Application of Epidemology in Nursing : Diabetes self-management

Running head: APPLICATION OF EPIDEMOLOGY IN NURSING
APPLICATION OF EPIDEMOLOGY IN NURSING
Name of the Student
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Abstract
This paper provides a review of the article named “Diabetes self-management education is
not associated with a reduction in long-term diabetes complications: an effectiveness study in
an elderly population”. The article has been evaluated considering parameters such as
research design, content and its methodology. The study has come up with a link in between
the cause and the effect observing the exposure as well as the status of disease of each of the
participants of the research. The exposure of different patients to diabetes has been observed
and the patients have not been subjected to any artificial experimental conditions. All the
observations that have been made are under natural conditions. Lastly, the results and
findings are provided along with future research and conclusion.
Research Design
In epidemiology, the researchers take interest in measuring or assessing the existing
relationship of exposure with a certain disease or a specific outcome. The hypothesis relying
on the research question is defined at the first stage and then it is decided as to which study
design should be used. The experimental or observational study design is made use of in
researches. In this study the study design that has been used can be said to be observational as
the content is based on different observations that have been done to understand the scenario.
In the observational study design, the researchers draw inferences from a specific sample to a
population and in this case the independent variable is not under the control of the individual
conducting the research as because of certain ethical concerns or some logical constraints.
This study observes the exposure as well as the status of disease of each of the participants of
the research. In this study, Shah et al., 2015, observed the behaviour of the patients under
natural conditions and they were not subjected to any sort of experimental environment. The

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effect of the risk factor, diagnostic tests or other such interventions are observed by the
researcher without making any attempt to change the scenario as to who is or who is not
affected or exposed to the disease. This study attempts to establish or come up with a
relationship in between cause and effect. Unlike the experimental design the researcher is not
able to control the way in which various subjects are assigned to different groups or the
treatment that is received by these groups. The author has made use of observational study
design so that the research questions are answered well and the objectives of the research are
met. In this context the research question is diabetes common in aged adults those who have
less income. In observational study, the epidemiologist observes the exposure of the patients
to the disease which in this case is a chronic disease that is diabetes. The reason behind this
research is to find out whether there is any connection in between age, income and a disease
like diabetes. The research is important as diabetes is a chronic disease and with every
passing day more and more people are getting affected by this disease. This chronic disease is
associated with serious consequences and contributes a lot to the mortality rate. The relation
in between old age and diabetes is still known but the relation between income and the
disease is not that known. This study thus has a good research aim and objective.
Methodology
The study makes use of administrative health care data describing the health care utilization
by all the residents of Brampton. The study examined many random patients in a non-
experimental setting and then conclusions were drawn. The reports of Health Canada have
been sued to show the statistics and thus it can be said that the findings that have been
reported are consistent with the knowledge that I have. The principles that I have been taught
during my nursing practice are well adhered to in the article and can connect well to all these.
Yes the reported relationship makes sense as this particular study has different strengths such