Qualitative Critique

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Running Head: QUALITATIVE RESEARCH ARTICLE CRITIQUE 1

Qualitative Research Article Critique

By

Karyn Neal

University of South Alabama

A paper

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements forNur 404, Evidence Based Practice Informatics

University of South Alabama

Spring 2013


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Author: Ingrid Ruud Koutsen, Laura Terragni, and Cristina Foss

Title: Empowerment and Bariatric Surgery: Negotiations of Credibility and Control

J ournal: Qualitative Health Research

Year: 2012 Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Pages: 66-77

Statement of the Phenomenon of Interest

In the articleEmpowerment and Bariatric Surgery: Negotiations of Credibility and

Control , the authors outline a qualitative interview with patient, diagnosis as morbidly

obese in an empowerment program which worked on the individuals identity. The

phenomenon of interest is clearly identified. Obesity is an epidemic in todays society. In

an aim to help the patient develop responsibility for the weight an empower program was

developed. This phenomenon required a qualitative format because, there is little

empirically based knowledge about the empowering progress in relation to health

promotion. The foundation of the research has been described. In Norway, an extensive

treatment program in patient diagnosed as morbidity obese was implemented in 2005

(Knutsen, Terragni, & Foss, 2012). The aim of the program was to empower participants

to improve health and reduce morbidity. The research in this article gave a better

understanding of structure of empowerment in modern-day health practices.

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative study is implied in the abstract and introduction, and it is

also clearly stated in the Methodology section of the report. Here, the authors states


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that the purpose of the research was to focus on, how an empowering program for

patients diagnosed as morbidly obese worked on individuals identity (Knutsen, Terragni,

& Foss, 2012). Practically as noted in the abstract, the focus of the study rest primarily

on an, explicit aim to empower patient to take responsibly for their health (Knutsen,

Terragni, & Foss, 2012). By examining the effects of empowerment the authors explore

the effects of empowerment on the participants, in an effort to improve health and reduce

morbidity. While the goal of the qualitative research is not to general all obese patient

weight loss process, it ought to be clear that the finding reported in this article are indeed

transferable in other situation of health care promotion empowering approach.

Method

The study was qualitative and was within the framework of the analysis. The data source

was used from interviews with the patient diagnosed as morbidly obese who took part in

the treatment program. The authors flowed ethical guideline of , the Helsinki Declaration

and the study was approved by the Regional Ethics Committee and the Norwegian social

science data service (Knutsen, Terragni, & Foss, 2012).

Sampling

The participants selection was congruent with the study. There was a purposeful sample

of patients that were diagnosed as morbidly obese, which of whom had applied for

weight-loss surgery. A nurse employed at an outpatient clinic for the obese helped recruit

participants (Knutsen, Terragni, & Foss, 2012). Nineteen patient were invited to

participate in the study, only 9 respondents who underwent the bariatric surgery accepted

by returning the informed consent. The sample consisted of 1man and 8 women between

37 and 56 years of age. All of the participants were Norwegians. The research article


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described the participants in terms of marital, education, and employment status.

Data Collection

The data collection was a direct focus on morbidly obese humans. The research article

described the data collection strategies. The authors met with each participant

individually, five times for interviews during the treatment process. The venue was

selected according the participators preference. The first interview took place before the

respondents entered the program, the second was held after the course in life style

change, the third 2 weeks after gastric bypass surgery, the forth 2 to 3 months after the

gastric bypass, and the fifth 9 months after the gastric (Knutsen, Terragni, & Foss, 2012).

A qualitative interview was conducted to promote open communication between the

respondent and the interview. During the initial the respondent were asked to elaborate

on their personal experience with obesity, how they felt they become obese, how they

viewed themselves, and why they joined the program. The interviewer remained the same

during the coarse on interview, this allowed the respondent to develop a relationship with

the interview and become more comfortable and relaxed. The interviewer emphasized

reflectivity during the series of interview, to stay on task. The interviewer was not obese

and had to reflect on personal judgment toward obesity, this may have effected the course

of the interview.

Data Analysis

The researcher record and transcribes the interviews word for word. Authors did not put

word in the participants mouths, there are actual quotes from the participants throughout

the entire article. The author includes all statements, even the statement which are not

congruent with the theme of the study. The analysis of the data collected for this study


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appears to be clear and explicit. The three major criteria for critiquing qualitative

research, credibility, audit ability, and fittingness, are all evidenced in this study.

Credibility

The participants embraced the experience as their own. The respondents credibility is a

recurring theme during the timeline of the weight loss program. The respondents spoke

about other individual negative judgment of the appearance and body size. During the

weigh loss the respondents explained how shame was left and replaced with a new life.

The respondent experienced anxiety

Auditability

After reading and reviewing the authors research, I believe that another researcher could

arrive to a conclusion parallel with that of the authors. The authors have a well

documented timeline to the research process.

Fittingness

Throughout the study the was use of personal quotes for the respondents, anyone reading

the article could clearly understand the data and draw their on conclusion of the research.

Findings

The finding of this report bring the whole research process and theme of the article full

circle. Through the different stages of the weigh loss program, there where struggles and

contradictions.

Conclusion, Implications, and Recommendation

As the reader I felt the conclusion did reflect the studys findings. The research questions


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were answered as a result of the study. There were other articles which branched off of

this particular study, from different themes and angles. This article focused on the

respondent in there last two stage of the weight loss program. The stages were, the

bariatric surgery stage and the aftercare stage. In reading this article I felt as though the

program did a great job to instilling empowerment to the respondents. However, after the

gastric bypass surgery the respondents even though they understood this was the peak of

the weight loss program, they felt a lack of control. The respondent mental health was in

constant conflict, from feelings of shame from needing invasive surgery to feeling of

happiness at the reduction of weight. I feel that the relationship between these issues of

the empowerment process need further research. The interview confirmed the obese

individuals even though they had surgery to alter their outer physical self, that they

needed to learn to cope with internal conflicts of control. The researcher did not make

explicit the direct relation of the study to nursing, although as a nurse I have a better

understanding of the struggle and control factor in an obese individual. On a whole , I

found the authors conclusion to be very vivid in explanation. My conclusion in that self-

discipline and self-control, must be established before any empowerment program is

introduced.


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Reference

Knutsen, I. R., Terragni, L., Foss, C. (2012). Empowerment and Bariatric Surgery:

Negotiations of Credibility and Control. Qualitative Health Research, 23, 66-77.

dio: 10.1177/1049732312465966. Retrieved from:

http://qhr.sagepub.com/content/23/1/66

Qualitative Critique

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