Quantitative Article Review
Diabetes mellitus is considered as a major public health concern throughout the world. In 2000, the prevalence of the illness was estimated at 2 percent to 8 percent, and the trend is expected to rise to approximately 10 percent by 2030. Different researchers throughout the world have conducted different types of studies to explore how best the situation could be contained. This paper seeks to analyze a quantitative study conducted by Pinto, Braz, Nascimento, and Gomes under the title “Do Patients Value Nutritional Therapy? A Quantitative Study in Type2 Diabetes Patients”.
Participants Sampling
This study involved 62 participants who type 2 diabetes patients receiving diabetes clinics in the municipality of Faro. The study was effective in balancing the gender of the participants. Particularly, the study targeted both males and females who were invited to participate in the study during their medical consultations. The study always ensured that it developed inclusion criteria for the participants (Pinto, Braz, Nascimento, & Gomes, 2017). For instance, the participants needed to be 85 years and below, diagnosed of T2DN for at least twelve weeks, and have at least one consultation with a dietitian during the past one year. Additionally, the participants were selected based on their availability and willingness to participate in the study.
Questionnaires/Tools
The researchers obtained data using semi-structured interview questions in face-to-face interaction. Through a semi-structured interview, the researchers were able to obtain the opinions of the participants regarding the significance of following adequate diet and adhering to nutritional recommendations (Pinto, Braz, Nascimento, & Gomes, 2017). The quantitative data were computed into nutrients using national food compositional tables. The data was later analyzed using IBM-SPSS software version 20.0.
Ethics
This study that involved human participants and the researchers were keen on observing ethical consideration. There are no notable ethical issues linked to this study. Essentially, the study adhered to the ethical rules for health science research. The researchers also informed the participants that they were free to withdraw from the study at any time (Pinto, Braz, Nascimento, & Gomes, 2017). The potential participants also provided written consent indicating that they were participating in this study without any form of coercion.
Analysis of Finds
The final sample composed of 62 patients who helped to come up with the desired outcome. The patient characterization and description were depicted as mean values followed by the standard deviation. Additionally, the prevalence was determined as the percentage of the total number of valid calculation in each of the calculation (Pinto, Braz, Nascimento, & Gomes, 2017). The statistical significance in this study was calculated through a two-tailed analysis set at 0.05.
Limitations
Being a quantitative study, it is expected that there are limitations. The first limitation found in the study is the sample size. The sample size was quite small which could limit generalization of the results. Additionally, the researchers also used data from a single facility, which means the results could not be applicable in some healthcare organizations.
Discussion Section
The discussion section in this study tried to interpret the results and derive meaningful information. The authors found out that nutrition plays a significant role in the management of diabetes. Additionally, the author argues that other factors such as physical activities also an important role in managing the condition. In this section, the authors are trying to convince the audience that T2DM patients consider dietary intake as an integral part of their therapy, but not as crucial as pharmacologic therapy.
Future Implication
This is a valuable resource for current and future medical practitioners dealing with diabetes patients. Therefore, medical practitioners can use this article to determine how they can combine nutritional therapy with pharmacological interventions.
References
Pinto, E., Braz, N., Nascimento, T., & Gomes, E. (2017). Do patients value nutritional therapy? A quantitative study in type2 diabetes patients. International Journal of Diabetes and Clinical Research.