Research critique and evaluation methods

¶ … Postpartum Functioning in Mothers With Multiple Sclerosis.

Overall Summary

The article in question is a significant qualitative work, as more and more strides are made in assurance of maternal and fetal health regarding mothers with chronic functional diseases more and more women will likely become mothers. For this reason it is essential that the medical and medical support communities, as well as families are particularly keen on the support needs of these women postpartum. This article, dealing with post partum functional performance in women with MS is a foundational work with only limited research base, due to the nature of the inquiry and is qualitative in form using a questionnaire format to discern the level of functioning of women postpartum at 6-9 and 12 months. Previously advocacy was for improved and increased social support for the immediate postpartum period (up to 6 months) but inference and observation as well as limited research base has shown that this is simply not enough and that many of these women see exacerbated MS symptomology for the later period, a symptomology that limits functional performance and could be mitigated with social support.

The title of this work indicates the independent variable (post partum functioning) and the sample group mothers with MS, though it could be slightly more detailed in its inclusion of the fact that the design advocates or at least investigates the need for a change mode related to longer external support post partum (6-12 months) to mitigate exacerbation of MS relapse and symptoms due to their connectivity with social support lags.

Abstract

The abstract of the work was clearly written and provided all the major details of the study, including the information associated with both issues lacking in the title, i.e. The length of postpartum need and social support mitigating MS relapse. Additionally, the work adequately details the idea that increases in family demands, associated with a new child can exacerbate MS symptomology, increase it and create functional performance deficiencies for longer than was previously believed, as MS mothers noted the same or a continued level of functional impairment at 6,9, and 12 months that they did at 1, 3 and 5 months post partum.

Introduction

The introduction of this work is adequate and contains a short extension of the abstract information through a more detailed explanation of the research model, the research motivation and the need for the development of a clearer understanding of the needs of post partum MS patients, with regard to social support to mitigate exacerbation of relapse symptoms of the disease, though it contains only a limited review of literature.

The review of literature in the introduction consists of adequately connecting the research inferences associated with an extended period of limited functional performance in postpartum MS patients, i.e. A longer period of functional deficiencies than 6 months and then defines factors influencing functional performance, as those that can be affective of social support. The seminal works associated with MS functional performance and postpartum MS functional performance are included in the work as is comparative information from the research of the author of this work in an longitudinal research project, from which this research has been gleaned.

The conceptual basis of the thesis and the research study is well covered and it gives a clear picture of the reason why it is important to nursing. Immediate post partum nursing care and follow up tend to be first contact and assessment of postpartum needs of individuals either healthy or with chronic disease. Nurses spend the greatest amount of time in the immediate postpartum phase with the client, assisting them with immediate post partum medical and functional needs and talking with the patient about long-term social support and other issues, from this base as well as through nursing care in follow up with OB or Primary physicians treating postpartum patients. It is therefore important for the nursing staff to be fully appraised of functional impairment and social support needs. In other words the work could more closely explain this connectivity of nursing staff to be aware of and potentially flag these individuals for further social support suggestions of both family and other support persons.

Hypothesis/Operational Definitions

The work is strong in the sense that the subheadings of the work give the reader an indication of the fact that there are factors of functional performance that need detailed that the hypothesis is evident and supported and give the reader a set of operational definitions for the study. The figure also describes the qualitative connectivity between functional performance and social support.

Design

The Design section begins with a brief explanation of the connectivity this research has to a larger research study and a description of the sample which included the final 172 number of post partum MS patients in the immediate post partum year as well as how the research participants were located and other minimal demographic information and disclaimers for human subjects.

Method

The methods of the work are well detailed in the methods section, with definitions of activities of daily living as well as the special considerations of MS and then the parameters of study, i.e. how the study measured the scale items on an ADL scale consisting of 12 MS symptoms and how they affect functioning, on a 0-5 scale where zero indicates never impeding function and 5 indicates always impeding function, based on symptomology items. Social support was then measured qualitatively on a Personal Resource Questionaire-85. The study also detailed that the individuals in the sample were not excluded from immunomodulating therapy, the primary treatment for MS but this treatment no matter the length of time or the length of diagnosis of MS did not make a significant difference in functional performance in the post partum phase and many individuals limited therapy based on nursing status.

Analysis of Data

The analysis of data section was brief but informative, supporting both the method and the outcomes of the data provided in the work.

Findings

Findings indicated no significant differences for functional performance between the 9-12 months post partum, MS symptoms and social support. Supporting that even in the later part of the post partum year the individual still needs social support to assist in the mitigation of relapse and symptoms of MS.