Affordable Care Act (ACA) is associated with the recent reformation of the U.S. health care system. To conclude about the role and effectiveness of Affordable Care Act, it is necessary to focus on such a research question as the possibilities for improving the patient health outcomes (Chang & Davis, 2013, p. 407). Thus, the main question which should be asked in this context is the following one: Will Affordable Care Act contribute to improving the patient health outcomes in the United States?
To answer this question in detail, it is necessary to focus on the researches conducted in the field and on the primary data presented in the form of opinions which are provided by the Americans. From this point, the target population used for collecting the data should include potential patients or users of the new insurance system and physicians and nurses who work within the new environments. To discuss the process of the target population selection, it is necessary to focus on the selection procedures, sample size, the data collection methods, and on the statistics used to analyze the data in the research.
Rationale for the Identified Target Population
The target population selection process includes several stages which are associated with determining the research question and the purpose of the study. The target population as the general population to be addressed in the research includes patients and physicians as the main stakeholders of the health care industry (Jacobsen, 2012, p. 106-107).
To select the population, it is necessary to focus on potential patients who used, use, or plan to use the specific health care programs and insurances associated with Affordable Care Act. From this point, the sample population is selected to provide the data on the Americans’ vision of the policies, plans, and insurance strategies associated with Affordable Care Act.
The rationale for the target population is based on the necessity to receive the primary data on the observed and expected patient health outcomes while referring to the sample population’s personal background, professional practice, and personal experience (Furrow, 2011, p. 1727). To focus on the complete picture, it is relevant to select the sample population from healthcare practitioners and potential or current patients as users of the ACA plans.
Method for Determining the Appropriate Sample Size
The size of the studied sample depends on the character of the research. The use of the data referred to the sample population in the current research plays the supportive role in order to provide more evidence and support the conclusions drawn with the focus on the systematic review. That is why, there are such criteria to determine the appropriate sample size as accessibility and the possibility to use convenience sampling (Jacobsen, 2012, p. 117-119).
As a result, the appropriate sample size is 15 persons who can be easily accessed and interviewed. The focus on convenience sampling provides the researcher with the opportunity to collect the individual data which is referred to the experience and opinions of patients, full-time nurses, and practicing physicians.
Rationale for Selecting the Data Collection Methodology
The proposed data collection method is the use of questionnaires for the primary analysis part of the research. The researcher intends to use the questionnaire in order to conduct the face-to-face and online interviews. The process of preparing the working questionnaire includes such stages as the development of the questionnaire in relation to set topics, the choice of close-ended and open-ended questions and answer types, formatting layout, and the use of the questionnaire during the interview (Jacobsen, 2012, p. 126; Johnson, Hassin, Baker, Bajger, & Treuer, 2013, p. e81521). The use of questionnaires to conduct the interview and to collect the qualitative data can be discussed as one of the most effective methods used for working with rather small sample populations.
The use of questionnaires to conduct the interview is also appropriate while referring to the principles of the convenience sampling because of the necessity to receive the individual qualitative data. The questions developed for the interview should discuss such topics and aspects as the presence of the real experience in using plans and insurance programs associated with Affordable Care Act and the assessment of the patient health outcomes. To work with the research literature, it is necessary to screen the articles and examine the studies’ data (Hofer, Abraham, & Moscovice, 2011, p. 69; Neutens & Rubinson, 2010, p. 24; Sommers, Long, & Baicker, 2014, p. 585).
Descriptive Statistics Appropriate for the Research
The proposed research is based on collecting and analyzing the qualitative data. However, the use of descriptive statistics is also necessary for drawing inferences, and it can be used in order to discuss the qualitative data as really descriptive in relation to the studied population. Thus, it is important to describe the sample population and to discuss the percentage in relation to the improvement of the health outcomes for the patients, while focusing on strengths and weaknesses of Affordable Care Act.
In this research, it is desirable to use the principles of the qualitative study combined with the principles of using descriptive statistics in order to present the adequate description of the situation associated with patients’ health outcomes in the form of numbers (Jacobsen, 2012, p. 189).
However, the use of numerical summaries about the tendencies and description of the sample population is not the only way to present the descriptive statistics results. It is also possible to use graphs in order to reflect the conclusions made during the statistical analysis.
Statistical Tests Appropriate to Be Used to Analyze the Data
Statistical tests are usually used in comparative statistics. While referring to the descriptive statistics used in the research, it is necessary to focus on the measures of central tendency (Jacobsen, 2012, p. 190). While analyzing the participants’ answers to the questions in the interview, it is necessary to focus on the average response related to positive and negative experiences associated with using programs associated Affordable Care Act. The measures of central tendency are also important to be referred to while discussing the potential health outcomes for patients who use Affordable Care Act.
Conclusion
The selection of the target population and the selection of the data collection methods are the important stages in the research which influence the reliability and validity of the study. That is why, it is important to focus on effective criteria to use the sample population and data collection methods.
To conduct the research, it is reasonable to select the sample population according to the principle of accessibility. The focus on questionnaires and interviews is appropriate because of the approach’s easiness. To analyze the collected data, it is significant to use the descriptive statistics in order to conclude about the potential patient health outcomes.
References
Chang, T., & Davis, M. (2013). Potential adult Medicaid beneficiaries under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act compared with current adult Medicaid beneficiaries. Annals of Family Medicine, 11(5), 407-411.
Furrow, B. (2011). Regulating patient safety: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 159(1), 1727-1775.
Hofer, A., Abraham, J., & Moscovice, I. (2011). Expansion of coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and primary care utilization. The Milbank Quarterly, 89(1), 69–89.
Jacobsen, K. (2012). Introduction to health research methods: A practical guide. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Johnson, E., Hassin, R., Baker, T., Bajger, A., & Treuer, G. (2013). Can consumers make Affordable Care Affordable? The value of choice architecture. Plos One, 8(12), e81521- e81527.
Neutens, J., & Rubinson, L. (2010). Research techniques for the health sciences. San Francisco, CA: Pearson Education.
Sommers, B., Long, S., & Baicker, K. (2014). Changes in mortality after Massachusetts Health Care Reform: A quasi-experimental study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 160(1), 585-593.