Quantitative research significantly depends on the gathering and assessment of numerical data to illustrate, predict, describe, and manage variables and phenomena of interest. One of the fundamental principles of quantitative study is a philosophical perspective that the world is fairly steady and unchanging, such that investigators can evaluate and appreciate it and make conclusions concerning it (Flick, 2017).
Scholars believe that from a qualitative belief, assumptions originating from the globe and its phenomena cannot be regarded as meaningful unless they can be supported through direct observations and measurements. Furthermore, qualitative examiners center their research on the view that facts and emotions can be distinguished, and that human existence is based on facts. Sampling is a procedure employed in statistical assessment in which programmed amounts of information are taken from a vast population (Flick, 2017). Therefore, the technique used to sample from a vast population relies on the kind of investigation conducted, which may comprise simple or systematic sampling. This paper focuses on how qualitative research is undertaken and the essential issues research should understand while conducting the study on various health concerns, such as mental illness.
Mental illness has presented numerous challenges in the medical industry and the community in general. Over the years, there are been an increase in the number of cases reported and patients admitted to psychiatric hospitals (Gray et al., 2021). The growing cases have compelled medical researchers and practitioners to identify appropriate ways for conducting their quantitative research and identify accurate data necessary to address the health concern. For instance, several research nurses have employed the sampling method to undertake their study since it has proven as efficient in such assessments (Grove et al., 2012). The sampling was focused on young generations, which have reported the highest number of cases since in every 10 adolescents, 2 suffer from mental issues. The young generation has been a vital target population as there are various cases of young patients suffering from the disease.
Despite being successful in gathering the information needed to make healthcare and treatment choices, research nurses are usually faced with various challenges during the operation. For instance, the fixed and rigid feature of sampling analysis can result in essential variables being missed. The nurses were researching causes of mental illness among adolescents and tried to compare the impact of the internet and society on the healthcare concern (Corrigan et al., 2010). The research conducted may present biased outcomes since an investigator may incline their findings to one side of the outcome while neglecting the equal role internet and society plays in mental health conditions.
Similarly, sampling can easily generalize information because it converts the findings into percentages and other numerical expressions that can be generalized. However, the detailed answers that sampling analysis generates make them challenging to extrapolate to the target population. The level detail in each sample further denotes that fewer individuals are examined, therefore making the contributors a less precise representation of the entire patient population. Finally, for research nurses to conduct a conclusive quantitative sampling, the technique necessitates a large population size (Williams et al., 2009). On the contrary, due to the absence of resources, this extended analysis becomes impossible. For instance, in developing nations, medical investigators may lack knowledge and particularly the resources required to undertake a thorough and extensive quantitative assessment.
In conclusion, this essay has examined sampling as a quantitative research method rationally and its influence on generating conclusive data for the treatment of mental illness. Mental illness is rampant in the younger generation and has been influenced equally by both the society and internet. Despite not presenting accurate data that can be utilized for treatment, sampling tends to streamline the rate of illness growth by presenting medical providers accurate information on the future developments of the disease. Consequently, it enables the stakeholders, governments, and other players in the healthcare industry to formulate strategies for regulating the upsurge of mental conditions.
References
Corrigan, P. W., Tsang, H. W., Shi, K., Lam, C. S., & Larson, J. (2010). Chinese and American employers’ perspectives regarding hiring people with behaviorally driven health conditions: The role of stigma. Social Science & Medicine, 71(12), 2162–2169.
Flick, U. (2017). The Sage handbook of qualitative data collection. Sage.
Gray, J.R., Grove, S.K., & Sutherland, S. (2021). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (9th ed.)
Grove, S. K., Burns, N., & Gray, J. (2012). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Williams, H., Harris, R., & Turner-Stokes, L. (2009). Work sampling: A quantitative analysis of the nursing activity in a neuro-rehabilitation setting. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(10), 2097–2107.