Results
Data collection methods
The study utilizes opinions and judgements of healthcare professionals, i.e. health analysts and economists (Callahan, 2012). This was a review strategy that collected and analyzed the opinions of professionals with regard to the problem of rationing healthcare for the elderly in the society. The data collection procedure was not appropriate for this study. Studies that could influence the evidence-based practice are required to rely on evidence-based research findings (Munhall, 2011). These findings are found in peer-reviewed journals, and healthcare professionals can appraise them based on their validity, representativeness and reliability. The study author does not give the criteria used to gather the information presented. In quality research studies, authors are expected to give the criteria utilized to select sources of information. The study did not involve patients. Therefore, there were no steps taken to protect the rights of subjects.
If a study involves the participation of human subjects, then it should follow standard procedures to protect the rights of subjects. For example, rights of privacy and confidentiality should be maintained when a study is being conducted. The subjects’ information is regarded as being private and confidential, and disclosures can be violating ethical standards. The data collection procedure does not support the reliability of the study, which means that a study could be repeated by different researchers using the same study parameters to obtain the same results (Munhall, 2011). For example, if the same study is conducted in Africa and in the UK by different researchers, then the same results will be obtained. Studies with a high degree of replication can be relied upon to act as a basis of the evidence-based practice in the healthcare industry. However, the data collection method supports the validity of the study. Validity is the degree to which a study achieves its initial goal of answering some research questions or finding solutions to a problem (Munhall, 2011). The approach used by the researcher to gather data is in line with the problem set out in the background of the study, i.e. assessing the impact of rationing care for the aged in the society (Callahan, 2012).
Data analysis
Although the study considers opinions from health economists and analysts, it does not provide an elaborate method of data analysis. The opinions and their implications to the rationing of healthcare for the aged are reviewed, but no data analysis is performed (Callahan, 2012). To provide credible evidence that could be relied upon to impact evidence-based practice, data collected through various methods are required to be analyzed. Data analysis should be conducted using statistical tests that give values of significance. If the data analysis does not show significance of study findings, then it demonstrates that a procedure or medication does not have a significant impact that could lead to its acceptance or rejection (Munhall, 2011). Because the study does not give data analysis procedures, it could be concluded that research questions were not answered. In addition, research hypotheses were not tested. The testing of research hypotheses leads to the determination of significance of a study. Although the study does not analyze the collected information, which was in the form of qualitative data, that cannot be analyzed directly by the use of statistical tests. For qualitative data to be analyzed statistically, the information is converted to quantitative data, which are in the form of numbers (Munhall, 2011).
Conclusions
Summary
The author concludes that a good society should be willing to facilitate the process of people becoming old, but not making the aged people become older forever. The author also notes that although the young help the old, the society should not let the elderly be a burden on their caregivers (the young). In addition, the author concludes that healthcare should be rationed for the aged in a caring society (Callahan, 2012).
Strengths and weaknesses of the study
The study has two areas of strength. First, it provides a background that presents the problem and indicates why the author is interested in the problem (Callahan, 2012). Second, it provides a very clear conclusion that summarizes the findings. However, the study is weak because it does not have a clear methodology section to provide the study design and data collection methods. In addition, it does not have data analysis procedures.
Limitations of the scientific merit
The study does not follow the requirements for a research study in the healthcare industry. It does not formulate research questions or hypotheses. These components are crucial in a scientific study. In addition, the analysis does not give the criteria for the sample size used for the reviews. It lacks scientific merit because the study does not conduct a review of evidence-based findings. Since there were no hypotheses formulated in the study, it would be difficult to tell the significance of the study findings.
References
Callahan, D. (2012). Must we ration health care for the elderly?. The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 40(1), 10-16.
Munhall, P. (Ed.). (2011). Nursing research. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.