, the researchers described the process of collecting information and how the data obtained validated the results of the study.
The hypothesis of the study was not explicitly stated since it was non-experimental. Thus, there was no need to figure out the variables that were introduced to create a certain outcome. In this case, the members of the research team were interested only in finding out the long -term impact of a particular surgical procedure. Thus, a prospective longitudinal observational cohort study was implemented. This process called for observing the post-surgery experiences of 2458 patients. For these patients only two bariatric surgery procedures were applicable, and these were gastric banding and gastric bypass (Courcoulas et al., 2014). It was through the use of this type of study that the authors were able to support the main points outlined above. The research group also supported the key points by implementing a well-developed research design.
The authors utilized an easy to follow the process to arrive at a particular conclusion. For example, they made sure that the participants came from 10 different hospitals and that they only availed of the intervention strategy once. Also, the research team monitored the participants from 2009 to 2012. The authors also made a judicious recording of the research findings. Thus, they were able to conclude that there was significant weight loss and remissions in the aforementioned co-morbid health conditions three years after bariatric surgery was performed on these patients.
Evaluate the Research Methods
There was no extensive review of the literature. Only minimal information was cited with regards to obesity and co-morbid conditions. There was an absence of background information when it comes to bariatric surgery, especially technical details regarding the surgical procedures that were performed on the participants. Neither was there any information concerning the connection between bariatric surgery and weight loss. However, the authors were able to show the long-term effects of implementing the surgical technique leading to weight loss.
The article documents a scientific study that is current and relevant to critical health issues in the 21st century. For example, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes are health problems that contribute to a significant number of premature deaths all over the world (Radcliffe, 2013). Furthermore, the information cited in the article as compared to other sources and this confirmed the fact that the research initiative dealt with contemporary health problems. Also, the relevance of the study can be appreciated in terms of describing an effective alternative solution to life-threatening obesity levels in adults.
As has already been mentioned, the research design was based on an observation cohort framework. Thus, it was a non-experimental study since the members of the research team did not conduct any type of experiment to figure out the effect of certain factors on the test subjects. The members of the research group were responsible only for making measurements and gathering pertinent information with regards to weight loss and the resolution of co-morbid medical conditions as a result of bariatric surgery.
The sample size was large and included 2458 patients undergoing treatment in 10 hospitals. The inclusion criteria were: 1) being older than 18; 2) undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) or laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB); 3) having body mass index (BMI) that exceeded 35 kg/m2 ; 4) having no previous bariatric surgeries. The researchers recruited patients between 2006 and 2009 and continued their observations until 2012 (before the surgery and during 3 years after it).
Since the major concern of the study was to assess how bariatric surgery affected severely obese patients, in the long run, it was prudent to observe the effect on numerous patients for rather an extended period. Furthermore, such a big sample made it possible for the authors of the research to ensure that its outcomes were unbiased as they were made independent of other characteristics of the participants. The decision to select participants from 10 different hospitals also ensured that the quality of medical care was eliminated as an extraneous variable. Finally, the selection of the participants was carefully considered since their age and gender were different. Thus, it allows stating that the study was not specifically designed for creating a favorable set of outcomes.
This study is a good example of a practical research initiative. Furthermore, the way the research team designed the selection process enhanced the relevance and practical value of the study. The authors suggested that one way to apply the research results was to generalize that other bariatric surgery patients could expect the same outcome. I believe that another way to apply the research findings is to highlight certain features of the study to persuade physicians to make the necessary recommendations to popularize the appropriate application of bariatric surgery to clinically obese adults.
The article was clear and straightforward because the authors made their intentions known from the beginning and clarified the results at the end. Aside from the well-crafted research design, another positive attribute of the article was the documentation of the research process. Nevertheless, there is still some room for improvement. For instance, some of the participants’ weight measurements were not performed in the presence of a researcher. Some of them were allowed to make personal measurements and the results were transmitted to the members of the research team. To enhance the validity of the research findings, future studies should require a stricter protocol that calls for weight measurements collected using standard equipment and taken under the supervision of a member of the research team. It is important to observe refined guidelines to minimize errors.
There is at least one way that researchers can make further research on this subject. The members of the team can work on the behavioral aspect of the weight loss phenomenon. For example, they can look into cases wherein patients did not experience long-term weight loss and remission from co-morbid health problems and figure out the impact of factors like lifestyle and diet.
Conclusion
The excellent research design was reflected in the quality of the documentation process. The research team was able to communicate the findings of a valid scientific study. The decision to disclose the weakness of the research process was a plus factor since it can help others develop a better approach. Thus, they paved the way for the development of better research frameworks that enhance the ability of the scientific community to create appropriate intervention strategies on health issues that are responsible for premature deaths all over the world.
References
Courcoulas, A., Christian, N., Belle, S., Berk, P., Flum, D., Garcia, L., … Wolfe, B. (2014). Long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery in obese adults. Journal of the American Medical Association, 21(6), 259-260.
Pham, S., Gancel, A., Scotte, M., Houivet, E., Huet, E., Lefebvre, H., … Prevost, G. (2014). Comparison of the effectiveness of four bariatric surgery procedures in obese patients with Type 2 diabetes: A retrospective study. Web.
Radcliffe, J. (2013). Cut-down to size: Achieving success with weight loss surgery. New York, NY: Routledge.