Limitations in Nursing Research
It is possible that any research has limitations and this is considered normal because errors cannot be avoided in studies. According to Reznick (2017), limitations are shortcomings, influences or conditions that cannot be controlled by the researcher in a study. The conclusion and methodology of the analysis are affected showing that better results can be obtained from the same study if the limitations can be surpassed. In any research analysis, the author provides the limitations of his study in the last section of the paper. Typical limitations of value in any research include the sample size, research methodology used, time constraints and quality of literature available on the study conducted.
I managed to identify some limitations in a research paper conducted to determine sex differences in the risk profile of hypertension in India. A cross-sectional study methodology was used to obtain data from a rural demographic surveillance system. The findings of the study indicate that 12.5% of the population with hypertension was men while 11.3% were female (Ghosh et al 2016). I identified a few limitations after going through the research. First, the study used a cross-sectional data analysis which does not provide temporal relationships between hypertension and its risk factors. The study did not provide the exact cause of hypertension in the population as it could have been in case-controlled studies. Secondly, the data analysis did not provide information on known risk factors of hypertension like family history and dietary considerations. This means that the odds ratio result obtained was inaccurate. Therefore, the research is not applicable to a large population in the country. From the research, it is evident that limitations can alter the findings and applicability of any research. When describing the limitations, it is important for the researcher to explain how they impacted the research findings.
References
Ghosh, S., Mukhopadhyay, S., & Barik, A. (January 01, 2016). Sex differences in the risk profile of hypertension: a cross-sectional study. Bmj Open, 6, 7.) Retrieved from http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/7/e010085.short
Reznick, J. S. (2017). The developmental scientist’s companion: Improving research methodology and achieving professional success.
