Critique of Selected Epidemiological Research Article Paper - 1

Critique of Selected Epidemiological Article - Research Paper Example The study reports a hypothesis that the visits that are undertaken for the older age in the cardiovascular study is related to main demographic, lifestyle, health and function participant traits and that the oldest age would have the poorest retention for in-person visits, particularly clinic visits. The hypothesis of the study is directional as it has taken a stand on the subject matter which is yet to be determined. However, it is a complex one since the measurement methods would not be easy in terms of tool applications. It also requires the application of more than one tool for its determination. It was tested using the face to face interviews, phone interviews, as well as personal visits. This was also done through sampling from Medicare eligibility lists, non-institutionalized, ambulatory men and women aged 65 and above. During the study, men and women of age 65 and older got enrolled including the 5201 at 4 US field centers. These formed a mean enrollment age of 73 years with a range of 65-100 forming 58%, 16 % being black. The first phase took place in 1989 to 1990 with the addition of 687 African-American participants in the year 1992 to 93. The participants were taken through an extensive baseline evaluation. This included the laboratory assessments, physical and cognitive functioning and medical history. All these components were repeated at the annual clinic visits through 1998 to 1999. The total population of the study of surviving participants throughout the time was, N=43,772. By the year 2005-06, the entire population was re-recruited in order to reevaluate physical and cognitive functioning and reassess functional status. In this case, the median age was 85 while the range was 77-102 of which 67% were women, and 17% were black (Strotmeyer, et al., 2010). The study in this case was quasi-experimental since it involved the determination of the