The History Of Qualitative Critique

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Qualitative Critique

The article chosen for the Critique is "The experiences of urban, professional women when combining breastfeeding with paid employment in Karachi, Pakistan". It is a qualitative critique done by Hirani and Karmaliani (2012). This article is published in the journal of Australia "Women and Birth". Coughian, Cronin and Ryan (2007) says that the title of the research should be comprehensive and should be comprises of not more than 15 words. The title of the study is clearly defining the purpose of the study. It defines the four attributes of the participants and the study purpose, which are the Urban, professionals, breastfeeding and the paid employement women. Moreover, Coughian (2007) says that it is good for the researcher to give their qualifications so that the readers must emphasize the expertise and command of the authors in the relevant field but unfortunately the description related to the authors is missing. Strengths of the research is that it is relevant to the nursing and is one of the most important field to explore in Pakistani context. Moreover, the researcher has identified the limitations related to the study sample. The sample was homogeneous, well educated, health care providers; thereby the research has less applicability to other setting of Pakistan and global contexts.

Significance of the problem and Literature Review

Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) has well defined the problem as "This study will describe the experiences of urban, employed, professional women who breastfeed and the facilitators and barriers of breastfeeding". The author has associated the infant mortality rate with the lack of the privilege of the women to breast feed. Whereas, the researcher has lack of evidence showing the association between high mortality rate with the women who are the highly educated or are professional. There general parameter prevalence of high infant mortality of the general population is taken. The problem is relevant has great significance in maternal and child care nursing. Moreover, this problem has vast integration with the field of epidemiology and occupational health. In addition to this, in the review of the literature the author has missed to address the total population to whom she is referring. There is no direct citation of professional, paid employed and child bearing age Pakistani women. The author has used mostly the recent data. 36 articles were used from 2002 to 2012, 24 articles were published in the last 5 years and the rest 12 citation were published from 2002 to 2007. The journal has used the Vancouver style of referencing which is convenient to read the article. These references are clear and complete. The most sources are current and documented with author names, year and title.

Theoretical/ Conceptual Framework

The researcher has used the Bronferbrenner’ socio- ecological model is utilized as theoretical framework to present the study findings. The researchers want to find out the factors as a facilitator and the barriers to the mothers. The researcher has not explained the framework. Moreover, according to Wikipedia (2013) this framework has the four levels which are the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem and the macro system ( see appendix A). The scope of the study is to identify the barriers and then offer some recommendations which should come in the macro system level. Therefore researcher has missed the most important level while applying this model in her study. Coughian et al., (2007) says that the theoretical framework should be clearly identified and explained to the reader. On contrary to this the researcher has not defined the readers the theoretical framework to the readers. Moreover the purpose using only this framework is also not explained. Beside this the researcher selection of the framework is appropriate and relevant in segregation and analysis of data.

Sampling

The researcher has described the selection and the demographic characteristics of the participants. Ryan, Coughlan and Cronin (2007) say that in qualitative research, participants are recruited to a study because of their exposure or their experience of the phenomenon in question. Therefore, researcher has done the purposive sampling which is appropriate. Furthermore, the topic states the attribute of the participants as "The experiences of urban, professional and with paid employment", whereas the researcher has taken only healthcare from one of the tertiary care. Hence the sample taken is not appropriate according to the generalized topic of the study. Coughian et al., (2007) proposes that the degree to which a sample reflects the population it was drawn from is known as true representativeness for the study. Hence the researcher has not taken the real representatives of the whole population. The researcher has mentioned the sample eligibility criterion for the participants e.g., who are presently breastfeeding, working 35 hrs per week, 10 years of education and employed. The informants who were chosen were appropriate to answer the research question through the experiences.

Data collection

Data collection is focused on human experience. Data has been collected by interview lasting 40-45 minutes. Ryan et al., (2007) say that interviews are by far the most common method of

data collection and are mainly either semi-structured or unstructured. Moreover, Petty et al. (2012) says that semi structured interview has few pre-determined areas of interest with possible prompts to help guide the conversation. Therefore this method of data collection is suites the study design and questions as it guide the participant to answer the area of interest and also to share her experience successfully. Moreover the questionnaire is reviewed by two breastfeeding experts. In addition to this to increase the credibility of the questionnaire the researcher has pre tested the questionnaire on one of the participant. The researcher however didn’t given the rational for using this only particular data collection method. The interviews are recorded.

Protection of the Human Rights in the Critique

The researcher has taken the permission of the research from the institutional ethical review committee of the hospital where the participants were working. Moreover the researcher has given the evidence that the participants have all the autonomy to be the part of the study and also to leave the study if they wish to. Researcher has taken the written consent from the participants. Furthermore, all the participants are competent to make a decision about being in the research independently, and free from coercion or undue inducement to participate by researchers or others. Moreover the confidentially of the study is maintained appropriately. In addition to this the researcher has maximize the benefits to the participants by giving the recommendations to the management to formulate the policies to facilitate the affected population.

Analysis

The researcher has analyzed the data manually. To maintain the rigor in the data analysis the investigator commenced thematic data analysis immediately following the transcription of each interview. After transcribing data coding is done; categories were derived and organized under the major emerging themes. To maintain the originality the author transcribe and as it is said by the participants. As data analysis is central to research, however the researcher has not given the sufficient details that how the emergence of the themes from the finding taken place. Ryan et al., (2007) also argue that in most of the researchers the details of the theme emergences from raw material is not given to facilitate acceptance to the viewers. Whereas, Ryan et al., (2007) says that the obligation to show the data that led to the findings is a reasonable one.

Rigor

Ryan (2007) says that the most common criteria used to evaluate qualitative research studies are credibility, dependability, transferability and confirmability. Moreover Krefting (1991) refers to the Guba model which includes goodness as a part of rigor. Rigor of the research of Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) will be discussed with the five components.

Credibility

Ryan (2007) refers that it may be enchanced by consulting with participants and allowing them to read and discuss the research findings. According to the Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) the researcher has contacted to the participants for the verification of the data after the transcription is made.

Dependibility

Ryan (2007) research study may be shown to be dependable by producing evidence of a decision trail at each stage of the research process. Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) research has given enough evidences to the readers to trust on the process and the findings. Because the process is traceable then it is also predicted that the other researches plan on this phenomenon, with the same design will have the same results.

Transferability

Ryan (2007) defines that weather the findings of the research are applied outside the context of the study situation and it is enhanced by when the results are meaningful to individuals not involved in the study. The theme which emerges from the Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) research is relevant to the many working women of the Pakistan. The themes are well defined and involves all the areas from personality attributes to the society characteristics. Whereas, due to the homogenicity of the sample may be there will be little variation when this study will be applied to other sample settings.

Confirmability

Ryan (2007) says that the researcher has to show the process how she has derived the themes and conclusions through the data. To prove that the findings are authentic the author has given the direct quotes from the verbatim of the participants. From the readers perspective this increases the conformability of the research. Ryan (2007) also argues that conformability is establisbed when credibility, transferability and dependability are achieved. In Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) these three processes are followed. Moreover Petty et al., (2012) explains that collecting data that provides variation in perspective (triangulation) may also help to reduce researcher bias. Thurmond (2001) Triangulation is the combination of two or more data sources, investigators, methodological approaches, theoretical perspectives, or analytical methods within the same study. These combinations result in data triangulation, investigator triangulation, methodological triangulation, theoretical triangulation, or analytical triangulation. Hence the researcher has used the investigator triangulation, and explain this clearly that the themes once developed is verified from the co-investigator.

Goodness

Tobin and Begley (2004) refer goodness as a means of locating situatedness, trustworthiness and authenticity of the research. Further it refers to the six elements in an interpretive study through which goodness, trustworthiness and authenticity of the research is analysed.

Foundation (epistemology and theory). Which Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) provides context to and informs the study appropriately.

Approach (methodology). Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) well defines the specific grounding of the study’s logic through literature review.

Collection of data (method). Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) shows explicitness about data collection and management.

Representation of voice (researcher and participant as multicultural subjects). Researchers reflect on their relationship with participants and the phenomena under exploration.

The art of meaning making (interpretation and presentation). Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) has shown the appropriate emergence of the themes through the raw data.

Implication for professional practice (recommendations). Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) has given recommendations to the policy makers and colleagues, family member according to the themes derived.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Hirani and Karmaliani (2012) has explained the derived themes with respect to the study question explicitly under the heading of the discussion. The saturation of the data is maintained and then the themes clearly justify the interview question related to the experiences of the breastfeeding and recommendation related to the for improving it. Once the data has been analyzed thoroughly, the findings are displayed into the three major themes which the justify the Bronfenbrenner socioecological model’s levels. The resercher has identifies the three levels of the facitator and three levels of barriers by applying this miodel effectively. Based on the finding of the study the researcher has given the recommendations as on each level of the themes derived

Micro Level. Employed women should be provided with the information related to breast feeding and to support to strategies the timing to be able to plan for breast feeding and for the employment responsibilities.

Meso Level. The researcher has recommended to promote the awareness among the family members and also to the child caretaker.

Exo system. The researcher has recommended initiating the company sponsored lactation support programmes in Pakistani work force. Whereas to bring the change and to make it effective the recommendation should be given to the government of Pakistan to make the amendment to support the breastfeeding mother in order to continue breastfeeding. Moreover, this recommendation is also identified by the researcher in her literature review and is also given by the participants, and is discussed under the theme of workplace support.

In the conclusion this paper overviewed the background, study question, design, data collection, analysis and themes of the study. Moreover the trustworthiness of the research is critically evaluated. Along with the themes the recommendations are verified systematically. Cutcliffe and Ward (2003) state that critique is often mistaken as criticism, as opposed to highlighting the strengths and or limitations of a published study whereas it is impartial because it provides a deeper knowledge and enhances research skills to explore, expand and share knowledge and evidence (Nurserve, 2007).