Quantitative Research Critique - HIV/ AIDS Infection

Write a critical appraisal that demonstrates comprehension of two quantitative research studies. Use the "Research Critique Guidelines-Part II" document to organize your essay. Successful completion of this assignment requires that you provide a rationale, include examples, and reference content from the study in your responses. Use the practice problem and two quantitative, peer reviewed articles you identified in the topic 1 assignment to complete this assignment. In a 1,000-1,250 word essay, summarize two quantitative studies, explain the ways in which the findings might be used in nursing practice, and address ethical considerations associated with the conduct of the study. Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA style guide, located in the student success center. An abstract is not required.

Running head: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH CRITIQUE 1
Quantitative Research Critique
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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH CRITIQUE
Quantitative Research Critique
Summary
The first article by Cluver, Orkin, Meinck, Boyes, & Sherr (2016) highlights structural
drivers as the underlining reason behind the increased rate of HIV/ AIDS infection in South
Africa. The article pinpoints poverty, informal housing, food insecurity, and violence as the
structural drivers aiding HIV/AIDS spread among adolescents. The study intended to determine
how "cash plus care" helps in reducing youth vulnerability to HIV/AIDS infections. Moreover,
the article sort to unravel the workability of unconditional cash transfers. Besides the two
objectives, the article also sorts to determine how "cash plus care" can be vital in cushioning
adolescents from infection risks.
In corroborating the laid down objectives, the authors applied the following guiding
research questions. "How do unconditional cash transfers work?" (Cluver et al., 2016). "What are
the effects of augmenting cash provision with social care? (Cluver et al., 2016). Lastly, can "cash
plus care" help reduce the risks of contracting infections amongst the most vulnerable
adolescents? (Cluver et al., 2016).
The study is significant in nursing practice since it postulates viable interventions for
combating HIV/AIDS. For instance, the study highlights increased psychological problems as
the reason behind increased infections. Such findings help nurses to strategize on viable ways of
combating the disease. Moreover, the study helps illustrate the importance of "cash plus care"
and unconditional cash transfers in healthcare. With this information, nurses and stakeholders
can further strategize on ways of helping adolescents combat the illness.
The second article by Cluver, Orkin, Yakubovich, & Sherr (2016), highlights HIV/AIDS
infections in sub-Saharan as a significant problem that needs mitigation. The authors pinpoint
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socio-economic factors as the main factors aiding the pandemic. Therefore, the study solely
intends to identify social protection strategies that can effectively help to prevent HIV/AIDS
infections among adolescents. The study also seeks to determine whether a combination of social
protection strategies can have immense outcomes amongst youths in South Africa. Parental
control, free schools, and cash transfers are some of the social protection entities that the study
postulates to aid in preventing HIV/AIDS infection among youths.
The study has relevance in nursing practice since it highlights education and psychosocial
support as some of the critical social protection strategies that help in combating HIV/AIDS in
South Africa. Such information is crucial in assisting nurses in developing targeted interventions
for reducing HIV spread in society.
How Studies Support the PICOT Question
How do adolescents diagnosed with HIV perceive social support, protection, and medical
gaps during the last decade? The first article helps in answering the PICOT question mentioned
above by exhibiting how structural factors aid in the spread of HIV infections. This information
helps in explaining the issue of perceived social support postulated in the PICOT question. As
corroborated by Cluver et al. (2016), the application of social support measures resulted in
reduced risks of HIV infection in the sampled population. Therefore, the study will be used to
identify how adolescents diagnosed with HIV, perceive social support when provided with free
meals, education, and grants.
The second article aims to determine the social protection strategies and their effect in
combating HIV/AIDS. The sole purpose of this article is in tandem with the PICOT question's
need to determine how adolescents react to social protection. For instance, the study
corroborated that boys manifested a reduced probability of engaging in incautious sex from
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18.7% to 7.5% when subjected to teacher support and free schooling programs (Cluver et al.,
2016). Such comparison provides insights on how adolescents react to social protection, which,
as a result, aids in answering the PICOT question.
The interventions suggested in both articles are similar to the ones postulated in the
PICOT question. For instance, both articles highlight social protection issues based on funding,
which replicates the intention of the PICOT question. Also, both studies discuss "cash plus care,"
free education, grants, and social support as the key strategies for preventing the spread of HIV.
These strategies are echoed in the PICOT question, where the reaction of adolescents towards
social support and protection is investigated.
Method of Study
The first article by Cluver, Orkin, Meinck, Boyes, & Sherr (2016) uses a prospective
observational method of research, while the second article uses a prospective longitudinal design.
In a prospective observational study, a cohort of samples is observed over a long period, and the
resulting data recorded. However, in prospective longitudinal research, the samples are watched
and data recorded repeatedly over along duration.
The prospectus observational methodology is reliable and can investigate multiple
variables. The design is, however, expensive and may fail to identify causal effects. The
prospectus longitudinal method, on the other hand, has high accuracy since variables are
repeatedly observed over a long period. However, the design is limited by its high costs.
Results of the Study
The study conducted by Cluver, Orkin, Meinck, Boyes, & Sherr (2016) indicated that
structural factors such as food insecurity, poverty, and violence lead to increased risks of HIV
infection among adolescents. For instance, Cluver et al. (2016) corroborated that 5.1% of boys
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experienced sexual abuse solely contributed by structural deprivation. Moreover, the study
illustrated that psychological care and unconditional cash transfers aided in reducing HIV risks
among Adolescents (Cluver et al., 2016). Cash in hand, in particular, was found to alleviate
psychological problems associated with structural deprivation.
The second article by Cluver et al. (2016) corroborated that the application of social
protection interventions results in reduced HIV risks. For instance, the probability of
experiencing incautious sex among boys decreased from 18.7% to 13.7% with the application of
free schooling alone (Cluver et al., 2016). However, the study further confirmed high efficiency
when multiple interventions are applied. For instance, incidences of unprotected sex among girls
dropped to 7% with the application of school feeding and parental control (Cluver et al., 2016).
The findings of both articles harbor immense implications in nursing practice. The
prevalence of HIV/ AIDS has increasingly become a grueling challenge in the health sector.
However, the articles provide nurses with viable interventions that can be embraced to combat
HIV spread. The provision of psychosocial support is something that can be incorporated into
nursing practice to reduce HIV infections in communities. Moreover, the proposed cash flow in
social care serves to diversify and strengthen the quality of services provided to patients.
Outcomes Comparison
The PICOT question anticipates adolescents to exhibit negative perceptions regarding the
issue of protection. The outcome follows the increased tendency of most adolescents in rural
areas preferring unprotected sex since they fear using available preventive measures (Bloch,
2018). Moreover, adolescents may confirm poverty, and lack of social support as the reasons
behind their indulgence in unprotected sex. Poor living standards, in particular, have been found
to aid HIV spread since adolescents indulge in paid sex for the purchase of drugs, food among
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other essential commodities (Toth, Mburu, Tuot, Khol, Ngin, Chhoun & Yi, 2018). Lastly,
limited technological diversity in healthcare is a likely reason for medical gaps realized in the
last decade.
The findings of both articles mirror the anticipated outcomes of the PICOT question. For
instance, both articles illustrate that school feeding and grants reduce HIV risks among
adolescents. This issue is similar to anticipated outcomes of the PICOT question where poverty,
lack of education, and social support result in increased cases of casual sex among adolescents
(Li, Jaspan, O'Brien, Rabie, Cotton & Nattrass, 2010). Despite the similarities, the two articles
do not address the issue of medical gaps highlighted in the PICOT question.
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References
Armstrong, A., Nagata, J. M., Vicari, M., Irvine, C., Cluver, L., Sohn, A. H., ... & Ross, D.
(2018). A global research agenda for adolescents living with HIV. Journal of acquired
immune deficiency syndromes (1999), 78(1), S16.
Bloch, S. (2018). HIV in Ukraine: An Everlasting Epidemic? Assessment of knowledge,
behaviour change, tolerance towards people living with HIV and accessibility of
healthcare services for HIV among adolescent girls and young women in Ukraine.
Cluver, L. D., Orkin, F. M., Meinck, F., Boyes, M. E., & Sherr, L. (2016). Structural drivers and
social protection: mechanisms of HIV risk and HIV prevention for South African
adolescents. Journal of the International AIDS Society, 19(1), 20646.
Cluver, L. D., Orkin, M. F., Yakubovich, A. R., & Sherr, L. (2016). Combination social
protection for reducing HIV-risk behavior amongst adolescents in South Africa. Journal
of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999), 72(1), 96.
Li, R. J., Jaspan, H. B., O'Brien, V., Rabie, H., Cotton, M. F., & Nattrass, N. (2010). Positive
futures: a qualitative study on the needs of adolescents on antiretroviral therapy in South
Africa. AIDS care, 22(6), 751-758.
Okawa, S., Mwanza-Kabaghe, S., Mwiya, M., Kikuchi, K., Jimba, M., Kankasa, C., & Ishikawa,
N. (2017). adolescents' experiences and Their suggestions for hiV serostatus Disclosure
in Zambia: a Mixed-Methods study. Frontiers in public health, 5, 326.
Toth, G., Mburu, G., Tuot, S., Khol, V., Ngin, C., Chhoun, P., & Yi, S. (2018). Social-support
needs among adolescents living with HIV in transition from pediatric to adult care in
Cambodia: findings from a cross-sectional study. AIDS research and therapy, 15(1), 8.
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Wong, V. J., Murray, K. R., Phelps, B. R., Vermund, S. H., & McCarraher, D. R. (2017).
Adolescents, young people, and the 90–90–90 goals: a call to improve HIV testing and
linkage to treatment. AIDS (London, England), 31(Suppl 3), S191.
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