Research Critique:Risk perception of nonspecific low back pain among nurses

Research Critique:Risk perception of nonspecific low back pain among nurses

Abedini, S., Morowatisharifabad, M. A., Enjezab, B., Barkhordari, A., & Fallahzadeh, H. (2014). Risk perception of nonspecific low back pain among nurses: a qualitative approach. Health promotion perspectives, 4(2), 221.

Research title/ Abstract

The research title is adequate for the study since it provides a brief overview of what the researcher intends to cover in the entire study. The abstract is crucial to enable the reader to develop a glance into the elements the researcher will examine including the objectives of the study, the research methods they will use as well as their results and how they discussed the findings to arrive at their conclusion (Abedini et al., 2014). The researchers highlighted the important aspects of the research in the abstract by briefly stating the background of the study, methods, results, and conclusion. of informs the need for the scope of the health information needs in the modern healthcare industry. Alongside the abstract, the research title is also clear and relevant to the study. Thus, the title evokes the reader to what to learn about how professional nurses perceive nonspecific low back pain. Similarly, by stating that the research will take a qualitative approach, the readers’ attention is conjured into anticipating the likely hypothesis and results.

Statement of the Problem

The research does not have a statement of the problem; instead, the researchers used the introduction section to provide an overview of the research topic. Nonetheless, despite the introduction background of the study providing detailed information, the researchers ought to have included a section in which they clearly explained the statement of the problem. For a research study to be elaborate and adequate, it is necessary to have a problem statement that substantiates the entire study.

A problem statement is a fundamental element of the research since it introduces and evokes the reader to understand the topic that is being studied. In simple terms, since the research does not constitute a problem statement, it would be challenging for the readers to gain an insight into the hypothesis and research questions. As such, the research does not identify and describe an existing gap within the healthcare profession pertaining to the risk perception of nonspecific low back pain among nurses. However, rather than providing a claim that adequately outlines the problem the researchers intend to analyze, the researchers have limited their focus on providing an overview of the understanding of nurses’ perceptions about the LBP consequences that are important before applying an interventional program to decrease the scale of the problem.

Similarly, the lack of a problem statement in the research rendered it insufficient since it does not offer the researchers with a framework for reporting the findings of the study, which should indicate what is probably necessary to conduct the study in addition to explaining how the results will present the information. In simple words, the introduction does not function as a statement of the problem since it does not meet the ultimate objective of transforming a generalized problem into a targeted, well-defined problem.

Significantly, the research does not offer the consequences that are likely to arise if the problem is not resolved since it does not identify or propose areas of further studies in the field. The inclusion of a problem statement is essential in helping the researchers develop a link between previous and current literature on nurses’ perceptions about the LBP consequences. On the other hand, the problem statement should be included in the research since it forms a foundation into how the researchers identify the sources to use in the study.

Literature Review

The study does not have a literature review. Regardless of whether research is qualitative or quantitative, literature research is crucial because it plays a vital role in describing how the proposed research is related to prior research in statistics. It serves a vital role in offering both the readers and researchers with a new interpretation of the previous literature in the field. Within the healthcare field, particularly in investigating the risk perception of nonspecific low back pain among nurses, researchers must use primary sources and secondary sources to develop a foundation for what they are investigating. Relevant primary sources within the field include periodicals or journals, conferences, theses, and reports, while secondary sources include review journals, data compilations, databases, textbooks, and article reviews.

The literature review is a critical discussion and summary of statistical literature that is of ‘general’ and ‘specialized’ relevance to the particular area and topic of the research problem in statistics. Since the research does not have a literature review, it is difficult for the reader to determine and evaluate the originality and relevance of the research problem (Inger, 2015). Specifically, it does not help the reader to compare the research with what has already being studied in the field. Thus the readers cannot identify how the study is different from other statisticians. Moreover, without a literature review, it is difficult for researchers to justify the methodology they used. This also demonstrates how the researchers were not adequately prepared to complete the research. Accordingly, in the literature review, the researchers discover what statistical knowledge exists related to their research topic, increase their statistical knowledge in their research area as well as find gaps and possible errors in published research. A comprehensive literature review would have helped the researchers to generate new original ideas, avoid duplicating results of other statisticians, and justify the relevance of the proposed research.

Research variables

Research cannot be possible without taking into consideration measurable factors that are subject to change due to circumstances (Inger, 2015).  The researchers did not define the variables. Although the research title does not clearly state the possible outcomes-either negative or positive, that are likely to arise when nurses are at risk perception of nonspecific low back pain among nurses without variables, the readers are unable to understand how the risk perception of nonspecific low back pain among nurses affects their nursing practice. Consequently, it would be necessary for the researchers to include dependent and independent variables to guide them in conducting the study effectively.  In simple terms, dependent and independent variables are important because they drive the research process.

Research Questions

Research questions, hypotheses, and objectives are crucial in research since they act as catalysts that provide the focus for where the research starts. An assessment of the validity of the research questions to meet the objectives of the study proves that the questions are researchable through the use of secondary and primary sources. Similarly, the questions are feasible in answering the practical constraints of the study (Inger, 2015). However, these questions may not be what defines where the research will end up. This is because as the study progresses, it may take a different direction, especially when new findings and information are brought in. Subsequently, this would necessitate adjustments to be made as to what direction the research takes. The study by Abedini et al. (2014) does not have research objectives, research hypothesis, or research questions. The lack of research objectives and questions renders the research non-substantiative since research questions are crucial in defining what the researcher is trying to find out, these questions influence most of the rest of the steps taken to conduct the research. Therefore, the research questions should be phrased since they reflect the intended focus of the study. In simple terms, the research questions capture the aim of the study.

Sampling

The sampling technique used was appropriate for the study. Abedini et al. (2014) utilized a purposeful sampling technique, and the sample size was determined when data saturation was confirmed. The sampling technique was appropriate for the study since the sample size involved was quite small. As such, thirty nurses were entered through purposive sampling. Including criteria were having at least 1-year work experience in nursing, Master of Science degree, or Bachelor of sciences degree, and consent to participate in this study (Abedini et al., 2014). Likewise, in a bid to develop an inclusive sample that represented a wide range of individual perceptions and experience, the researchers selected the study participants from different ages, work experience backgrounds, positions, genders, wards, marital statuses, and based on different degrees of suffering from low back pain.

Research design/ data collection

            The research design was relevant to the research problem. The researchers employed a qualitative content analysis design that involved semi-structured interviews in exploring the risk perception of nonspecific LBP among nurses. Interviews were carried out between September-October 2012 to February-March 2013 (Abedini et al., 2014). The research design was appropriate in generalizing the findings of the explore the risk perception of nonspecific LBP among nurses. On the other hand, before collecting the data, it was a prerequisite for the researchers to gain access to the field by requesting permission from the relevant authorities.

The data collection technique involved was the use of semi-structured interviews. The researchers developed the interview guide by reviewing the literature on LBP, PMT, and qualitative approaches (Inger, 2015). The questions were sent for some of the specialists in the field of behavioral and health education. The feedbacks were considered, and the questions were reviewed before the interview guide finalized. Significantly, these criteria improved the validity of the data collection instrument in gathering information related to the research problem.

On the other hand, the description of the methods was crucial for the study since it helped the readers to get an overview of the validity of the research as well as evaluate the extent to which the target population, sample size, and data collection/analysis methods are effective in helping the researchers accomplish the objectives of the study. Therefore, the data collection techniques were described adequately and provided the study with reasonable reliability and validity.

Data analysis/ interpretation

The results section adequately contributes to the research problem since they link the research problem with the discussion of the proposed solutions. The findings are clearly described and logically organized since they flow according to the depth of the research problem from generalized objectives to specific objectives of the study (Abedini et al., 2014). For instance, all interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed right after the record. The transcribed texts were conformed to the recorded interviews to verify their validity. Qualitative researches require researcher(s) full engagement in data processing. Therefore, one of the researchers listened carefully to the recorded interviews and transcribed them. Then the contexts of each hand-written text were reviewed several times. The texts, which were typed in Microsoft Office Word, were transferred into a special qualitative data analyzing software called MAXQDA10 version 10 (Abedini et al., 2014). Therefore, the data analysis techniques used in the study were sufficient in producing the desired results.

The logical flow of the results was crucial in helping the reader understand the scope of the research-from the generalizing the information needs to examine the specific needs and sources of information. Moreover, the logical flow also ensured that the interpretation of the results was entirely based on the data obtained. The researchers processed the data using deductive content analysis. They later transcribed the interviews and carefully examined them to extract key concepts. They then assigned primary codes to each sentence. Primary categories were extracted from the grouping of similar primary codes. The main categories emerged from the assimilation of primary categories. After coding, subcategories were identified based on the subsequent analysis. Furthermore, the findings were appropriately displayed in respective figures and tables, which used averages and percentages to describe the results and adhered to the APA format.

Discussion/Limitation/Implications and Recommendations

The results are discussed based on the data analyzed and interpreted. The discussion of the study showed that, even though LBP is not a life-threatening condition compared with diseases like cancer, but it can cause major problems and significantly affect one’s quality of life. The discussion was valid since the researchers utilized a qualitative approach to understand the risk perception of nonspecific LBP among nurses (Abedini et al., 2014). The discussion was also valid and accurate since it connected to the research problem being investigated and explained a new understanding of the problem after considering the findings. Additionally, it connected to the introduction, despite the lack of research questions or hypotheses (Inger, 2015).