Research Proposal: Factors in Smoking Cessation, Indigenous Women, NSW

This research proposal outlines a qualitative study designed to investigate the factors that either impede or facilitate smoking cessation among high-risk Indigenous women in New South Wales, Australia. The study will employ a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with nursing professionals experienced in treating aboriginal women. The research will identify dependent and independent variables, define the study population and eligibility criteria, and describe the sampling method. The researcher's role, context of the study, and the required type of analysis, which is thematic analysis, are also outlined. The proposal emphasizes the importance of rigor, trustworthiness, and ethical considerations, including confidentiality, informed consent, and the assurance of non-interference with participants' professional lives. The research aims to contribute valuable insights into the challenges and successes of smoking cessation interventions within this specific population group.

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Table of Contents
Purpose:..................................................................................................................................2
Research question:.................................................................................................................2
Designing a qualitative study:................................................................................................2
Study variables to be considered:...........................................................................................2
Study Population:...................................................................................................................3
Eligibility Criteria:.................................................................................................................3
Study Sample:........................................................................................................................3
Sampling Method:..................................................................................................................3
Inclusion Criteria:...................................................................................................................3
Exclusion Criteria:.................................................................................................................4
Methods Used to Collect Data:..............................................................................................4
Context:..................................................................................................................................4
Researcher Role:....................................................................................................................5
Experience of Interest:...........................................................................................................5
Type of Analysis Required:...................................................................................................5
Rigour and Trustworthiness:..................................................................................................6
Ethical Considerations:..........................................................................................................6
References:.................................................................................................................................8

2RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Purpose:
The purpose of this research proposal is to analyse an indigenous population set of
Australia and identify the factors that have contributed heavily in the cessation of smoking
habit development in the female proportion of the above stated population set. The research
work would delve deeper into the further assessment of the factors and would focus on a
specific indigenous population set and would further make use of qualitative analysis to
develop a clear understanding of the above stated factors. The research work to be conducted
revolves around the aboriginal community so as to recognise the minor group and propound a
vivid research work for identification of the minority population (Castellano,2014).
Research question:
“What factors impede or facilitate smoking cessation in high risk indigenous women
in the community in Australia localised at New South Wales?”
Designing a qualitative study:
In order to develop a crystal clear understanding on the research topic, a qualitative
analysis would be carried out on a targeted group of nursing professionals of XYZ hospital
based at New South Wales that conspicuously deals with the treatment and care of aboriginal
women. The analysis would be done based on a set of interview which would include about
10 questions and would record the response of the nurses which would further be analysed
using the thematic analysis (Passey et al.,2013).
Study variables to be considered:
The study variables for conducting this research can be categorised under two sub
headings, the first one includes the dependent variable that incorporated the subject of the
research question that is “cessation of smoking in aboriginal women” and the independent
variable invariable lists the interventions designed by the nursing professionals and midwifes

3RESEARCH PROPOSAL
who are entrusted with the responsibility of taking care of the female population of the
aboriginal community and help them in forgoing smoking completely (Twyman et al.,2014).
Study Population:
The research would be carried out on focused adult female aboriginal population
based at New South Wales in Australia who have given up smoking (Thamhain,2014).
However in order to assess the factors that have led to the ‘cessation of smoking’ in the
concerned population the research would thoroughly deal with the interview being conducted
with a group of nursing professionals who have been treating adult aboriginal women.
Eligibility Criteria:
Eligibility criteria for the nurses being interviewed for the proposed research would
include nursing professionals with an experience of 3 to 5 years and who have been
exclusively treating adult aboriginal women and the members of the aboriginal community
and have been practicing in the XYZ hospital, located at New South Wales.
Study Sample:
Study sample size would include 10 nurses who would be interviewed for the
proposed research.
Sampling Method:
The participants of the interview would include a strength of 10 nursing professionals
who would satisfy the mentioned inclusion criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:
Inclusion criteria would incorporate culturally competent nursing professionals with a
minimum experience of 2 years to 3 years. The nurses who are willing to participate in the
interview and exclusively deal with aboriginal patients.

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Exclusion Criteria:
The exclusion criteria would be based on the factors that include nursing professionals
possessing an experience of less than 2 years and have no formal training with respect to
cultural competency and fresh interns or nurses who are unwilling to participate in the
research study.
Methods Used to Collect Data:
The method that would be used for the collection of data in order to perform a
qualitative analysis to satisfy the objective of the research proposal compounded of
conducting open-ended semi-structured interviews with the nurse participants (Sanjari et
al.,2014). Semi-structured interviews has been widely used by the researchers while
conducting a qualitative analysis of the research work of their interest which is primarily
because it allows the development of new ideas and innovation (Passey et al.,2013).
Context:
In order to conduct the research, the researcher would proceed by getting the formal
permission of the hospital administration to carry out the research in the hospital premises
and strictly observing all the ethical considerations (Sandelowski,2014). After this, the
researcher would send an official notification to all the prospective candidates who are
eligible to participate in the interview outlining the minutes of the interview and the purpose
of the research study. On obtaining the formal consent of the interested candidates, the
researcher would proceed with the interview process and inform the candidates that their
responses would be audio-taped, however all the obtained information would be kept strictly
confidential (Passey et al.,2014). The researcher would ensure the participant that if need be,
the participants can quit the interview at any point of time and because of this, their
professional career would in no way be hampered. At the same time, the researcher would

5RESEARCH PROPOSAL
also ensure the participants that there would be absolutely zero psychological stress on the
participants for participating in the interview process (Holloway & Galvin,2016).
Researcher Role:
The role of the researcher would encompass the first step that would include the
interview process being conducted within the hospital premises, the interview would be based
on a set of ten questions that would form a part of the open-ended questionnaire and at the
same time would involve only ten experienced nursing professional who have dealt with
adult aboriginal women (Hodyl et al.,2014). On successful completion of the interview
process, the researcher would proceed with the thematic analysis of the obtained responses
during the interview to yield appropriate deliverable themes on the basis of the over-all
interview (Hoekzema et al.,2014).
Experience of Interest:
The experience of interest of the author incorporates the thorough evaluation of the
interest developed on the specified topic of the research project by the researcher. The
evaluation is basically measured in terms of the parameters that include the cultural
background of the researcher and the academic history of the researcher to measure the
number of projects and assignments done in the similar field that led to the development of
interest among the author on the mentioned topic (Greene,2014). Also, another important
factor incorporates the years devoted to carry out the research on the specified topic or close
academic association with the similar topic that has led to the inculcation of interest in the
research to carry out a research work on the same.
Type of Analysis Required:
In order to analyse the obtained data after successfully conducting the open-ended,
semi-structured interview, the researcher would use the thematic analysis tool to critically

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evaluate the collective data. Thematic analysis is basically nothing but the process by virtue
of which, the researcher reduces the obtained data and develops it into workable themes
(Gale et al.,2013). Hence, it can be said that the researcher helps in manifesting the obtained
data into a pattern of themes on which the entire systematic review of the concerned topic can
be deduced.
Rigour and Trustworthiness:
Rigour and trustworthiness can be considered as inevitable characteristics on which
depend the validity and the significance of the research that is going to be conducted. It is
extremely important to inculcate a feeling of trust among the participants who are
participating in the interview towards the researcher and his research topic. While conducting
this research, the researcher would make sure that all the participants are made aware of the
minute details with regard to the project in which their participation is being sought (Elo et
al.,2014). The initial phase of the interview would involve the researcher in sending a
detailed explanation about the minutes of the research that is going to be conducted in their
healthcare organization and the legal permission for conducting the same would first be
obtained. After the permission is obtained, the participants would be selected on the basis of
the inclusion criteria and the participants enlisted would be informed about the particulars of
the interview and the questionnaire by an email and their consent too would be accepted by
an email. Following the same, the participants would be assured that they could quit the
interview at any point of time and their non-participation in no way would affect their
professional life (Chamberlain et al.,2013). After this, the nursing professionals would be
made to sign a letter of undertaking that would highlight their participation in the research
work was according to their personal consent and the responses given by them was true to the
best of their knowledge and skills.

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Ethical Considerations:
Ethical considerations are an integral part of developing or designing any research
plan. Ethical considerations help in upholding a certain value of authenticity to the research
plan. While conducting this systematic review, ethical considerations that would be primary
considered would include the confidentiality of the nursing professionals interviewed and
imparting to them the complete information about the research study that is involving them
(Castellano,2014). An official e-mail notification encompassing all the minute details of the
research study that is going to be held would be forwarded to the participants of the interview
and on receiving the e-mail, the formal consent of the participant nursing professionals would
be accepted via e-mal. On receiving the formal acceptance of the nursing professionals, an
interactive meeting session would be held in the hospital premises with the nurses where the
details of the research work would be briefed and another formal written consent would be
received and any queries in any form would be answered by the researcher so as to develop a
clear understanding about the interview that is going to be organized. Also, consent for audio-
taping the responses would be adopted with the promise of keeping all the obtained data
confidential. The interviews would be held only after obtaining the legal permission from the
hospital authority and the interviews would only be conducted as per the convenience of the
nurses and not during their shift times that would hamper their duty hours by distracting their
focus.

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References:
Castellano, M. B. (2014). Ethics of Aboriginal Research1. Global bioethics and human
rights: Contemporary issues, 273.
Chamberlain, C., O’Mara-Eves, A., Oliver, S., Caird, J. R., Perlen, S. M., Eades, S. J., &
Thomas, J. (2013). Psychosocial interventions for supporting women to stop smoking
in pregnancy. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 10, CD001055.
Elo, S., Kääriäinen, M., Kanste, O., Pölkki, T., Utriainen, K., & Kyngäs, H. (2014).
Qualitative content analysis: A focus on trustworthiness. SAGE open, 4(1),
2158244014522633.
Gale, N. K., Heath, G., Cameron, E., Rashid, S., & Redwood, S. (2013). Using the
framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health
research. BMC medical research methodology, 13(1), 117.
Greene, M. J. (2014). On the inside looking in: Methodological insights and challenges in
conducting qualitative insider research. The qualitative report, 19(29), 1-13.
Hodyl, N. A., Grzeskowiak, L. E., Stark, M. J., Scheil, W., & Clifton, V. L. (2014). The
impact of Aboriginal status, cigarette smoking and smoking cessation on perinatal
outcomes in South Australia. Med J Aust, 201(5), 274-278.
Hoekzema, L., Buning, A. W., Bonevski, B., Wolke, L., Wong, S., Drinkwater, P., ... &
George, J. (2014). Smoking rates and smoking cessation preferences of pregnant
women attending antenatal clinics of two large Australian maternity hospitals.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 54(1), 53-58.
Holloway, I., & Galvin, K. (2016). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare. John
Wiley & Sons. Pp 111-115

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Passey, M. E., Bryant, J., Hall, A. E., & Sanson-Fisher, R. W. (2013). How will we close the
gap in smoking rates for pregnant Indigenous women?. The Medical Journal of
Australia, 199(1), 39-41.
Passey, M. E., Sanson-Fisher, R. W., & Stirling, J. M. (2014). Supporting pregnant
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to quit smoking: views of antenatal care
providers and pregnant Indigenous women. Maternal and child health journal,
18(10), 2293-2299.
Sandelowski, M. (2014). Unmixing mixed‐methods research. Research in Nursing & Health,
37(1), 3-8.
Sanjari, M., Bahramnezhad, F., Fomani, F. K., Shoghi, M., & Cheraghi, M. A. (2014).
Ethical challenges of researchers in qualitative studies: The necessity to develop a
specific guideline. Journal of medical ethics and history of medicine, 7.
Thamhain, H. J. (2014). Assessing the effectiveness of quantitative and qualitative methods
for R&D project proposal evaluations. Engineering Management Journal, 26(3), 3-
12.
Twyman, L., Bonevski, B., Paul, C., & Bryant, J. (2014). Perceived barriers to smoking
cessation in selected vulnerable groups: a systematic review of the qualitative and
quantitative literature. BMJ open, 4(12), e006414.