Contemporary Issues in Aging

Introduction

Geriatrics has been a great concern in the contemporary world. This is a branch of medicine which is concerned with the healthcare of the aged people in the society. However, no age has been limited for one to be under the care if the geriatricians. If a patient’s condition results into frailty and impairment, and the medicines prescribed to the patients are not clear which medicines are suitable for the health condition, it is advisable for the patient to seek the care of the geriatricians (Mangoni, 2014). In this research paper, I will use a qualitative research method in the specific content analysis to critically assess the geriatric research articles that have been conducted to bring a clear understanding regarding the topic. With the help of this research method, I found the following geriatric research articles which have combined various other qualitative research methods such as observation with content analysis as discussed in the following sections.

The First One Was Geriatric Medicine in an Aging Society: Up for a Challenge

This article reveals that geriatrics Medicine has recently applied to elderly patients with chronic conditions and other related health care needs including falls, and dementia. This has been a great challenge in many nations in which has high life expectancy (Mangoni, 2014). Some of these health care needs are beyond the pharmacological healthcare management systems of acute and chronic conditions. This is because of various factors that are related to aging.

Second Article: Elderly Patients’ Participation in Clinical Trials

This research article analyses the rates of increase of elderly patients. In this case, it brings out the population of the elderly patients is rapidly growing over the last decade. The research article reveals that this population makes up to more than half of the chronic health conditions in the total percentage of patients with chronic diseases like cancer, heart problems and arthritis (Shenoy & Harugeri, 2015). This article tends to bring in research information regarding the prevalence and percentage rates of patients between 18 years old and 64 years who are referred for geriatric attentions. Elderly patients are participating in clinical trials of this article. This was essential because this article was determining the suitable drug for the right age group of patients.

Third Article: Elder Abuse Research: Systematic Review

This article tends to emphasize on the elderly abuse in the society. Elderly mistreatment involves intentional actions that are committed relatives, caretakers of these people.  This article uses content analysis to critically assess the several elder mistreatment in the society. This is an important topic in geriatrics because it tends to analyze the psychological and physical torture that the elderly persons goes through in the hands of other people in the society, especially their caretakers (Daly, Merchant, & Jogerst, 2011). Despite that this paper uses other methods of qualitative research, it has greatly used content analysis to analyze and provide literature review other several research studies that had already been conducted. Geriatricians get to solve these issues of the elderly by giving them treatments.

Comparison of the Articles

The first article that is geriatric medicine in aging society tends to bring forward the essentiality of geriatrics in maintaining the health conditions of the aged persons. Some chronic conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and dementia. While the second article is majorly concerned with the suitable drugs that best for this population, the third article emphasize the elderly mistreatment that the old people undergo (Mangoni, 2014). Despite the broad variations that exist in the approaches taken in these articles, their similarity is that they common objective is elderly healthcare conditions and geriatrics issues in the contemporary society.

Explanation of Research Method That Is Used to Collect Data in the Articles

In common, all the articles have combined content analysis with other appropriate methods of research and data collection. For instance, the articles have involved patient and caregivers observation and content analysis of other various researches that had been conducted.

A Description of the Target Demographic of Each Study

All the articles tend to target the elderly patient’s population. Research indicates that many aged people are vulnerable to chronic health conditions such as cancer, arthritis, and cardiovascular diseases. In many cases, some of these chronic diseases are beyond the pharmacological care as such they are mostly referred to the care of the geriatricians (Shenoy & Harugeri, 2015). As such geriatric research articles will, in most cases be targeting the health conditions of the older adults.

A Comparison of the Outcomes of Each Study

The first outcome finds out that elderly health problems are increasingly becoming a key challenge all over the world. This is because it results into population decrease, especially into states with a high percentage of the age people as compared o they young population (Mangoni, 2014). While the second found out that the health care should give the appropriate medicines for the suitable individuals, the third article found out that many elder people are mistreated by their caretakers who make cause some chronic conditions of it, including depression, and dementia.

A Comparison of the Effectiveness of the Research Methods Used

Content analysis provides detailed information regarding the topic. In this case, it captures all the information regarding elderly issues and geriatrics that were documented by other researchers using varied research methods. It gives the view and understanding of the already existing information (Daly et al., 2011). Additionally, the articles are supported by observation which has greatly provided first-hand information for the validation of the research.

A Description of How the Three Different Studies Could Be Redesigned Based on Your Comparison

It is prudent first to appreciate the design of the geriatrics articles that were selected. This because their design capture the attention of the reader and they are straightforward and concise. However there some key sections that could be redesigned. For instance, the first article only provides the geriatric medicine for the elderly in the society. In this case, it limits background information about the problems that are faced by the aged in the society. While the second article is only specific to the suitable drug for appropriate age determination. This could be redesigned to other geriatrics health care measures that are taken to maintain the healthcare of the aged people in the society.