Conceptualization of a Focus - Research Paper Example

Conceptualization of a research focus of Conceptualization of a Research Focus Introduction There are two major methods of research designs. These are fixed or quantitative designs and flexible or qualitative designs . The research design to be used depends substantially on two questions. These questions are: 1. Is the research meant to explain what is happening? 2. Is the research meant to find out the reason why something is happening? If the research has the intention to answer the first question, it is a quantitative research. Consequently, if the second question is being answered, it becomes a qualitative research. Qualitative vs. Quantitative research Qualitative research was in the past restricted to research linked with social sciences. However, it is now more widely used in other fields to provide an in-depth understanding of how human beings behave and the reasons to justify that behavior. Qualitative research answers questions in the form of ‘how’ and ‘why?’ while quantitative research aims to answer questions in the form of ‘who?’, ‘what?’, ‘when?’ and, ‘where?’. Quantitative research is interested in finding percentages, measures of central tendencies and other numerical measurements to analyze and describe the relationship between the independent and dependent variables while qualitative research deals with individual cases and provides greater depths and understanding of each case while looking only at the practical and pertinent information. Quantitative research is widely used in psychology and other social sciences. In quantitative studies, the research is done to prove a hypothesis that was developed by the researcher. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation or phenomenon that is subjected to further testing. The similar of a hypothesis in a qualitative study is a theory. A theory is an attempt made to satisfy the ‘why’ question. Research topic The proposed research topic is on a social problem which has been a menace since the year 2000 and is increasing at an alarming rate. The social issue is STIs. The study attempts to find out the reason why despite there being different ways in which people can avoid contracting the disease, infection rates are still high. The topic can be better phrased as “Knowledge, attitude and practice of women in Miami Beach towards female condoms as a means of prevention of STIs.” Since the research attempts to answer the ‘why’ question of the use of female condoms, it is a qualitative research. Problem statement Despite female condoms being designed to empower the feminine gender to be in control of their protection from STIs and pregnancies, their acceptance is still not widespread. There is also a high prevalence of STIs in women, and unwanted pregnancies are on the rise. Female condoms are more expensive than male ones, and are not as accessible as the others. There is also lack of widespread acceptability probably due to the price. Miami Beach is an area that has been described to have an extremely busy night life, and there are many vices that come with this. These include sex without condoms, gay and lesbian sex, etc. All these are overriding factors which contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS. Literature Review Female condoms have been available since the early 1990s and are present in all regions even though in limited quantities. The first female condom, called Reality, was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in 1993 by the Female Health Company for sale OTC (over-the-counter) in the United States. The Reality Female Condom is a soft, strong, loose-fitting polyurethane sheath, 7.98cm in diameter and 17cm in length and contains two flexible polyurethane rings. The female condom, also known as the ‘femidom’ is either made of polyurethane plastic or nitrile . The polyurethane used in the sheath is a thin (0.05mm) but impermeable material with sturdy heat-transfer characteristics. It is stronger than latex and less likely to tear or break. The female condom is not affected when oil-based lubricants are used. It can also withstand storage better than latex does. It is inserted in the vagina before sexual intercourse. It is a pouch shaped sheath wider than the male condom but about the same length. It contains a loose ring at the closed end of the condom that serves as an insertion mechanism that helps in the insertion and keeps it in place during sex serving as an internal anchor. the larger ring, at the open end, is left outside the vagina. This provides protection to woman’s external genitalia and the base of the penis. “The HIV/AIDS pandemic in Sub-Saharan Africa remains a long term growth challenge for the region. Nearly 12 million African children have been orphaned as a result of the problem and 22.5 million people in Africa-61% of them women-live with HIV” . This, therefore, calls for the use of effective methods to protect the public from this disease and curb the spread of the disease. A female condom is a superb example of an effective method of protection against infections and unwanted pregnancies. The efficacy of the female condom in preventing pregnancy has been documented in three studies conducted in developed countries. It is nearly as effective as the male condom. The failure rate of the female condom is 5-21% over 12 months depending on how carefully it is used, while that of the male condom is 3-14%. Considerable hope is being pinned on the female condom for its potential in preventing transmission of sexually transmitted infections, particularly HIV. Laboratory research has shown the female condom to be impermeable to bacteria also to HIV. With consistent and appropriate use of the female condom, the failure rate for female condoms is 5%, while with proper use failure rate is 2.1%. Breakage rates for female condoms are extremely low. It is at less than 1 in every 100 female condoms. The slippage rate which is the tendency of it to be pushed up into the vagina or slip out is 5.6%. A randomized trial found a total clinical failure rate of 5.24%. Clinical failure includes breakage during sex, turning wholly or partially inside out, slipping entirely out, displacement of the outer ring or penetration outside the condom. It was found that the female condom can offer up to 95% effectiveness. The ability of women to discuss issues of sex with their partner is a critical challenge in the society. This is because it defies the role of the feminine gender which is thought to be of an inferior nature. It also brings up questions of trust, fidelity and commitment in their partners. The same applies for the more knowledgeable women who have a deeper understanding of the pros of this method and they end up taking a seat in the discussions but not giving suggestions in the fear of misunderstandings or even physical abused. In the younger ladies and the more submissive women, they are unable to negotiate abstinence or use of a condom to their partners. Conclusion In conclusion, this is a qualitative research topic which is designed to answer the question on why there is little or no usage of female condoms by the women of Miami Beach. References Beksinska M, S. J., Joanis C, Usher-Patel M, & Potter W. (2011). Female condom technology: new products and regulatory issues. Contraception, 83(4), 316-321. Lule, E., Seifman, R., & David, A. C. (2009). The changing HIV/AIDS landscape: selected papers for the World Banks agenda for action in Africa, 2007-2011: World Bank. Sue, J., Price, C. J., & Straker, L. (1998). The researching therapist: a practical guide to planning, performing, and communicating research. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Health Sciences.  Read More