Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Asessment 1 Task 2

Information Quality
Hannah Howley

Describe how information from different sources may vary in quality, and how to differentiate good quality from poor quality.

It is important to focus on the quality of information the researcher is searching for. The reseacrcher must take into consideration the type of info, the legitimacy of it, relevance and accuracy. The two types of information we as researchers look at is qualitative (meaning quality) and quantitative (as in how much/many).

The general elements of information quality as found in Wang & Strong (1996)

Intrinsic

Contextual

Representational

Accessibility

Interpretability

All of the above terms are used to describe the type on information the researcher is searching for, like I said before, legitimacy, relevance, accuracy, accessibility and interpretability.

Different sources of information may vary from the way that different audiences may be targeted, rather than just a general group of people. It is important to see the relevance in the information you are finding. It definitely has to be useful and it also has to be at a level in which you are prepared to read it in.

Differentiating good quality from poor quality; basically, good information is accurate, it has an objective, it is timely/current and has authority. To produce good quality information you have to be able to have good skill in the data and use the information relevant to the paper. (Golofshani, 2003)


References

How to evaluate information. Ballard, Spahr, Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP. Date of publication 3/6/1997 Retrieved from http://www.virtualchase.com/quality/checklist.html

Information Quality. Date of publication 16/3/2009. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_quality

Monday, March 30, 2009

Pathology - Tennis Elbow

Pathology

Tennis Elbow

Tennis Elbow is a common condition of the elbow where it becomes tender and sore on the outer aspect of it. It can happen to anybody but is basically associated with tennis players.

This sports condition is also known as lateral epicondylitis

Etiology: This is what know as the cause if the disease.The most common cause of tennis elbow (lateral elbow pain) is the repetitive nature that comes with the sport of tennis; ie constantly hitting the ball with force which can therefore lead to tears in the tendons, ligaments and muscles surrounding the elbow joint, but mainly the tendon which attaches to the forearm. Basically you can call tennis elbow a case of overuse syndrome. The main age group of people who suffer from Tennis Elbow are those between their 30's and 60's. Age does have a inputting factor although gender does not.

Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_elbow (31/3/09)


Pathogenesis:This step by step development of the disease and chain of events leading up to it. It is developed over a long period of time and is known to be the tears in the tendons that cause the pain. Pain is also felt in the wrist from gripping to tightly or not properly. The extensor carpis radialis brevis has been implicated in this case as the fore arm flexors and extensors jerk in movement to cause undesireable force/use on the tendon.

Morphology: the fundamental structure or form of tissues and cells. anatomical changes that occur during the disease/condition.

This would be the tears in the tendons that was stated on wikipedia which I referenced before. Also, weakness in the surrounding muscles may be present from having to over compensate.

Histological: the changes to the ground substance and intracellular fluid etc.

Histological analysis shows that the hyalin is degenerated and fibrosis is present.

retrieved from http://lib.bioinfo.pl/meid:240291 (31/3/09)

Epidemiology: study of the factors contributing to the disease or injury . number of cases over time. incidence;number of new cases and prevalence; number of people who have it

Incidence and Prevalance;

Lateral elbow pain(tennis elbow/lateral epicondylitis) is common (population prevalence 1–3%),with peak incidence occurring between the age of 40–50. In women aged 42–46 , incidence increases to 10%.In the UK, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia the incidence of lateral elbow pain in general practice is 4–7/1000 people a year.

Retrieved From http://clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/conditions/msd/1117 /1117_background.jsp (31/3/09)

Friday, March 13, 2009

The research Process

With regards to massage therapy, researching involves a variety of different things. We are always finding out new things, investigating techniques and ideas and looking into and understanding theories.

We begin research with an idea. We begin with brainstorming to try and establish a question that corresponds with the idea. We have to see if anybody else has come up with the same question and see what they have said about it. This is called a literature review and/or theoretical framework. We must always be searching for the truth. The next step that goes with the researching process is methodology, here we are trying to seek how we are going to collect information and/or data on the theory at hand and see if the information we are going to find is valid and relevant. They (methods) are used for collecting info on your question. Some of these methods are; interviews, group discussions and perhaps questionnaires and from there it is about building interpretations. We have to make sure that when we are conducting investigations and searches that we are doing it in an ethically correct manner.

Next I am going to talk about implications of research. It is important to keep the information valid and interpreted in its original state.

By having structure to attain information at any level, ethically, research is a very powerful technique in which is very valuable to anyone including massage therapists.