Introduction
We all know about the benefits that can be accrued to our health through physical exercise. As such, people with health problems such as heart are no exception here. In their study, Tierney et al. explored how the personal beliefs of people with heart failure problems influence heir participation in physical exercise. Below is a citation for the study on the above topic carried out in the UK by Tierney and others. Tierney et al. (2011).
What influences physical activity in people with heart failure: A qualitative study International Journal of Nursing Studies, 48, 1234-1243. In their study, Tierney et al. focused on the characteristics of physical exercise within the group of people with heart failure conditions.
Such characteristics were based on the personal perceptions of heart failure patients on the importance/non importance of physical exercise as an important factor in improving their health condition. The above study is of significance since previous research on the same topic had avoided the element of personal attitudes and beliefs towards physical exercise.
In concluding their report, Tierney et al classified a number of factors that influence the behavior of people with heart failure conditions towards physical exercise as either intrinsic or external. Such factors shape the personal beliefs of people with heart failure conditions towards physical exercise; hence, affecting their participation in physical exercises as a result.
When the literature on related research was reviewed, it was noted that all of the previous research that had been done on the issue of physical activities for people with heart failure conditions had centered on observations made at heart rehabilitation centers.
Although there is literature review focusing on the opinions of people with heart failure (on their health condition), no research had been done on the perspectives of patients with heart failure conditions towards physical exercise. In this particular research report, all the researchers were academic professionals in the field of nursing and health from the UK.
The participants of this particular study comprised of 22 individuals (15 males) aged between 53 and 83 years living in the UK. So as to accommodate existing differences in gender, age and other factors, purposive sampling was used. The study above centered on three clinics for people with heart failure conditions in the UK.
Researchers used partly structured interviews to collect data for this particular study on the factors that affect physical activities for people with heart failure conditions. Research Interviews were conducted over the telephone. The purpose of the researcher at this stage was to obtain the personal views of participants on physical exercise as an element in promoting their health conditions.
In obtaining their results, researchers tried to identify the factors (based on personal beliefs) that cause participants to involve in physical exercise or not. The data that was obtained during the research enabled the researchers to conclude that both intrinsic and external factors played a role in influencing patients with heart problems to involve in physical exercise.
As it is normally the case, researchers obtained requisite permission to implement the above study from the relevant ethical committee. Moreover, caution was taken to withhold the information that was provided by the participating patients from their health providers; thus, efforts were made to withhold the identity of the participants as much as possible.
However, It remains arguable that based on the specific information that the participants had provided, It would not be difficult for health providers to map such information to a particular participant. On reviewing this particular study, I have learnt important information on research. First, I have acquainted with the steps and processes that one needs to follow when carrying out a research.
It is therefore necessary for a researcher to develop a comprehensive guide to all the steps that are required to complete a research. Depending on what a researcher is intending to achieve, he/she is required to design a research plan in accordance with the research needs.
For example, if a researcher is unable to target a big proportion of the population under study, then, he may need to adopt qualitative research as opposed to quantitative research. Likewise, data collection methods need to corroborate with available date technique.
Depending on what one intends to achieve, an appropriate research design needs to be adopted. It is particularly important for one to obtain and acquaint with relevant and credible research that has been done by previous researches in literature review.
Apart from mastering important aspects in the are of study, such a direction of studying literature reviews can help one to focus on areas that have not been covered by previous researches (as it was done in this particular study). Issues that went well
The above research was fruitful in bringing out important factors (classified as either intrinsic or external) that influence patients with heart failure conditions to involve in physical exercises. In adopting qualitative research, the research was helpful in exploding and detailing the opinions of the participants on the issues that have been described above.
Since the overall idea was to obtain the personal perspectives of participants on physical exercise, it was helpful to focus in detail on a small sample of 22 participants so as to obtain quality results. Although data was collected from a relatively small sample (22 individuals), care was taken to incorporate a diverse group of participants in terms of age and gender (among other important differences for a comprehensive study).
Such a direction of incorporating a diverse group of participants was helpful in producing a general picture of an answer to the research question. As I had stated, all the researchers that were involved in this particular study were well educated professionals in the field of interest-nursing; thus, enabling them (researchers) to implement a more exhaustive study. Issues that did not go well
As it has been mentioned, the above study focused on a relatively small sample of participants (22 patients with heart conditions). Therefore, it was quite difficult to obtain a general picture on the issues explored in this particular study from such a small sample.
Besides, although the intention of qualitative research is to focus on the quality of results rather that on the size of participants, important influential factors were left out while carrying out this particular study. For example, all the participants were Caucasoid.
Besides, all the participants of this particular study were above 50 years in age; thus, leaving out a significant proportion of the population under study containing young people with the heart failure condition. It would for example have been helpful to explore the opinions of minorities so as to develop a more comprehensive conclusion on the study.
Moreover, the study was based in the UK-a developed western nation, the results of the study cannot therefore portray a global perspective on the issues explored. The research question that was chosen by the researchers (to determine how the personal opinions of people with heart failure conditions affect their participation in physical exercise) is one that is difficult to explore.
Such a conclusion can be made from the fact that people’s opinions on exercise are shaped by a host of other interdependent factors that are related in a complex manner. Therefore, it is not easy to pin down one’s idea on physical exercise to one particular factor.
Required Information to explain the report better
So as to understand this particular study better, it would have been helpful to view the semi-structured questionnaire that was used by the researchers while carrying out interviews. On viewing the questionnaire, it would be possible to know how the respondents were guided to give information and whether there was an element of bias while carrying out this particular research.
Moreover, it would also be important to know if this particular research was commissioned by a party that could have been interested on the outcome of the research result. Besides, particular information on the background of the participants would also be important in explaining the research report better.
For example, it would be important to know the type of health insurance schemes that covered each of the participants.
Conclusion
As it is true in any other behavior characteristic, the tendency towards physical exercise by patients with heart failure problems is influenced by their beliefs on the benefits of physical exercise in empowering their health.
Although some factors such as concentrating the mentioned study on a specific and unique society in the UK, using a small sample of just 22 individuals among other related factors have put the comprehensibility of this particular research report in doubt, the information that has been obtained from this particular report that I have studied is fruitful in helping medical practitioners to aid people with heart failures improve in practicing physical exercises.