Question

How do I respond to this?

This study examined whether chronic heart failure outcomes can be improved by activation or increasing patient engagement in care for self-care management (Shively, 2013, p.20). This study is an example of quantitative research with a longitudinal design. A longitudinal design involves repeated observations of the same subject over a short or long period. This study used a randomized 2-group repeated measures design (Shively, 2013, p.20). The experimental groups randomly assigned to either the control group (usual care interventions) or patient activation (Heart PACT) group. The outcome measures at baseline, three months, and six months (Shively, 2013, p.21).

This study has threats to validity. One being the study did not explain what self-management behaviors are most affected by activation (Shively, 2013, p.30). The study also showed limitations in the sample size, age, gender demographics, attrition, missing data, instrumentation issues, a small number of hospitalizations and ED visits and clinical practice changes during the study (Shively, 2013, p.30). This study indicated multiple threats to the collected data and results, which suggests the study is not a reliable source. The researchers for this study protected the human subjects by gaining approval from the institutional review board. All topics provided written consent for both the screening and the research.

Reference

Shively, MJ., Gardetto, N.J., Kodiath, M.F., Kelly, A., Smith, T.L., Stepnowsky, C., Maynard, C., & Larson, B.L. (2013). Effect of patient activation on self-management in patients with heart failure. Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 28(1), 20-34.

Answer 1

Systematic comparison between successful and nonsuccessful research are essential to elaborate the insights of mechanism. Only by providing casual inference can research generate policy recommendations that could make an actual difference for aiming at improving achievement and thus create a better research.

Limitations are the influences that the researcher cannot control. They are the shortcomings , conditions that cannot be controlled by the researcher that place restrictions on the methodology and conclusions.