Correlation in Nursing Research

Intro

The purpose of the study was to “establish if short-term weight loss would have any impact on the control of blood pressure among the obese patients in stage one of hypertension even without any form of treatment” (Ioannis, Maria, Anastasia, & Maria, 2014). The study was grounded in the studies that have shown the existence of a mutual relationship between the obesity and high blood pressure, increased complication risks and reduced treatment compliance.

The Research Instruments

The researchers applied various research instruments in their study. The research instruments include the measurement devices for surveying, testing, filling- in questionnaires among other uses.in this study, the research instruments included the Levene test, ANOVA test, T-Test and Shapiro Wilks normally test. These research instruments were important towards ensuring that the researchers came up with reliable and valid research findings with high practical applicability.

The Levene test was important in the measurement of the variance quality of various variables in the study. The researchers assumed that the obese patients from where the sample population was drawn from were equal. The Levene test was applied by the researchers to assess the accuracy of this assumption (Ioannis, et al., 2014). The T-Test is usually applied when there is a need to analyze two groups. The T-test enabled the researchers to establish the normal distribution variance between the two groups. This test requires that the researchers looked at the freedom degree, the t-distribution and the t-statistic to establish the population difference.

The Shapiro-Wilks normality test as a research instrument was crucial in enabling the researchers to detect the abnormalities in the study. The test is primarily designed for the detection of the deviances from the normality. Another instrument involved in the study was the regression analysis. This research instrument was crucial in helping the researchers to establish the relationship among variables (Ioannis, et al., 2014). This type of analysis enabled the researchers to understand the changes in the value of the dependent variables with a variation in the independent variable.

The last research instrument used in the study was the ANOVA test. This test enabled the researchers to test and establish the differences between the means obtained from the variables. This is the test instrument for measuring and testing more than two variables.

The Correlations

In this study, the variables included gender, age, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, waist circumference and median waist circumference. In the second analysis, the researchers had placed the waist circumference with the baseline BMI. In general, the study found out that weight loss among the obese patients with hypertension improves the hypertension treatment. Another correlation identified during the study was between the small, short-term weight loss and a decreased blood pressure.

The reduced waist circumference among the obese patients was closely associated with the improved blood pressure control (Ioannis, et al., 2014). These correlations enabled the researchers to conclude their study findings on a positive note. The results showed a positive correlation between the variables hence the conclusion that short-term weight loss has a significant impact on the blood pressure of the obese patients with hypertension.