Abbreviated Qualitative Examination of Disease Progression, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease and is a chronic, lifelong condition arising from excessive levels of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream (PubMed Health, 2011).  The high levels of sugar in the blood, which is characteristic of type 2 diabetes, is the result of the body’s inability to produce or recognize insulin, which is necessary for the body to be able to use glucose for energy (American Diabetes Association (ADA), 2012).  Millions of people are currently diagnosed as type 2 diabetics, but, since the disease can be asymptomatic; many more are unaware that they may be diabetic.  There are many factors that can predispose an individual, making them susceptible to type 2 diabetes, which includes ethnicity, unhealthy habits, age, and lack of proper exercise, which has been determined to be a key element in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes (Colberg et al., 2010). African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders are some ethnic groups that have a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes than others (ADA, 2012).

Purpose Statement

This research will seek to examine how an individual’s ability to cope with the disease in a healthy manner has an effect on the progression of the disease itself in African-American patients

Research Questions

• What coping methods are most prevalent most amongst African-Americans?
• How do they compare to coping methods amongst other ethnicities?
• What is the prevalence of complications in African-American type 2 diabetes patients?
• What is the correlation between positive coping methods and positive outcomes amongst African-American type 2 diabetic patients?

These research questions are easily researched due to the wealth of available documented resources that cover the factors delineated in the purpose statement and research questions.  They can also be tested by interviewing patients that are progressing well with their illness and those that are not and allow the questions to be specific in regards to the factors mentioned in the research questions.  The specificity of the topic can provide new information that can help improve outcomes for African-American type 2 diabetes patients.

Research Plan

A qualitative will provide an in-depth perspective regarding the views and beliefs held by

Participants through interviews based on questions designed to gain the most accurate estimation of how coping methods impact patient outcomes and the degree of relevance for these correlational factors.  The narrative approach would best enable the research to reflect the true phenomenology relative to the emotive nature of coping, which was proven to be significantly associated with greater perceived stress, problem areas in diabetes, and negative appraisals of diabetes control (Samuel-Hodge, Watkins, Rowell, & Hooten, 2008). As a researcher, I would have to be objective and the quantitative approach would provide unnecessary statistical details about the various aspects examined, while the qualitative analysis will deliver the human perspective (Creswell, 2009).  Additionally, the mixed method approach necessitates the examination of multiple variables, which is not wholly applicable to this research (Creswell, 2009).  Data would be collected via interview, survey, and analysis of existing research and participants would be recruited through a voluntary so that details provided will be honest and reliable.  Data would be coded and analyzed through descriptive and graphical depictions.

References

American Diabetes Association. (2012). Diabetes basics: Type 2. American Diabetes Association. Retrieved from http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-basics/type-2/

Colberg, S.R. et al. (2010,Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

PubMed Health. (2011, June 28). Type 2 diabetes. A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001356/

Samuel-Hodge, C.D., Watkins, D.C., Rowell, K.L., & Hooten, E.G. (2008). Coping styles, well-being and self-care behaviors among African Americans with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Education, 34(3), pp.501–510. doi:10.1177/0145721708316946.