The Effectiveness of the Tobacco Tactics Program - Research Paper Example

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH CRITIQUE The of the article provides a of the study and identifies the fundamental focus of the research as effectiveness of tobacco tactics program. The contents of the title describe the area where the study was being conducted, and has been clearly defined. The research, however, fails to determine the sample included though the population has been identified as the department of veteran affairs. Abstract The report provides an abstract, in which the purpose of the study has been defined, and the population described. This segment, however, fails to include the research problem and hypothesis. This section provides sufficient summary of various aspects included within the study. The methodology, results and conclusions have been effectively summarized within the abstract. These summaries remain fundamental in enabling other individuals making reference to the article to understand its relevance even before perusing through the details contained inside. The abstract also contains a summary of the keywords that have been included within the research. These words are essential in seeking to enable individuals to understand the contents. Confidence in the Findings The research was conducted by eleven researchers most of whom have been involved in numerous academic institutional departments. As individuals who are actively involved in the educational sector, they have the right qualifications to be able to undertake a probe of such nature. The author affiliations have been provided, and this is essential in increasing reader confidence in the results of the research. The article containing these research findings was published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, which is a peer-reviewed medical journal with an impact factor of 3.169 as of 2012. The credibility of the authors and the impact factors of the journal, in which the article was published become basic elements that enhance the confidence of the findings established by the investigators. Theoretical/Conceptual Framework The theoretical framework has not been clearly described. Despite the importance of this framework in research studies, the lack of the conceptual framework within this research does not change the significance of the study. The study focuses on seeking to establish the effectiveness of tobacco tactics intervention, and background information has been provided regarding the topics being reviewed. The background information plays a significant role in informing other researchers on various aspects, which have been included. Though not clearly outlined, the various aspects of the framework are contained within the introduction. The presentation of this information is essential in enabling individuals to understand the background of the problem under investigation. The prevalence of the problem has been described within the report leading to the establishment of the research problems as per the requirements of a conceptual framework. The vivid description provided by the researchers clearly demonstrates a significant level of understanding of the problems associated with the topic under investigation, by the researchers. The provided information is essential in the establishment of a connection between the research and other previous studies which have been undertaken. This comparison enables the readers to make connection and understand the significance of the study to the society. The challenges, nature and meaning of the problem associated with this report can be clearly understood from the information provided in the theoretical framework. Protection of Human Rights As a study involving participation of individuals, ethical values have to be considered when conducting the research through getting the consent of participants. In relation to the report, there is no indication of an ethics review board being consulted in seeking to accept the study to continue. The inquiry was being conducted within a care site; hence there was no necessity for the participants to consent to the intervention being studied. The consent of the participants was sought in matters relating to participation in the survey, and the cotinine test which were performed seeking to establish the results and conclusions of the report. Within the research, the participants’ identities have been withheld and there is no indication that they can be revealed through any way. There were no ethical aspects which would affects the human rights for the participants. The Problem The problem being investigated within this inquiry has been promptly identified in the introduction. This is important as it enables individuals to understand the relevance of conducting this investigation to the society. The deaths associated with cigarette smoking have been identified as the core problem leading to the investigation on the effectiveness of a smoking cessation intervention among veterans, who are the most affected by the mortality associated with tobacco. This identifies the significance of the study to the society by providing facts related to the problem. The effectiveness of the cessation intervention remains an essential element to the nursing practices, as they findings might result in the seeking of an optional intervention. This significance to the nursing profession has been clearly identified within this report. The purpose for conducting the inquiry has been identified as determining the effectiveness of nurse-administered tobacco tactics intervention among inpatient smokers. Different variables which were under investigation have been clearly identified and outlined. Both the independent and primary dependent variables within the research have been clearly defined. The elements of measurement of these variables have also been described within the study, with possible covariates being described. The independent variables are Tobacco Tactics intervention and time period for administration of the intervention. The primary dependent variable was 6-month post-discharge, self-reported smoking status. The answers which are being sought by the research problem have the capability of providing an insight into the clinical applicability of the tobacco tactics intervention in aiding cessation of smoking among individuals. Research Questions/Hypotheses The research questions for this study have not been formally stated within the report. Being a quantitative research, there is no need to directly state the study question but only provide comprehensive and concise explanation into the research background for individuals to understand the involved question. The problem of the inquiry has been clearly explained within the research and many individuals making reference of the inquiry can easily understand the questions leading to the formulation of the problem. The wording of the explanations contained within the introduction is simple, and comprehensible, aiding in understanding the problem under study, just like would have been the case with the inclusion of a research question. The prediction to the research problem has been provided through comparison with other interventions of similar nature, which have been identified as being effective. A research question for this inquiry can be “how does the tobacco tactics intervention compare with other smoking cessation interventions? Such a research question would provide a comparison of the effectiveness of this method to other interventions which have been identified as being effective. This could result in the increased utilization of the intervention which becomes deemed as most effective compared to others. The elemental outcome from this investigation would be the determination of the effectiveness of tobacco tactics intervention. However, since the effectiveness has been established, comparing the approach with other interventions remains essential in establishing the best intervention to assist individuals in ceasing the smoking behavior. Review of the Literature A review of relevant literature related to the problem being investigated has been conducted and presented in the report. Literature review is significant in aiding the development of the research problems and analysis of the findings established. The existence of a problem within the society can only be established and ascertained through the review of existing literature. The review provides materials and information which is related to the topic being investigated. Literature reviews present facts regarding various problems associated with smoking and tobacco use, among the general population. The review presented can enable an individual to present a case of the research, because of the comprehensiveness and conciseness of the information provided. This information plays a vital role in the identification of the relevance, while adding to the credibility of the same. The articles which have been reviewed within the inquiry include some recent researches, which are essential in aiding credibility regarding the existence of the problem being discussed. Presentation of aged information might make the research obsolete since solutions to the problem might have been found since the publication of the old materials. The significance of the study has been immensely boosted by the literature review contained within this report. Research Design This research is a quasi-experimental design of a research. This research design involves the application of an experimental approach, but lacks the element of randomized sampling which is characteristic in the experimental design. This design in very appropriate to the inquiry as it is commonly utilized in assessment of the effects of an intervention. The lack of key components of a true experiment within the research methodology, further supports the appropriateness of this design. A description of various research parameters which can be altered has been provided in order to present a description of the process of replicating this report elsewhere. The aspect of replication remains essential in seeking to ascertain the findings and conclusions presented. This would further support the findings presented within this report in future. Sampling The target populations has been identified as individuals who have been actively involved in the consumption of tobacco over the last 6 months(Duffy et al., 2014). The sampling criterion utilized within this report has been described effectively. The individuals who were included within the research have described in seeking to aid the understanding of other readers on the participant. The qualities and characteristics of the individuals who were sampled have been described to provide an understanding of the qualifications required in participating. The individuals within the population who did not fit into the sample have also been described. The sample selection procedures have not been clearly defined, although there is indication that the researchers utilized non-randomized sampling. The aspect of randomized sampling would have not been applicable within this research design, which is quasi experimental. The non-randomized convenience sampling utilized by the researchers fits well into the research design adopted by the researchers. The elements of bias which might occur within the research have not been clearly identified although the sample is sufficiently large for such a inquiry. This is mainly because the sample included almost the entire population since it was being conducted within the confines of a care center. The sample size of the research was determined through power analysis conducted using PASS software, which is capable of detecting differences of up to 10% quit rate (Duffy et al., 2014). The sample size was justified through the inclusion of many of the hospitalized individuals residing within the center. The findings contained within the contexts of this research can be generalized in administration of tobacco cessation interventions among different groups of humans, with tobacco addiction. Data Collection Researchers utilized observation as the main data collection instrument within the study. This approach was utilized mainly because the individuals involved within the research did not have to consent to the application of the intervention, as they were already utilizing the intervention. There was need to ensure that the participants did not have other motives for ceasing smoking as this could result in bias within the research findings. The utilization of this approach would enable the researchers to mitigate effects of the bias which might arise from existence of another intention to quit by the participants. This makes the data collection instrument utilized to become congruent with the design adopted by the researchers. The instrument remains the most effective within this context considering the setting of the research. Since many of the participants were hospitalized, their condition was monitored continually and this supported the element of observation. The researchers could access the information easily in seeking to draw conclusions for their research question. Various procedures which were utilized in testing the reliability of the results have been described within the research. Statistical analysis has been extensively utilized in seeking to enhance the validity of the findings included within the research. The results which have been achieved for the research can be described as sufficient to enable their application in the decision making process within n many other similar settings Quantitative Analysis The analyzed information has been tabulated and presented in different forms within the report. There is a logical link between the data presented in charts and table and the results, which have been written within the report. The clarity of the data in both numerical presentation and text is clear and enhances the understanding of the research results. This has mainly been enhanced by the simplification of the data, even the sample selection process has been presented in a chart. This simplicity and clarity remains the principle element which enhances the analysis segment of the report containing the results. The clear link between the text and numerical presentation of the results is essential in ensuring other users, easily comprehend the findings of the research Conclusions and Recommendations These form the last segment of the research and are connected to the findings and the questions established at the beginning. There are several limitations which have been identified by the researches and they include Non-randomized sampling which could result in participant differences making interpretation of the results more difficult. High depression rates among the target population which might impact respond rates Small number of participants in Detroit, which could impact the robustness of the findings In the conclusions, the results have been clearly explained in relation to the purpose of the study and the research question developed during the early stages of the research. The findings indicated there was a significant improvement in quit-rates among veterans following implementation of the tobacco tactics intervention. The report makes recommendations for future researches to focus on the quit-rates when utilizing interventions established for specified target individuals. While there was a significant increase in the quit rate, this remains a generalized intervention and a group target intervention might be presumed to produce better or higher quit rates. The findings indicate that the application of this intervention had a significant impact on the quit rates which were observed among many veterans which were included. This observation was made despite the fact that the intervention was not established targeting veterans as the selected group, but rather as a general intervention to aid smokers in quitting the smoking habit. Reference Duffy, S. A., Ronis, D. L., Karvonen-Gutierrez, C. A., Ewing, L. A., Dalack, G. W., Smith, P. M., … Flanagan, P. (2014). Effectiveness of the Tobacco Tactics program in the Department of Veterans Affairs. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 48(2), 265–274.  Read More