Sampling, Concerns, and Flaws of the Stress Management on Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Study

Theory 4: Case Study
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Theory 4: Case Study
Summary
The case study explores the effects of stress on the exacerbation of pain and flare-ups among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and how stress can be managed to reduce symptoms and disease activity. Specifically, the article examines the effect of behavioral and psychological approaches on stress management among RA patients and how they can help patients manage their symptoms (PRIME, n.d.). Through a review of existing literature on various behavioral and psychological approaches and their effect on symptom and disease activity reduction, the article’s authors identify and explore four key psychological and behavioral stress management approaches. They include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), tai chi, patient education, and yoga.
The findings of the review indicate that CBT is an effective approach in reducing anxiety and depression as well as enhancing pain management among patients with RA. However, there is also conflicting evidence from other studies indicating that CBT has no significant effect on RA disease activity. The review also reveals that there is conflicting evidence on the effect of tai chi in reducing symptom and disease activity among patients with RA. However, the authors indicate that the benefits of tai chi among RA patients should not be ignored. The authors also reveal that there is insufficient research/evidence on the effect of yoga on RA patients but indicate that since yoga improves mood and flexibility among individuals without RA, the same benefits can be experienced by individuals with RA. Unlike other approaches that either lack sufficient evidence or are characterized by conflicting evidence to effectively support their use among patients with RA, the review reveals that patient education has been supported by sufficient evidence as an effective approach in alleviating symptoms, pain, depression, and improving treatment adherence in the short-term (PRIME, n.d.). However, the review reveals that there is insufficient evidence on the effects on patient education in disease management among RA patients in the long term.
The authors conclude that these stress management approaches cannot be used as a replacement for conventional treatment approaches that involve pharmacology but can be used to complement pharmacological treatments.
Sampling Technique
The sampling technique used in the case study is non-probability sampling because not every member of the population had an equal chance of being selected as a participant. Specifically, the authors used convenience sampling, which involves deliberately choosing a participant because they meet specific criteria to enhance practicality, such as being in the right place at the right time (Gray & Grove, 2021). Participants are selected using this technique because they are readily available and easily accessible to the researcher. The 40-year-old woman was chosen in the case study because of her availability and accessibility. She was an RA patient with regular clinic visits, making her available and accessible for the case study. According to Gray and Grove (2021), convenience sampling is used in healthcare studies because it is sometimes difficult to find patients willing to participate. As such, convenience sampling makes it easier to recruit patients who are available and accessible.
Reliability and Validity Concerns
The primary concern in this study is the reliability of the case study. As a case study, it is difficult to replicate the case under the same conditions that it occurred. How reliable is the case if researchers cannot find another female participant, 40-years-old, with RA, recently got promoted and is experiencing work-related stress and financial constraints that may be contributing to the flare-ups? According to Gray and Grove (2021), reliability allows researchers to identify differences or connections that exist within the population under study, but this cannot be achieved if the study cannot be replicated.
Flaws/Discrepancies
The major flaw in the case study is the criteria that the authors used in selecting evidence to support or disapprove the effectiveness of behavioral and psychological approaches in stress management and symptom alleviation among RA patients. It is unclear how the authors selected the articles or studies for review. Was it a systematic review, and if so, from which databases were the articles selected? Also, if the review of the articles was not systematic, how did the researchers determine which articles to include in the synthesis of evidence to conclude the case study?
Qualitative Study
Summary
The study b...