Developing a Framework for Critiquing Health Research

1 Middlesex University Research RepositoryAn open access repository ofMiddlesex University , Kay and Henshaw, Lynne and Taylor, Gina (2005) Developinga Framework for Critiquing Health Research . Journal of Health , Socialand Environmental Issues, 6 (1). pp. 45-54. ISSN 1478-5692 Available from Middlesex University s Research Repository :Middlesex University Research Repository makes the University s Research available and moral rights to this thesis/ Research project are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. The work is supplied on the understanding that any use for commercial gain is strictly forbidden. A copy may be downloaded for personal, non-commercial, Research or study without prior permission and without charge.

2 Any use of the thesis/ Research project for private study or Research must be properly acknowledged withreference to the work s full bibliographic thesis/ Research project may not be reproduced in any format or medium, or extensive quotations taken from it, or its content changed in any way, without first obtaining permissionin writing from the copyright holder(s).If you believe that any material held in the repository infringes copyright law, please contact the Repository Team at Middlesex University via the following email item will be removed from the repository while any claim is being of Health , Social and Environmental Issues (2005) Vol 6, No 145 AbstractA new Framework for Critiquing Health -related researchis presented in this article.

3 More commonly used existingframeworks tend to have been formulated within thequantitative Research paradigm. While frameworks forcritiquing qualitative Research exist, they are oftencomplex and more suited to the needs of studentsengaged in advanced levels of study. The frameworkpresented in this article addresses both quantitative andqualitative Research within one list of questions. It isargued that this assists the novice student of nursingand Health -related Research with learning about the twoapproaches to Research by giving consideration to aspectsof the Research process that are common to bothapproaches and also that differ between quantitative andqualitative Research .

4 Key wordsResearch critique; critique Framework ; heath undertaking an undergraduate programme inhealth related studies, as in many other academicdisciplines, students are required to demonstrate theability to read, understand and critique Research reports. Health Research was at one time guided by the medicalmodel . However, though this model remains influential,Polgar & Thomas (2000) suggest that there have beenchanges in the role and status of other healthprofessionals that have brought different perspectives,and require different approaches to Research . A moreholistic approach now influences how Health care isconceptualized, and how Research is conducted. Themethodology of social Research has become an acceptedpart of Health and Thorogood (2004) state that Health researchincludes any study addressing understandings ofhuman Health , Health behaviour or Health services,whatever the disciplinary starting point (p5).

5 Theyfurther suggest that Health Research may expandknowledge of society and Health , or address an existinghealth care problem. Undergraduates of Health relatedstudies therefore have to consider Health Research in itsbroadest common method of assessing understanding both ofthe subject area and the Research methodologies utilizedwithin that subject area is the presentation of a detailedcritique of a piece of published Research . Our experiencein teaching students across a range of programmes inNursing, Health Sciences/Studies, Health Promotionand Health Policy programmes has taught us howdifficult many of our students find this task. With thehelp of funding from the Learning Development Unit weundertook a project to develop, implement and evaluatea Research critique Framework that students could use asa guide.

6 This article analyses the content of frameworks that arecommonly used to critique quantitative Research andframeworks that are commonly used to critiquequalitative Research and then presents a singleframework that addresses both Research new Framework is currently being used to assistteaching and learning activities relating to the criticalappraisal of published Research . As such, it is still in thedevelopmental stage and as teachers we continue toreflect on the application of this Framework to ourteaching. Feedback from students is essential to thisdevelopment and the article presents evaluations fromstudents who have been involved in learning activitiesduring the early developmental stage of the evaluation is continuing and we would also welcomecomments from our need for a Research critiqueframeworkThe need for able and competent Health carepractitioners is self-evident.

7 One way of ensuringcompetence is through evidence based practice andhealth professionals are expected to be intelligentconsumers of Research , and this entails the ability toread, understand and apply published Research (Murdaugh et al,1981).A change of culture aroseDeveloping a Framework for Critiquing Health researchBSc, PhD, RN, RNT, PGCHE, ILTM, Head of the Institute of Nursing and Midwifery,School of Health and Social Sciences, Middlesex UniversityBA, MPhil, RN, RGN, RNT, CertED, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, School of Health andSocial Sciences, Middlesex UniversityBA, MSc, PGDip, RN, DN, CertED (FE), Senior Lecturer in Health Studies, School ofHealth and Social Sciences, Middlesex UniversityKay Caldwell, Lynne Henshaw,Gina Taylor,following the move of colleges of nursing into the furtherand higher education sector, resulting in an educationalculture where critical enquiry and evidence-basedpractice is accorded greater priority (Benton, 1999).

8 Moststudents are introduced to Research methods and criticalappraisal during their undergraduate education, orpreparation for professional practice. Yet McCaughan etal (2002) report that qualified nurses reported problemsin interpreting and using Research . MacAuley et al (1998)highlighted how GPs who had been introduced to amodel of critical reading were shown to have applied amore appropriate appraisal to studies than those whorelied on critical appraisal skills acquired literature in relation to the ability to criticallyappraise Research is abundant in relation to nursing andto a lesser degree in medicine, there is an emerging bodyof evidence in relation to other Health care et al(1996) identified several barriers toresearch-mindedness in radiographers, including a lackof knowledge of Research methodologies.

9 Domholdt et al(1994) noted that this group had particular difficulty inidentifying concerns with construct validity. Work in the field of Health and Health care is multi-disciplinary and involves a variety of approaches toresearch. Further the range of such Research is wide,from concerns with the relationship between the healthneeds of a population to aspects of the provision of healthservices (Bowling, 2002). Government policy andprofessional guidance insist that professional practiceshould be based on evidence (Gomm & Davies, 2000).While Pearson & Craig (2002) elaborate on the need fornursing practice to be evidence-based, the need forevidence-based Health promotion has been highlightedby Perkins, Simnett & Wright (1999), who also point outthat the achievement of the targets of Our HealthierNation depend on the commissioning andimplementation of effective Health the primacy placed on the use of evidence in thefield of Health and Health care, it is important thatstudents are enabled to critique published Research inorder to determine the usefulness of that Research intheir chosen field of work.

10 By critique we mean theability to critically appraise published Research byidentifying the strengths and weaknesses of the researchand forming judgements concerning its overall qualityand in the fields of nursing, Health studies, healthpromotion and Health policy can be of a quantitative orqualitative nature: both Research approaches providevaluable information for the disciplines and oftencomplement each other. As such, students are requiredto read and critically review quantitative and qualitativestudies. However, many of the available frameworks forconducting a critical review are written within thequantitative paradigm ( Benton & Cormack, 2000;Polgar & Thomas, 2000). There has been a tendency toevaluate qualitative Research against criteria appropriateto quantitative Research (Sandelowski, 1986).