Nursing Research

1. Citation:

Bocanegra, H. T., Braughton, M., Bradsberry, M., Howell, M., Logan, J., & Schwarz, E. B. (2017). Racial and ethnic disparities in postpartum care and contraception in California’s Medicaid program. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology,217(1). Retrieved from doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2017.02.040

2. Identify the Purpose Statement

a. The purpose of this research study is “to assess racial/ethnic variation in receipt of postpartum care and contraception among low-income women in California” (Bocanegra, et al., 2017, p.1).

3.Identify the Population of Interest.

a. The population of interest is ” low-income women in California”(Bocanegra, et al., 2017, p.1).

4. Identify the Study Variables from the purpose statement

a. Independent Variables

i. Racial and ethnic variation

b. Dependent Variables

i. Postpartum and contraceptive care

c. Extraneous Variables

i. Maternal Age

ii. Language

iii. Cesarean Delivery

iv. Medicaid Program

v. Residence in primary care shortage area (Bocanegra, et al., 2017, p.1).

5. Identify the study time perspective: Retrospective or Prospective.

a. This research study time is prospective because it is a longitudinal cohort study and follows the outcomes of similar individuals who differ in certain factors(Bocanegra, et al., 2017, p.1).

6. Identify the Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria and the resulting sample element (subject)

a. Inclusion

i. Pregnant women with deliveries of live births or cesarean between November 6, 2011, and November 5, 2012 (Bocanegra, et al., 2017, p.2).

ii. Pregnant women who receive Medical or family PACT.

iii. Women ages 15-44.

iv. Pregnant Women who reside in primary care shortage area.

b. Exclusion

i. “Women who were not enrolled consecutively in MediCal, state based insurance or Family PACT from a range of 43 days prior to delivery or 99 days after delivery”(Bocanegra, et al., 2017, p.2).

ii. “Women with incomplete claims data or missing information ”(Bocanegra, et al., 2017, p.2).

c. Sample Element

i. A pregnant woman age 15-44 who had a live or cesarean birth that received postpartum or contraceptive care through MediCal, a state funded health insurance or family PACT. A woman that had a life birth or caesarean delivery between November 6, 2011, and November 5, 2012. A woman who resided in primary care shortage area during respective dates.

7.Identify the operationalized population of interest and critique validity.

a. All pregnant women age 15-44 who had a live birth or cesarean birth that received postpartum or contraceptive care through MediCal, a state funded health insurance or family PACT. All women that had a live birth or cesarean delivery between November 6, 2011 and November 5, 2012. All women who resided in primary care shortage area during respective dates.

Validity:

Researchers for this study, studied pregnant women from various ethnic background ages 15-44 who were receiving health care coverage through MediCal or family PACT, between November 6, 2011 and November 5, 2012 and resided within the primary care shortage area. Researchers studied this cohort of women to determine if there was a difference in the receipt of postpartum or contraceptive care among various racial backgrounds. Women who were not enrolled in state based health coverage 43 days prior to delivery or 99 days after were exclude. Women with missing or incomplete claims were not included. “Deliveries that had claims with procedure or diagnosis codes for cesarean delivery within 7 days of their delivery date were considered cesarean. Deliveries with at least one vaginal delivery procedure or diagnosis code were considered vaginal. If no codes indicated mode of delivery, the delivery type was considered missing. Women were assigned to the publicly funded health care program (Medi-Cal Fee for Service, Medi-Cal Managed Care health plans, or Family PACT), where they were enrolled on the 99th day postpartum”(Bocanegra, et al., 2017, p.2).

.

8.Describe the sampling method used and classify it. (ex. convenience, random or nonrandom, etc). Discuss the appropriateness and limitations of the sampling method.

a. The sampling method used was purposive sampling and the classification is homogeneous sampling. The classification of homogeneous sampling fits this study because the goal of this type of sampling is to pull a sample of people who have similar traits or characteristics. Purposive sampling is sampling of the population based on the intention or purpose of the study. Purposive sampling should be used when researchers want to reject individuals who do not fit the profile of the individuals that they wish to study. One benefit of purposive sampling is that it is a type of sampling that allows the researcher to only focus on individuals who meet research criteria pertaining to their respective study. A problem with purposive sampling is that it is not random making the method susceptible to researcher bias. Purposive sampling is appropriate for this study because it allows the researchers to focus on specific individuals pertaining to purpose of their study.