Qualitative Research Method

Qualitative Research Method
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Qualitative Research Method
Critical Appraisal
Abstract
Buxton & Snethen (2013) who are both holders of Ph.D. holders and associate professors in the nursing sector made use of a well-articulated title indicating the purpose of the study and use of the phenomenological qualitative approach. The abstract was well explained even though it failed to include the major conclusion. The problem leading to the research was well presented with the integration of the significance, background and problem statement about women with obesity. Buxton & Snethen introduced the purpose of the study that stirred the whole study having all the literature review with excellent sources embedded, as well as the methodologies. The methods included interpretive phenomenology qualitative study that incorporates semi-structured interviews to gather essential information that was further analyzed legibly to produce dependable and precise findings. The conclusions presented were limited to the scope of the study. The inclusion of quotations enhanced clarity and reliability of the survey. However, the results would improve the responses towards the obese women from healthcare officers and the PCP as well as their continued concern for related clients.
Step 1: Identification of Components for Qualitative Research Process
Introduction
Researcher qualifications: The study was carried out by two researchers, Barbara K, Buxton and Julia Snethen (Buxton & Snethen, 2013).

Buxton is a Ph.D. holder certified nursing practitioner is serving as an associate professor in the Nursing Department at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The second researcher, Snethen, also has a Ph.D. in nursing and serves as an Associate Professor in the College of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Buxton & Snethen, 2013).
Article title: The title indicates that the study was about the obese women’s beliefs and their encounters with the healthcare and primary care providers (PCPs), and also indicates the qualitative approach used, phenomenological approach. The data is collected from obese women in the area of study.
Abstract: The qualitative approach was not included in the purpose statement. However, the sample size and the data collection methods were indicated. The rest of the abstract mentioned the four principle themes with an indication of the discussion, but the primary conclusion was not included.
Problem
Significance: In the significance section the researchers justifies the reason for collecting data about perceptions and experiences of obesity using women rather than men. “The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity is higher in women (35.8%) than in men (35.5%; Flegal et al., 2012)” (Buxton & Snethen, 2013). However, they also imply the importance of including women from a region of all cultural, social and economic differences.
Background: The researchers explores the background of the study through a reconsideration of the historical obesity records.
Problem statement: “Management of obesity by primary care providers (PCPs) may be a challenge, as they may be unprepared to effectively manage obesity in the primary care setting (Terre, Hunter, Poston, Haddock, & Stewart, 2007)” (Buxton & Snethen, 2013).
Purpose
“The overall purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of women in regard to healthcare and their PCPs as well as to understand how obese women’s healthcare experiences and interactions with healthcare providers shaped their healthcare-seeking behavior” (Buxton & Snethen, 2013).
Literature review
The review of the literature was vividly marked with primary topic. While the whole research contained 31 sources, (Buxton & Snethen, 2013) makes use of 12 of the sources as textual evidence on the background of obesity in women. The sources included two official sources depicting the health issues associated with obesity. One research source was used to detail about the differences of disease manifestation in the genders. Buxton & Snethen (2013), further uses seven sources to describe background information about stigmatization and bias cases against obese women. The last three cited sources briefs about the phenomenological qualitative approach. The articles used were updated as from the year 2000 with the exception of only one source.
Philosophical orientation of the study
The study framework of the research used was an interpretive phenomenology. In support to this Buxton & Snethen (2013), claims that this study philosophy has been a through way for many clinicians who seeks to attain a different understanding of the life events for their customers (Grove, Gray, & Burns, 2016).
Qualitative approach
The study made use of the interpretive phenomenology as the qualitative approach (Grove, Gray, & Burns, 2016).
Sample setting
Exclusion and inclusion criteria: The participants were to be obese women with a BMI of 30 kg/M2 or more.
Sample: The study involved twenty-six obese women members located in Northeastern PA and included only women who were able to read, speak, and understand English
Recruitment and human subject protection: The participants were located in Northeastern PA which had a mixture of urban and rural areas. “Two university institutional review boards approved the study, and participants signed consent forn1s before participating in the study” (Buxton & Snethen, 2013).
Data collection procedure
The data collection process used was semi-structured interviews that involved recording and verbatim transcription. Later on, an exhaustive description was used to determine the four principal themes as affirmed by the participants. The findings were subsequently kept in a journal to ensure reliability (Buxton & Snethen, 2013).
Data analysis process
Analysis of the data was done by the aid of the Colaizzi’s seven-step method which was essential for analyzing the complex verbatim transcriptions. The process supported extraction of basic statements that led to the creation of the four principle themes.
Trustworthiness of the results: Buxton & Snethen (2013) presented aspects of data gathering and analysis that affirmed the findings’ confirmability, dependability, credibility, and transferability forming the four quality criteria (Bergman & Coxon, 2005). The researchers did reaffirmation of the findings through the exhaustive description as well as a comparison of the two researcher’s analysis.
Interpretation of findings
Buxton & Snethen, 2013 (2005) described the perceptions and stigmatization that were vividly expressed in the results. Expressing on the responses on the four primary principles the obese women expressed their concerns about their experiences and perceptions about the healthcare and PCPs. The findings kept its consistency with the limited results from the previously published information.
Limitations
The qualitative approach used restricts the ability to generalize about all obese women. The exclusion of other women who would likely be possessing positive beliefs about PCPs was left out limiting the application scope of the research (Buxton & Snethen, 2013).
Conclusion
In their conclusion, the researchers relate their study with the findings of Hebi, Xu, and Mason (2003). They prefer self-awareness about the biases on the women with obesity as a solution towards reducing the levels of stigma in the healthcare and PCPs (Buxton & Snethen, 2013). Also, they commend the participants for their willingness to share the experiences; therefore ensuring clarity of the conclusion.
Transferability of the findings
Considering that the obese women involved were self-selected, the transferability of the findings is limited to similar types of women rather than those who might have a positive attitude about healthcare and PCPs.
Implication for nursing practices
The findings of the obese women experiences and induced perceptions raise more concerns about the healthcare and PCP sections. However, the findings imply that the obese women require more care to who they are from the PCPs and not to be rushed through the process without telling them what they deserve to do so as to cut on their body weights. As most of them are willing to cut short their body weight, the nurses have a responsibility of helping them through.
Future studies
“Further research may explore the actual health status of women with obesity and the attitudes and behaviors of healthcare providers who care for this group of women” (Buxton & Snethen, 2013).
Step 2: Determining study strength and weaknesses
Research problem and purpose
Obesity as a health issue has raised many issues relating it to another chronic disease that ends up risking lives and shortening the life expectancy of the affected (Clark & Brancati, 2000). Therefore, the purpose that seeks to determine challenges and constructed perceptions about obese women in healthcare and PCPs was clear.
Review of the literature
There was a focused organization in the multidisciplinary sources. The textual evidence supported the ideas positively with a vivid correlation between the findings and the review of the literature. However, the literature review was limited to information about the quality of the research approach.
Sample and setting
The participants were well versed with the topic making it easy for data collection. The inclusion of literate, fluent English speakers made it easy for interviews and recording for verbatim transcription. The range of BMI and ages used were essential to offer the necessary experiences and perceptions concerning the topic. However, Buxton & Snethen (2013) fails to avail information on the reasons for some approached potential participants who declined the request.
Data collection
The use of repeated semi-structured interviews was essential in acquiring and verifying the necessary information. The data collection methods used are dependable for such research study. The findings identified in the study has great association with the objectives; hence one can conclude that the interview questions were valid (Edwards & Holland, 2013).
Data analysis
Buxton & Snethen, (2013) offered a vivid description of the data analysis. The analysis begins with data collection through interviews, verbatim transcription and use of other structural techniques to synthesize the information.
Interpretations of findings
The researchers incorporate the quotations of the participant’s responses on each subtheme to display their interpretation potential as well as clarity. However, (Buxton & Snethen, 2013) fails to address the results based the sample differences.
Limitations
The restrictions integrated by the researcher are restricted to the scope of the research.
Conclusions
The conclusion, suggestions, and future research were corresponding to the findings.
Step 3: Evaluation of trustworthiness and meaning of study findings
Buxton & Snethen (2013) carried out a well-structured research that reduced the limitations to a substantial degree. Consequently, the results offered a credible ideology about the healthcare necessities of obese women and the related challenges with perceptions they encounter. The results can be employed in the nursing practice to advocate for the creation of the obese women profiles that needs the collaboration of the healthcare centers, PCPs, and the obese women.
References
Bergman, M. & Coxon, A. (2005). The Quality in Qualitative Methods. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 6(2).
Buxton, B. & Snethen, J. (2013). Obese Women’s Perceptions and Experiences of Healthcare and Primary Care Providers. Nursing Research, 62(4), 252-259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/nnr.0b013e318299a6ba
Clark, J. & Brancati, F. (2000). The challenge of obesity-related chronic diseases. Journal Of General Internal Medicine, 15(11), 828-829. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2000.00923.x
Edwards, R. & Holland, J. (2013). What is qualitative interviewing?(1st ed.). New York: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Grove, S., Gray, J., & Burns, N. (2016). Introduction to Qualitative Research. In S. Grove, J. Gray & N. Burns, Understanding Nursing Research: Building an Evidence-Based Practice (6th ed., pp. 68-78). Saunders.