Development of a Noninvasive Vitamin D Screening Tool - Essay Example

'Development of a Noninvasive Vitamin D Screening Tool' is a great example of a paper on diagnostic tests.
The aim of this research study was to come up with an instrument that could be used to screen for vitamin D adequacy in community health, as well as wellness setting (Bugno, 2012). Women of different bodyweight; both obese women, and normal-weight women, were used for the study (Bugno, 2012). The sample used for the study is a group of women from the United States of America. Some are normal-weight women while others are obese. The dependent variables and independent variables were vitamin D adequacy, and women's body weight respectively. The other variables were intake of foods rich in vitamin D and age. The hypothesis is that the intake of foods rich in vitamin D is not sufficient enough to keep an adequate level of vitamin D in the body;, especially for obese people. Additionally, the inadequacy of the vitamin seems to increase with age.

Critique

The sampling was done using selection criteria that were clearly defined. Men were to be excluded, the age group was supposed to be 18-50 and no more, and no less. Additional selection exclusion parameters included those suffering from hemophilia, and so forth. All the processes of selection were done at a university.

Their Anthropometrics were measured and used as one of the many variables for the study (Bugno, 2012). The dependent variable in the study was exposure to the sun; with or without the application of sunscreen on the skin (Bugno, 2012). Additionally, bodyweight is also a dependent variable. The other variable, the independent variable, in all cases of the experiment, is the sex of the individuals used for the experiment (Bugno, 2012). Women have been used.

Exposure to the sun is what was used to determine whether or not an individual had high, or low vitamin D in the body (Bugno, 2012). Logistic regression is valid in this experiment because of the existence of a nominal variable, which is normal weight/obese women, and the variable which is measured (Bugno, 2012). As a result of this, there is no doubt about the internal validity of the research.

The research aims to confirm the fact that eating foods rich in Vitamin D are not sufficient for the levels of the vitamin to rise, especially for obese individuals (Bugno, 2012). They are required to expose themselves to the sun, for better results.

70 percent of the women were found to be having inadequate levels of the vitamin. Their average age was 34 years, while the average for the serum 25OH was 23.8 which is low according to the requirements.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Study

One of the weaknesses of this study is that it includes self-reporting of obesity. It is a fact that women tend to misreport their body weight, and, therefore, this will impact on the validity of the results.

Even though the study only involves women which impacts negatively on its generalizability, it is quite exhaustive by not relying on one variable which is reporting body weight. It also involves the use of sunscreens, eating foods rich in vitamin D, and so forth. However, it would have been better to include the men in the study too.

Conclusion

Solutions to vitamin D inadequacy in most of the inhabitants of the US were found to be the consumption of dairy products (Bugno, 2012). The products are cheap and easily available; as compared to other solutions.

This study is beneficial because it involves extensive study into material about vitamin D, eating habits of the sample population used, and existing literature on the relationship between exposure to the sun, and inadequacy, as well as the adequacy of vitamin D in the human body. Hence, it is a successful study.