The article developed by Thomazini, Wysocki, da Cunha, da Silva, and Ruiz (2016) is “Risk Factors Related to Premature Labor in Pregnant Adolescents: An Integrative Literature Review.” The title of this work provides an opportunity to understand both the area of the study and the targeted group. It is clear that the researchers are interested in the issue of preterm birth, especially in its causes. The population under discussion includes adolescent females. In addition to that, it is possible to understand that the article is based on the information obtained from other authoritative sources. The authors’ credentials are mentioned on the title page, which allows the readers to understand how these professionals contribute to the sphere.
The researchers mention that the phenomenon of premature labor is rather complex, and it is not possible to diagnose it immediately. Moreover, there are numerous risk factors that are typically associated with this issue. Thus, it is significant to investigate literature in order to obtain more information on the subject. So it can be stated that the use of qualitative research is justified. The philosophical underpinnings of the study are not discussed in the article.
The purpose of the research is clearly stated. It can be found in the abstract and introduction sections. It is definitely explicit, so readers do not need to waste their time trying to identify the aim of the whole work. The significance of the study to nursing is not identified in the body of the paper, but it can be developed on the basis of the information discussed by the authors and found in the conclusion. Research questions and theoretical framework are not described, but it does not affect the quality of the article.
The researchers develop their work using the method of the literature review. It is appropriate for the major purpose because it provides an opportunity to focus on numerous cases of premature birth and identify the most common risks. Moreover, biases are minimalized, as the views of different scholars are included. It would not be possible to discuss the selected phenomenon using another method in such detail if literature research is not used, because it allows analyzing large amounts of information and a great number of cases from different locations. The authors develop their work following the approach identified in the material and method section.
Thomazini et al. (2016) mention that they base their work on the non-human sample. It included 511 articles initially, but eventually, only 11 of them are used, as they are within 2009-2014, address the topic of interest, and are methodologically clear. Thus, selected works are appropriate for the research.
Data is collected on the basis of the literature review. In this way, it is possible to state that the focus is made not on a human experience directly, but on its analysis performed by other researchers. Data collection strategies are mentioned. No protection of human subjects is needed, and authors’ rights are not violated since their names are mentioned. Saturation of the data is not discussed by the authors directly. The procedures of data collection are not totally explicit, but it is clear that the focus is made on the identification of selected categories. The readers can also understand the procedures of data analysis due to the subheadings used in the article. The researchers mention that they base their work on high-quality sources but do not discuss the credibility of the data further. Moreover, they seem to recognize previous experiences as their own, which allows reaching generalized results.
Readers can follow the thinking of the researcher because it is clear and precise. Those concepts that are identified when describing the data analysis approaches are used to develop the rest of the paper. As a result, it is also possible to predict the overall conclusions. However, the research process is not documented in detail, and the researcher pays more attention to the very results. The obtained findings can be used in various cases of premature birth because different populations of adolescent mothers are considered (age, education, support, etc.). The obtained results are meaningful to a varied audience. Healthcare professionals, social workers, and educators can use them while assisting teenage girls. Even parents may find this information beneficial because it is easy to understand and allows explaining their children the risks of premature birth. Finally, the strategy of analysis fits the research purpose perfectly.
The findings of the study can be found in the corresponding section. They are developed so that readers can easily apprehend the information. The authors’ conceptualizations reveal the essence of the obtained data. Their data is revealed in the context of already known information associated with the issue of preterm birth in adolescents. The conclusion section of the paper indicates how the findings can be used in practice but do not actually provide a summary of the analyzed data. The recommendations for future study are present, as current limitations are mentioned, and further research is suggested. The importance of this work in the field of nursing is identified explicitly.
The majority of sources used by Thomazini et al. are a cohort that is why the work is based on level II evidence. However, the very article refers to level V because it is a literature review. This study can be applied in practice since it discusses the issue of premature delivery in adolescents and factors that predispose it. This information can be used by healthcare professionals to prevent preterm births and associated problems.
Reference
Thomazini, I., Wysocki, A., da Cunha, M., da Silva, S., & Ruiz, M. (2016). Risk factors related to premature labor in pregnant adolescents: An integrative literature review. Enfermería Global, 44(1), 440-451.