Article One
Citation: Jackson, C. (2015). Trends in the use of complementary health approaches among
adults in the United States. Holistic Nursing Practice, 29(3), 178-179.
doi:10.1097/hnp.0000000000000088
Year of Study: 2015
Area of Study: The United States of America
Website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4573565/
Variables
Demographic characteristics of the U.S adults are the main variables included in the study. The
author focuses on variables such as sex, age group, race, and nationality. The article also relies
on educational attainment among the participants and their health insurance status. According to
Jackson (2015), data on educational attainment was collected from all adults and classified in
reference to the highest degree achieved by the date of the interviews. Health insurance variables
are categorized as private, public, and uninsured.
Methods
The study relies primarily on the qualitative method of data collection. Information was gathered
from 2002, 2007, and 2012 National Health Interview Survey. Afterward, qualitative method was also
applied as the statistical evidence was analyzed to produce the results published in the study.
Source of Information
The researcher collected data from reports published by the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS),
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), and
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
Statistical Analysis
Jackson (2015) used a software package known as SUDDAN version 11.0 to compute point estimates and
their respective variances. He also used PROC SURVEYLOGISTIC to identify patterns of weighted linear
or quadratic regressions for each variable.
Limitations of the Study
The limitation in the article is the possibility of biased data collected from NHIS. The author
reported that this information was derived from cross-sectional surveys, and hence, causal
relationships between data cannot be established using the selected statistical approaches.
Critique
The study can be hailed for collecting data from the NHIS. Notably, data collected by the NHIS is
representative of the entire United States. The condition allowed the author to make relatively
accurate estimates. However, the cross-sectional trait of this introduces weaknesses to the validity
and reliability of the study. Notably, the causal association between health insurance and the
factors identified under demographic characteristics cannot be determined with ease.
Findings
Basically, the study found that American adults have diverse forms of the health of insurance.
However, many of them have shifted to complementary health approaches as a form of reducing hospital
visits. Undeniably, these trends are aimed at reducing chances of disease occurrences and, hence,
decreasing the need for health insurance coverage.
Article Two
Citation: Chetty, R., Stepner, M., Abraham, S., Lin, S., Scuderi, B., Turner, N., . . .
Cutler, D. (2016). The association between income and life expectancy in the United States,
2001-2014. Jama, 315(16), 1750. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.4226
Year: 2016
Area: United States
Website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4866586/
Variables
The researchers in this study identified income and mortality as the main variables.
Methods
The current study utilized the qualitative research design. Data was collected through desk surveys
and a review of pre-existing data. The method is plausible as the researchers’ decision was approved
by various quality assurance institutions.
Sources of Information
Data used to carry out this study was obtained from federal tax records in the United States. For
example, the researchers mentioned that they relied heavily on federal income tax records and social
security records. The participants included individuals in possession of recognized social security
number between years 1999 and 2014. The mortality variable derived its informing data from Social
Security Administration (SSA) death records.
Statistical Analysis
Statistical analysis of data collected during the study was conducted using the SAS 9.1.3 and State
version 14 software packages.
Limitations of Study
The article identified two main limitations. Firstly, it noted that the mortality variable depended
on extrapolations made to life expectancy rates after 76 years. Such a condition breached accuracy
of the results derived. Secondly, the researchers mentioned that the relationship between income and
mortality wrongly implied a causal relationship.
Critique
Health insurance coverage in the United States is heavily dependent on the income rates of the
citizens. In such a way, this study can be hailed for assessing this issue from the core. In fact,
Medicaid programs in the United States are meant to provide health insurance coverage for American
citizens irrespective of their income.
Findings
The study found that the high income is usually associated with great longevity. From the
perspective of health insurance, this fact means that affordability of healthcare highly depends on
the one’s ability to purchase insurance premiums.
Article Three
Citation: Finer, L. B., & Zolna, M. R. (2016). Declines in unintended pregnancy in the
United States, 2008–2011. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 71(7), 408-409.
doi:10.1097/ogx.0000000000000340
Year: 2016
Area: The United States
Website: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa1506575
Variables
In this study, the rates of pregnancy in the United States were the main variables. The researchers
assessed the rates of pregnancy between 2008 and 2011. The rate of pregnancy was categorized
according to the intentions of women and outcomes of the said pregnancies.
Methods
The study conformed to the qualitative research design. Data were collected from records preserved
by the federal government. Similar to the above article, data collection was primarily done through
desk reviews of pre-existing records. In such a way, the researchers did not identify any
participants.
Sources of Information
According to the researchers, the source of data was National Survey of Family Growth. Additionally,
they obtained relevant data from a national patients’ survey who have done abortions, information
preserved on births, and the statistics from the NCHS.
Limitations of Study
The validity of this study cannot be ascertained as the researchers relied on the socioeconomic and
several other demographic data on women from surveys conducted in 2008. They note, however, that the
characteristics of this data might have gone unnoted changes by 2011.
Statistical Analysis
The researchers of this article did not mention any known software for data analysis. Most of the
analysis was done using mathematical methods such as calculation of percentages. For example, the
researchers noted that they calculated percentages of unintended pregnancies that ended in abortion.
In essence, they refrained from using automated computed programs and chose to conduct manual
calculations.
Critique
Essentially, this article assesses the connection between pregnancy and the health of women. While
findings do not relate much to health insurance coverage, implications indicate that availability of
insurance programs have contributed to a reduction of health complications associated with issues
such as abortions and miscarriages. In such a way, it can be said that health insurance coverage has
impacted the health of pregnant women.
Findings
The researcher realized a relatively significant inverse association between income levels,
educational qualifications, and rate of unplanned pregnancies. Between 2008 and 2011, the rate of
unintended pregnancies reduced. As the researcher implied, this tendency can be attributed to
improvements in health insurance coverage in the United States.
Article Four
Citation: Devaux, M. (2013). Income-related inequalities and inequities in health care
services utilization in 18 selected OECD countries. The European Journal of Health Economics, 16(1),
21-33. doi:10.1007/s10198-013-0546-4
Year: 2015
Area: OECD
Website:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marion_Devaux2/publication/259321673_Income-related_Inequalities_and_Inequities_in_Health_Care_Services_Utilisation_in_18_Selected_OECD_Countries/links/5710a45408aefb6cadaaaedd.pdf
Variables
In this study, the author identified three types of variables: doctor visits, dentist visits, and
breast and cervical cancer screening for women in the OECD countries.
Methods
The article relied on a qualitative research design in which data was collected from review and
analysis of official government reports. Surveys were conducted from 18 OECD countries.
Sources of Information
Notably, the researchers sought data from the official records of individual countries. However,
they also indicated that in most European countries such as Belgium, France, and Finland, most of
the information was derived from the European Health Interview Survey.
Limitations of the Study
This study did not mention any limitations.
Critique
A lot of literature has focused on the relationship between the wealth of countries and the health
of its citizens. Discrepancies, however, have been found in the connection between countries that
fall in the same level of wealth. In such a way, the current study can be hailed for advancing
knowledge on the health levels of countries categorized similarly in terms of economic achievement.
Findings
One of the findings identified in the article is that inequalities are still existent in terms of
access to health insurance coverage. In the OECD countries, this has been attributed to the
high-income gaps. In such a way, it is important for these countries to strengthen social security
programs and ensure that they conform to income characteristics of their citizens.
Article Five
Citation: Sørensen, K., Pelikan, J. M., Röthlin, F., Ganahl, K., Slonska, Z., Doyle, G., .
. . Brand, H. (2015). Health literacy in Europe: comparative results of the European health literacy
survey (HLS-EU). The European Journal of Public Health, 25(6), 1053-1058.
doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckv043
Year: 2015
Area: Europe
Website: https://academic.oup.com/eurpub/article/25/6/1053/2467145
Variables
The researchers of this article identified the prevalence of health literacy as the main variable.
The variable was chosen because the notion of health literacy has gained popularity across Europe
and other developed regions in the world.
Methods
Data was collected using various instruments. For example, the researchers developed questionnaires
and interviews that were administered to participants identified through a random sampling
technique. Interviews were also administered to the identified participants.
Sources of Information
Participants identified by the researchers were the main sources of information in this study.
Statistical Analysis
The researchers did not utilize software packages for data analysis. Data analysis was conducted
manually through use of mathematical methods.
Limitations of Study
Although the researchers do not mention it explicitly, the fact that health literacy as an academic
concept is known widely is a limiting factor.
Critique
Health literacy is a concept that emerged from the United States and Canada. Although it has gained
popularity in Europe, people have not embraced it widely. Assessing health literacy rates in Europe
is primary to identifying how people perceive the importance of health insurance coverage.
Correspondingly, it is important for European researchers to delve into this issue and relate it
expressly with access to health insurance coverage.
Findings
The study identified that certain social groups have a lot of people with poor health literacy.
Undeniably, such a condition indicates that access to healthcare in Europe is subject to the
gradient of health literacy.
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References Chetty, R., Stepner, M., Abraham, S., Lin, S., Scuderi, B., Turner, N., . . . Cutler, D. (2016). The association between income and life expectancy in the United States, 2001-2014. Jama, 315(16), 1750. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.4226 Devaux, M. (2013). Income-related inequalities and inequities in health care services utilization in 18 selected OECD countries. The European Journal of Health Economics, 16(1), 21 33. doi:10.1007/s10198-013-0546-4 Finer, L. B., & Zolna, M. R. (2016). Declines in unintended pregnancy in the United States, 2008–2011. Obstetrical & Gynecological Survey, 71(7), 408-409. doi:10.1097/ogx.0000000000000340 Jackson, C. (2015). Trends in the use of complementary health approaches among adults in the United States. Holistic Nursing Practice, 29(3), 178-179. doi:10.1097/hnp.0000000000000088 Sørensen, K., Pelikan, J. M., Röthlin, F., Ganahl, K., Slonska, Z., Doyle, G., & Brand, H. (2015). Health literacy in Europe: Comparative results of the European health literacy survey (HLS-EU). The European Journal of Public Health, 25(6), 1053-1058.doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckv043