Reply to the following peers with at least 150 words for each one.

Follow the attached rubrics.

PEER RESPONSES:

PEER #1 Anthony

1. What was the study all about? What were the main phenomena, concepts, or constructs under investigation?

Ricks et al (2019) aim to shed light on the experiences held by Black men with disabilities due to their statistically poorer health outcomes as compared to Black women and men of other ethnic backgrounds. By selecting Black men with chronic conditions contributing to functional limitations, Ricks et al (2019) explored ethos of gained disabilities and the factors associated with learning health promotion.

2. If the study was quantitative, what were the independent and dependent variables?

This study is quantitative which by nature has no measurable variables to explore. Despite measurability, one could argue that the initial injury or development of the chronic condition can be considered the dependent variable with the quality of life or resulting lifestyle that the test group experienced being the independent variable. However, Beck & Polit (2020) explain that dependent and independent variables are terms that are reliant on an intervention and explain that in these cases the dependent variable is the subject matter which is focused on. With the focus of this study being the collective experiences and factors contributing to those experiences, we can conclude that dependent and independent variables are negligible terms for this study.

3. Did the researcher examine relationships or patterns of association among variables or concepts? Did the report imply the possibility of a causal relationship?

Qualitative studies are conducted until saturation is achieved which Beck & Polit (2020) define as a condition in a qualitative study when further data collection does not contribute to new themes. Ricks et al (2019) achieved saturation and identified the themes of the subjects experiences as seeking to survive, risking the body to preserve the self, disconnecting threads of the new body to the old self, and presenting the moral self with a renewed consciousness. The study also sheds light on how factors such as principles of manhood, economic constraints, treatment bias from HCPs, and historical experimentation of the Black population inhibited pursuit of healthcare.

4. Were key concepts defined, both conceptually and operationally?

Ricks et al (2019) identified age groups and their characterized them by developmental themes. People aged 18-25 are expected to be undergoing identity formation whereas those aged 26-40 were recognized having established identities with an outlook focused more on the long-term of life. Ricks et al (2019) identified the latter populations ability to distinguish a disabled identity and their tendency to make decisions to endure, which is key to identify common themes in actions and experiences. Additional inclusion criteria required specified functional limitations resulted in a study population of 22 participants with hermeneutic phenomenology utilized to conduct the study.

References:

Ricks, T. N., Frederick, A., & Harrison, T. (2019) Health and Disability Among Young Black Men. Nursing Research, 69(1), 13-21.

Beck, D., & Polit. C. T. (2020). Essentials of Nursing Research (10th ed.). Wolters Kluwer Health.

PEER #2 Abigail

1. Did the report describe an explicit theoretical or conceptual framework for the study? If not, does the absence of a framework detract from the studys conceptual integration? The study didn’t explicitly identify a formal theoretical or conceptual framework; however, it is implicitly guided by health literacy concepts and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), with structured outcome selection and interpretation. Polit and Beck (2021) argue that a framework is the conceptual underpinning of a study. Not every study is based on a theory or model, but every study has a framework. In this case, even though the framework is absent, it does not distract from the conceptual integration because there is an intervention, a variable, and an outcome that are logical and are connected.

2. Did the report adequately describe the major features of the theory or model so that readers could understand the conceptual basis of the study? Even though no formal theory was identified, the study described the major conceptual features guiding the intervention, particularly health literacy domains and functional health outcomes based on the ICF framework. Huang et al. (2020) noted that tailored rehabilitation education addresses patients’ healthcare, disease prevention, and health promotion literacy.

3. Is the theory or model appropriate for the research problem? Does the purported link between the problem and the framework seem contrived? The implicit conceptual framework guiding this study is appropriate for the research problem. The health literacy theory and the ICF framework lines up with the goals of improving postoperative outcomes through tailored education. Polit and Beck (2021) wrote that the framework should have a genuine, not artificial, connection to the research problem. Huang et al. (2020) clearly link tailored education to improved health literacy and functional outcomes, which appear logical and clinically relevant rather than contrived.

4. Was the theory or model used for generating hypotheses, or is it used as an organizational or interpretive framework? Do the hypotheses (if any) naturally flow from the framework? The study primarily used its conceptual foundation as an organizational and interpretive framework rather than for formal hypothesis generation. The study tested expected differences between the intervention and control groups; however, the hypotheses were not explicitly derived from a stated theory. Polit and Beck (2021) articulated that many quantitative nursing studies were frameworks to guide interpretation and structure interventions without directly testing theory-based hypotheses. In this instance, the conceptual approach guided the choice of outcome, the design of the intervention, and the interpretation of the findings. The results were examined in light of functional recovery and health literacy enhancement, indicating proper application of the framework as an interpretive

5. Were concepts defined in a way that is consistent with the theory? If there was an intervention, were intervention components consistent with the theory? Indeed, the study’s concepts were defined in a way that aligned with the ICF-based conceptual approach and implied health literacy. The ability of patients to obtain, comprehend, and apply health information was clearly defined as health literacy, and it was assessed using validated tools that matched this definition. To preserve conceptual integrity, Polit and Beck (2021) stress that conceptual and operational definitions must be consistent with the guiding framework. Health literacy principles and rehabilitation theory provided the logical foundation for the intervention’s components, including customized rehabilitation education, individualized teaching techniques, and functional goal setting. This alignment enhances the study’s conceptual rigor and promotes theoretical consistency.

References

Huang, S.-C., Kuo, S.-F., Tsai, P.-S., Tsai, C.-Y., Chen, S.-S., Lin, C.-Y., Lin, P.-C., & Hou, W.-H. (2018). Effectiveness of Tailored Rehabilitation Education in Improving the Health Literacy and Health Status of Postoperative Patients With Breast Cancer. Cancer Nursing, 43(1), E38E46.

Polit, D., & Beck, C. (2022). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice. (10th ed.). Wolters Kluwer Medical.

PEER #3 Joseph

1.Did the review use appropriate language, suggesting the tentativeness of prior findings? Is the review objective?

Yes, the literature review and overall report use appropriate scholarly language that reflects the tentativeness of prior findings. The authors consistently employ cautious wording such as have been found, suggested, and reported, rather than presenting previous research as definitive. They acknowledge that postpartum practices vary by generation, geography, and level of modernization, which reinforces the tentative nature of existing evidence (Wang et al., 2022). In addition, the authors avoid value-laden or judgmental language when discussing traditional practices, instead situating them within cultural and historical contexts. This balanced and neutral tone supports the objectivity of the review (Wang et al., 2022).

2. If the review was in the introduction for a new study, did the review support the need for the study?

Yes, the literature review clearly supports the need for the current study. The authors identify that most prior research has focused on urban Chinese populations or Chinese women living in other regions and countries, with limited attention to women in rural areas experiencing rapid social and economic change (Wang et al., 2022). They explicitly note that it remains unclear how modernization influences postpartum practices among rural women in China, particularly in Jiangxi Province. By highlighting this gap, the review provides a strong rationale for conducting an ethnographic study to explore how traditional practices are preserved, modified, or abandoned in a rural context (Wang et al., 2022).

3.If the review was designed to summarize evidence for clinical practice, did it draw appropriate conclusions about practice implications?

Yes, when summarizing evidence for clinical practice, the authors draw appropriate and measured conclusions. Rather than recommending the abandonment of traditional practices, they emphasize the importance of culturally sensitive, evidence-based postnatal care that acknowledges womens beliefs and lived experiences (Wang et al., 2022). The authors also highlight gaps in postpartum nursing care and continuity of care after hospital discharge, linking these gaps to womens reliance on family traditions and online information. Their practice implications focus on improving cultural competence among nurses and integrating traditional beliefs into family-centered education, which aligns well with the qualitative findings (Wang et al., 2022).

4.Did the report describe an explicit theoretical or conceptual framework for the study? If not, does the absence of a framework detract from the studys conceptual integration?

The report does not explicitly identify a formal theoretical or conceptual framework guiding the study. However, the absence of a stated framework does not substantially detract from the studys conceptual integration. The ethnographic methodology provides an implicit framework rooted in cultural and interpretive perspectives, emphasizing the interaction between tradition, modernity, and sociocultural context (Wang et al., 2022). Core concepts such as intergenerational influence, modernization, and cultural negotiation are consistently integrated across the literature review, methods, findings, and discussion sections. While an explicit framework might have strengthened theoretical clarity, the study remains conceptually coherent and well grounded in qualitative inquiry (Wang et al., 2022).

References:

Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2022). Nursing research: Generating and assessing evidence for nursing practice(11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

Wang, Q., Chaloumsuk, N., & Fongkaew, W. (2022). An ethnography of doing the month and modern postpartum practices among rural women in Jiangxi, China. Pacific Rim International Journal of Nursing Research, 26(2), 341354.