Research Question:

In African American males, ages 30-50 years of age, will an educational and physical activity intervention decrease blood pressures as compared to standard medical treatment.Discuss.

Write a 2-page paper addressing the sections below of the research proposal.

Methodology

• Extraneous Variables (and plan for how controlled).
• Instruments: Description, validity, and reliability estimates, which have been performed (on a pre-established measure). Include plans for testing validity and reliability of generating your own instrument(s).
• Description of the Intervention
• Data Collection Procedures

RUBRIC

Identifies extraneous variables and plan for how is controlled.

Instrument is appropriate to address research question.

Includes description of the selected instrument(s), validity, and reliability estimates.

Description of the Intervention is fully addressed.

Data Collection Procedures are clear and succinct.

Followed APA guidelines for writing style, spelling and grammar, and citation of sources. 5

In a study, there is always the possibility of extraneous variables or unforeseen circumstances that may interfere positively or negatively with the results of the study. There are some ways extraneous variables can be limited or controlled. Additionally, to maintain controls recognized in the study plan, it is important to continuously watch for previous or formerly unidentified extraneous variables that may have an influence and effect on the data you are collecting (Grove, Burns, Gray, 2013).

In the case of my study, demand characteristics, confounding variables, experimenter / investigator effects, participant variables and situational variables may affect the outcome (Cherry, 2016).

Demand characteristics: All participants educational level, zeal to learn and prevent health issues may not be the same. Also, all participants may not be in a supportive environment which may alter outcome.

Experimenter / Investigator Effects: The investigator may unintentionally affect the outcome by showing clues to participants about how they should perform in an individual basis. For example, giving clues to participants in a one on one basis depending on their individual concerns or situation.

Participant variables: Participants may have prior knowledge than others and their health status or any other individual characteristic may not be the same and can affect the outcome in one way or the other.

Situational variables: The nature of participant’s job, stress level, coping mechanism, family issue, income level, divorce, death in the family and other factors (during the study) may also affect the outcome of the study.

Confounding variables: It directly interfere with the way the independent variable modify the dependent variable. It can possibly alter results, leading the one conducting the study to think that there is cause and effect even when there is none (Cherry, 2016).

As mentioned above, extraneous variables must be controlled as much as possible. One of the ways to control extraneous variables is random sampling. Random sampling may not eradicate extraneous variable; however, it helps to ensures that it is alike amongst all groups. In the case where random sampling is not used, the effect that an extraneous variable may have on the study results turns out to be an area of concern (Cherry, 2016). Participants (samples) of this study will be African Americans working at BH hospital. No other information about these participants will be revealed to avoid bias when grouping samples.

According to the American Heart Association (n.d.), it is good for each individual to know what HTN is and “arm” (educate) themselves about it because HTN affects one out of every three adults over age twenty. In the same literature, it is noted that the best way to know if you have HTN is to measure your BP and it is advisable to be educated on what the numbers mean to one’s health (American Heart Association, n.d.).  High cholesterol is considered the consequence of an unhealthy lifestyle, and is also can be related to genetic abnormalities (American Heart Association, n.d.). Testing for cholesterol is easy and should be a priority in maintaining your health (American Heart Association, n.d.).

Nurse-led telephone follow-up is an inexpensive method of delivering education and support for assisting patients or healthy people to take steps in preventing heart disease (Stolics, Mitchell & Wollin, 2010). In a nurse-led literature exploration of about four healthcare databases which includes; Proquest, Sciencedirect, Pubmed, American Heart Association and Medline to identify articles or journals between 2013 and 2017. Topics of these literature review will be based on the study and ways to combat heart disease amongst the African American community. Positive effects were detected in majority of the studies in regard to nurse-led telephone interventions for people with heart disease (Stolics, Mitchell & Wollin, 2010).

Individuals with higher risks factors of heart disease especially African Americans, are usually instructed to participate in self-care behaviors as part of a daily disease management. Educating patients and those with these risk factors on self-care including self-regulation, self-management, self-monitoring, compliance and adherence will yield a tremendous positive result in a long run (Dickson et al, 2013). That is why we are embarking on this intervention. Education designed at promoting these self-care behaviors has received a lot of positive feedback, that is why it is incorporated into major clinical practice guidelines for preventing heart disease (Dickson et al, 2013).

Participants of both group A (receiving intervention) and group B (not receiving intervention) will be followed closely monthly. Blood pressure, weighs and specimens will be obtained from participants to check their cholesterol levels will be obtained and documented after each educational session. Instruments that will be used will include a “Dinamap”, a weighing scale and a monthly blood samples to check cholesterol levels of participants. Participants receiving intervention will also be expected to list measures to reduce heart disease which includes quit smoking, choose healthy foods or foods low in cholesterol, being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, managing diabetes and also reducing stress (American Heart Association, n.d.).

References

American Heart Association (n.d.). Get the facts about high blood pressure (HBP). Retrieved

from https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/High-Blood-Pressure-or-Hypertension_UCM_002020_SubHomePage.jsp

American Heart Association (n.d.). Lifestyle changes for heart attack prevention. Retrieved

from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/LifeAfteraHeartAttack/Lifestyle-Changes-for-Heart-Attack-Prevention_UCM_303934_Article.jsp#.WYpuUlWGPIU

American Heart Association (n.d.). The Importance of cholesterol testing. Retrieved from

https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/Cholesterol_UCM_001089_SubHomePage.jsp

Cherry, K. (2016) Explore Psychology: What is an extraneous variable? Retrieved from

Dickson, V. V., Nocella, J., Yoon, H.-W., Hammer, M., Melkus, G. D., & Chyun, D. (2013).

Cardiovascular Disease Self-Care Interventions. Nursing Research and Practice, 2013, 407608. http://doi.org/10.1155/2013/407608

Grove, S., Burns, N., Gray, J. (2013). The Practice of Nursing Research: Appraisal, Synthesis,

and Generation of Evidence, 7th Edition. [South University]. Retrieved from https://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/#/books/978-1-4557-0736-2/

Stolics, S., Mitchell, M. & Wollin, J. (201