Prevalence of Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors by Kuklina, Yoon, and Keenan - Article Example

The authors used data, from the 1999-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination, to obtain national estimates. The research findings indicate that approximately 5 percent of adolescents have coronary heart disease or its equivalents, or one or more of CHD risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, obesity and family history of early CHD (Kuklina, Yoon & Keenan, 2009). The authors then conclude that there is a high prevalence of CHD risk factors among adolescents, but this does not seem to change screening rates.

Therefore, they recommend that the assessment and management of cardiovascular diseases, among adults, should be improved. There is a significant bias in formulating the research hypothesis because the authors make this claim, but do not support it with a single evident from a primary or secondary source. The authors should have included at least two evidence from peer-reviewed articles on the same topic to validate their hypothesis. The research methodology is not well satisfying for a study in the nursing field.

Other than using secondary data for analysis, the authors should have included data collected from the primary source. One-on-one interview with young adults and physicians would have provided valid data for this study. I feel that the authors’ conclusion that screening rates have not changed despite the high-risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among young adults is not well satisfying. This is because CHD risk factors such as obesity and overweight have become so evident among children and adolescents, and most government programs are currently focusing on controlling these risk factors to protect the young adults from contacting cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors.