NURS2000 Critical Review of Published Research Article Assessment 1 Answer

Selected article

Eades, A., Hackett, M. L., Liu, H., Brown, A., Coffin, J., & Cass, A. (2020). Qualitative study of psychosocial factors impacting on Aboriginal women’s management of chronic disease. International Journal for Equity in Health, 19, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-019-1110-3 

Introduction

This assessment aims at critically appraising the chosen research article by Eades et al., (2020). Further, it also with the analysis of research design including methods, identification of psychosocial factors, showcasing understanding of the interdisciplinary approach followed by how this article is important for my won clinical practice. The chosen article aims at identifying the psychosocial factors that affects the chronic disease management among aboriginal women. The study is conducted in remote, rural and urban areas in territory and across two states in Australia. The findings of the article shows that women living with chronic disease faces number of challenges and suffer mental health problems including, trauma, family violence, incarceration and addition issues. The unfunded care makes them unable to get proper access to healthcare and manage their chronic condition. This article contributes to the improvement of secure social and health services for the aboriginal women to get mental and physical health care that further help them in managing and living with chronic illness. 

Study design

Research design is characterised as a system of technologies and methodologies chosen by a researcher to incorporate different research elements in a reasonably logical way to maintain the research objective appropriately (Kumar, 2019). The study undermines an interpretive phenomenological approach for the evaluation of in depth semi-structured interviews. The sampling is done using a purposive sampling approach for the section of the participants. In contrast to this Palinkas et al. (2015) states that purposive sampling results in high levels of bias and is vulnerable to errors. In essence, convenience sampling is used where there is limited time as in the case where a patient is called up for interviews while his/her primary goal was to seek medication (Etikan et al., 2016). Eades et al., (2020) therefore employed the best sampling technique as demanded by the nature of study and participants. The sample included control group of 72 women and the setting included four major community controlled Aboriginal health services, in rural, urban, and remote settings, across territory and two states in Australia which efficiently covers all the healthcare perspectives and accessibility.

All of the human-subjects related procedures and documents were verified by the “North Queensland Human Research Ethics Committee”, and the participants issued copies of the written consent alongside the principle investigator’s contact information. Moreover, the design gave promise to the subjects about the credibility of the survey (McCusker & Gunaydin, 2016). The literature covers and explains the psychosocial needs perspectives of chronic disease management. The researchers selected suitable papers showing that the researchers had experience in their field and knowledge and information in choosing the relevant literature (Ryan et al., 2007). The interviews were done using an interview guide and interview was conducted either at their homes or local AMS. All the demographics were obtained and the interviews were audio recorded. According to Roulston and Choi (2018), only properly semi-structured qualitative research designs yield in the areas of gaining access to the desired sample size and the qualitative information (from the subjects) altogether. Hence, the design of this article can be considered as a reliable one that presented a high probability of achieving the study objectives and sample size (Ryan et al., 2007). 

Research methods 

Research methods are the techniques, processes or approaches used to collect information or data for review to identify new information or gain a deeper understanding of a research objective (Kumar, 2019). Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) has been used to classify patterns of meaning. This approach is reliable as it includes examining and interpreting participants' living experiences by outlining their view point and the importance they relate to such experiences (Alase, 2017). Further, the researcher gained access to information that matches the study objectives while the subjects are time-conscious and sensitive to matters of confidentiality and social status (Ryan et al., 2007). Hence, Eades et al. (2020) designed an interview guide that covered all the issues of interest. An interview guide used focused on extracting patients’ attitudes, intentions and beliefs which is a reliable method (Kallio et al., 2016). Coding was conducted independently by AE and HL using NVivo 10. This helped in the identification of emerging themes. 

Considering psychosocial factors

This article can assist healthcare provider in knowing psychosocial factors as the authors have efficiently described multiple psychosocial factors such as trauma, family related stress, integration of multiple roles and responsibility, social status, social support, family status and cultural safety that are affecting aboriginal women and their chronic diseases management. According to Eades et al. (2020), majority of the women were concerned about their family and the stressors and very less about their chronic diseases. They are burdensome with number of responsibility and undergo homelessness, family and domestic violence, drug and alcohol use and suffers intergenerational trauma. 

Supporting this He et al. (2018) states that the psychosocial factor which has been regarded as the forecaster is a happy marriage. Supporting this Ploeg et al. (2017) put forth that individuals who have good support from their spouse and family are more likely to manage their chronic conditions in efficient manner and get better health outcomes. Finding out you have a chronic illness can cause an individual to develop things like low-self-esteem and depression which can lead to other things like isolation. So by developing positive coping techniques an individual can decrease their psychological stress, their physical symptoms, and their likelihood of developing new illnesses (Wilson et al., 2019). Also, it has been found that the individuals that have great social support and more number of social contacts have an increased probability to manage their chronic conditions (Wang et al., 2018). Putting the effort and time within the development of the social support network might not just enhance the psychological health but also physical health (Darling 2019). Hence, these women are unable are to manage their condition as they lack family and social support and also does not have cultural safety and access to healthcare. 

Interdisciplinary approach

Interdisciplinary approach in this article is used as a method of research that merged multiple factors from two or more fields of study. These factors included data, methods or techniques, personal viewpoints and even emerged themes (Eades et al., 2020). Researchers made use of the interdisciplinary approach to gain a better understanding of the psychosocial factors that affects the management of chronic illness (Caleshu et al., 2016). The strengths of this article that can contribute in management of chronic diseases in this analysis are that the authors have been able to offer insights into living circumstance and to what degree psychosocial influences affect chronic disease treatment for women (Eades et al., 2020). According to Bishop  et al. (2020), interdisciplinary approach in healthcare management promotes cooperation between people of different disciplines. Through this, every person has the chance to ask substandard questions without getting judged.

Sarker et al. (2018) states that the questions asked in this research using interdisciplinary approach did not use a basis of how intelligent or knowledgeable the person is. A limitation of this article is that authors were trying to include females suffering from a chronic illness that prompted authors to attract a few younger and healthy females whose viewpoints may vary from the views stated here (Eades et al., 2020). In contrast to this Szigethy et al. (2017), states that the psychosocial factors given by the authors can be integrated in the care management process and the interdisciplinary team including social support service provider, nurses and other disciplines can work collaboratively to achieve the successful management of chronic condition among these females. This is of great importance as these women have multiple care needs to deal with psychosocial, social and complex multi-morbidity issues. This can be further attained by collaborative and consultative approach thereby involving family and the patient itself (Rash et al., 2018). 

Application to clinical practice

This a valuable research to be integrated in the clinical practice as all the objectives are explicitly and unsparingly covered. Besides, the information presented adds up to the existing knowledge, or other, can be essential in upgrading the (for nursing research) welfare of patients. Further, this article helps in integrating interdisciplinary care management approach. Also, it identifies the knowledge of culturally secure services. In my practice as a student I will ensure that I will support psychosocial and physical requirements of the patient. Moreover, authors convey that women spoke about their psychosocial needs only when prompted. Therefore, I will ensure to maintain therapeutic relationships that enable the patients to share their care perspectives and needs. I possessed knowledge of psychosocial factors such as social support and family status. But article also highlighted my knowledge of stress, trauma and roles and responsibilities of an individual that enable them to manage their chronic condition (Eades et al., 2020). This research has conceived the need to redefine interdisciplinary approach for management of chronic diseases. Most patients were concerned about the psychological effects of learning about a chronic disease. Hence, guidance and counselling can now be given prior attention before the actual treatment is performed on a patient to prefer the patient’s emotional concern (Hruschak & Cochran, 2018).         

Conclusion  

The work by Eades et al. (2020) is a classic example of nursing research. Carried out for aboriginal women, the survey adequately covers the attitudes, beliefs and perceptions of these women and the psychosocial factors. The study objectives were properly formulated to match the type of research, which is qualitative, targeting subjects and their perceptions. Besides, the research design, data collection methods, analysis and the way the findings were reported all lined with the features of qualitative (nursing) research. As such, interviews were used in data collection and thematic analysis done to report findings in some identified themes.