Critical Analysis of an Article

Critical analysis of an article involves the evaluation of an existing research
publication with a view of increasing one’s understanding of the same. In analyzing a
research publication, one analyzes various items, including the thesis, research methodology,
findings, conclusions as well as ethical considerations. It helps the reader break down the
research article and ensure that they study different parts in order to come up with insights
that can be used in future. Students and scholars have to critically analyze already existing
research publications with a view of enhancing their mastery of content as well as their skills
in writing research on their own. This paper involves the critical analysis of Risk of Smoking
and Receipt of Cessation Services Among Veterans Affairs Patients With Mental Disorders.
The research paper published by various authors and looks at the risk of smoking in war
veterans who have had mental health issues in South Africa. The analysis focuses on the
study purpose and hypothesis, methodology, and the conclusion made by the researchers.
Study Purpose and Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a proposal that the researchers have for the explanation of a scientific
phenomenon. A hypothesis can also be described as a statement that expresses the
researcher’s prediction of what is being evaluated by research. In research, a hypothesis plays
an important role. It assists in establishing a connection between the underlying theory and
the specific research topic. It aids in data analysis and assesses the research’s validity and
dependability. It serves as a foundation or proof for establishing the legitimacy of the
research. A hypothesis also helps ensure that the research is guided. It narrows down the
testable predictions. It also aids in the interpretation of results. Through narrowing down the
testable predictions, a research hypothesis ensures that an appropriate method is adopted for
the research process.

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In the selected study, the researchers hypothesized that individuals with various
mental illnesses, PTSD, and substance use disorder were unlikely to have access to smoking
cessation strategies. While the patients may be interested in quitting, they may have a hard
time doing it. They aimed to ensure that they study the case of mentally ill veterans’ affairs
patients. In selecting the research hypothesis, the researchers were able to narrow down what
they aimed to investigate and were also able to have a clearly guided research process.
Research questions are also important in the research process. Research questions
state the particular issue that is being investigated. Research questions dictate what an author
seeks to discover in the research process. The development of research questions helps in
calculating the sample size as well as determining the direction of the study. In developing a
research question, there are various tips that researchers use. Researchers first analyze
existing literature. In analyzing the existing literature, authors are able to increase their
knowledge of existing concepts on the topic. The authors also analyze the trends as well
various advances made on the topic. Researchers also ensure that they get input from
mentors, colleagues and collaborators who have extensive knowledge on the subject. Expert
help ensures that one develops solid research questions and, in so doing, achieves success in
the research process.
Research questions dictate what the research seeks to answer. Through developing
clear and concise research questions, researchers are able to come up with an effective plan to
ensure that they plan for challenges that may affect the research process. With good research
questions, it is easier to analyze various uncertainties. The selected study was guided by three
questions, namely, what is the prevalence of tobacco use in VA patients with mental illness,
PTSD and other substance use disorders? What is the receipt of cessation services in VA
patients with mental illness? PTSD and other substance use disorders, and what demographic,
clinical, and treatment factors have an impact on the receipt of cessation services?

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Methodology
Research methodology can be defined as a set of techniques that are used in the
identification, selection, and analysis of information. In the methodology section, a researcher
describes the research process as well as attempting to justify the methods and techniques that
are employed in the research process. A reader, on the other hand, can easily examine a
study’s validity and reliability through the critical analysis of the methodology section. The
study involved an analysis of the 2007 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Outpatient
Survey of Health Experiences of Patients (SHEP). SHEP, a self-completed survey, was
administered to 432,099 veterans that were selected randomly. The selected patients had
received outpatient care within the VHA medical system in the year 2007. Data obtained
through SHEP was linked to VA administrative data. The dependent variables in the study
included smoking status.
The respondents were classified based on their smoking status. Three categories were
used, namely current smoker, former smoker, and never smoked. In categorizing the
respondents into three categories, the research was able to evaluate the prevalence of smoking
in VA patients. The study analyzed the number of times current and former smokers had
visited the healthcare facilities with a view of quitting smoking. Patients who stated that they
had never visited the healthcare facilities in order to quit smoking were characterized as
having never accessed smoking cessation services. Patients who answered that they had
visited healthcare facilities to quit smoking were characterized as having received cessation
services.
The sampling method used is random sampling. Random sampling is a technique that
ensures that every participant has an equal probability of being included in the study sample.
Random sampling helps in ensuring that there is no bias in the selection of the sample

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(Bhardwaj, 2019). In addition, random sampling is also preferred owing to the ease of the
sampling procedure. The population is not divided into subsets, and no procedures are
undertaken before the sampling is done. Randomness is the only governing principle in the
selection process (Bhardwaj, 2019). Simple random sampling has high levels of simplicity.
Other methods of sampling may involve various procedures. The procedures may thus make
the sampling process difficult. There are no procedures that are employed in simple random
sampling. A sample that is representative can be obtained from a large population. Simple
random sampling helps in the elimination of bias. Individuals who are a major part of the
subset are chosen at random, and this means that every individual has an equal chance of
being selected. A balanced sample is created, and this helps in ensuring that the sample
represents the characteristics of the entire population.
One of the major disadvantages of simple random sampling lies in the need to have a
complete set of members of the whole study population. There is need to be provided with a
list of all individuals who constitute the study population for one to randomly pick the sample
population (Singh, n.d). The list of the individuals in the study population needs to be current.
When a researcher is evaluating a large population, it may be difficult to get this list. The
result is that they may be forced to use another sampling technique. Other sampling
techniques that may be applied include systematic sampling and stratified sampling.
In systematic sampling, one takes a unit at random. They then select the Nth member
and so on. The advantage associated with this type of sampling is the fact that it ensures that
the sample is spread evenly over the population (Singh, n.d). It can also be conducted with
ease, just like the use of the simple random sample technique. Sampling using this technique
can result in various problems, especially if the sampling technique interferes with a certain
characteristic in the study population. Stratified sampling involves the division of the
population into smaller groups (Singh, n.d). The groups are known as strata. The division is

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founded on various shared attributes. A random sample from each stratum is then taken.
Stratified sampling is effective since it helps eliminate various forms of bias. A sample that is
representative of the population can be identified through the use of stratified sampling.
Stratified sampling cannot be used in a population that cannot be divided into various
subgroups. In such a scenario, the result would be a misapplication of the technique in order
to come up with subgroups of the population.
In the current study, the SHEP survey was mailed to random veteran patients. A total
of 432,099 surveys were sent, where 237,838 individuals responded. In the final analysis, a
total of 224,193 individuals were included. The application of simple random sampling was
effective for this study. The researchers were able to easily generate a sample by mailing the
SHEP survey to random veterans. Each individual in the population had an equal chance of
being selected. The implication is that this helped in the elimination of bias that would have
otherwise affected the quality of the study. The use of random sampling helped in the
generation of a representative sample. The sampling error was minimized, and this worked to
ensure that the research process was enhanced. Conclusions that are made in this study can
easily be generalized. The study could have chosen to use stratified sampling, but the process
would have been difficult since the population being studied cannot be portioned into
subgroups. The use of systematic sampling would also have been difficult since it would be
difficult to select the N th member of the population.
The major independent variable in the study was mental disorder diagnosis. The
analysis of the dependent variable was done through ICD-9 codes that were linked to the
SHEP data. The codes help in verifying the diagnoses. Standard forms are used for every
encounter with VA patients. The identification of patients with mental health disorder was
based on at least one inpatient hospitalization or two outpatient encounters. The diagnoses
included disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other disorders. In the VA

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patient population, there are other disorders, including PTSD and substance use disorders,
that were identified using the ICD-9 codes. Lining ICD-9 codes and SHEP data was useful in
analyzing the research questions.
Research has to consider various ethical guidelines. Every scientific research has to
consider various ethical issues. Researchers must seek to ensure that they promote ethics in
scientific research. Ethics should be a major consideration in any research. The author
discusses receiving institutional review board approval for the current study. In addition, in
such research, important ethical considerations include informed consent and privacy of the
information collected. The participants needed to be informed about the study. The data
obtained from the study participants also needed to be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
The authors failed to address these points in the paper, and this makes one unsure whether
they placed emphasis on these ethical guidelines.
Analysis
In an experiment that requires statistical analysis, it is important to understand the
variables. The four measurement scales that capture data are nominal, ordinal, interval, and
ratio. Nominal scale labels data that does not have any quantitative value. Ordinal scales label
the order of values. Ordinal scales go beyond just naming values. There is no difference
between the variables on an ordinal scale (Velleman & Wilkinson, 2011). Interval scales
assign numeric values, and in so doing, it is easy to identify both the order and the differences
between the values. Ration scales incorporate the order and the value between units. They
also have an absolute zero, and this allows for the application of descriptive and inferential
statistics. In the current study, the Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP) was
used. The data collected was therefore ordinal. The survey respondents had to answer various

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questions where the options included never, sometimes, usually, and always. The data did not
have any numeric values. The scale thus qualifies to be an ordinal scale.
The calculations undertaken include the means and percentages of all variables. A
bivariate and multivariate analysis was also done. The measurement involved a bivariate
analysis of various variables in the research. A bivariate analysis was conducted on smoking
rates as well as receipt of smoking services. The bivariate analysis was done on all mental
disorders as well as patients who did not have any sort of mental disorder. A multivariate
analysis was also conducted to analyze the data to analyze smoking as well as the receipt of
cessation services (Warner, 2008). Bivariate analysis is useful in the analysis of two
variables. A bivariate analysis aids in establishing the relationship that may exist between the
two variables being studies. The use of bivariate analysis can aid researchers in the
understanding correlation between two variables. On the other hand, a multivariate analysis
helps in understanding the relationship between three or more variables (Warner, 2008. There
are various techniques that can be employed in a multivariate analysis, including multiple
regression analysis, Manova, and redundancy analysis. The use of bivariate analysis was
effective in understanding the relationship between smoking rates and the receipt of smoking
services. The use of multivariate analysis was effective in understanding the relationship
between more than three variables.
The authors conclude that most VA patients with mental disorders had received
cessation services. Cessation services are being extended to patients with mental health
disorders, PTSD, and substance use disorder. However, their rates of smoking remained
high. Smoking rates for this group of patients continues to be higher than that of the general
population. The group was also at an increased risk of being the recipient of fewer cessation
services. There is an urgent need to disseminate cessation services. The authors were able to
address the research questions in a satisfactory manner. They were able to evaluate the

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relationship between mental health disorders and smoking and whether or not smoking
cessation services were being extended to the patients. The recommendation can be
implemented to ensure that smoking cessation is improved.
Limitations of a study can be obtained from the study design. The study relied on
simple random sampling. The procedure could result in missing population segments, and
this could weaken the research. A different technique is needed in order to capture all the data
from different subsets. The article is effective in ensuring that more information is unearthed.
The research revealed that smoking rates are higher for individuals with mental health
disorders compared to individuals with no mental health issues. Individuals with PTSD are
likely to become cigarette smokers. In revealing this, the research gives information on the
use of smoking as a coping mechanism for individuals with mental health issues. Another
important addition to the body of research relates to smoking cessation services. Reducing the
number of smokers is an important goal that government and governmental agencies seek to
achieve. According to the study, nonwhite smokers are less likely to receive smoking
cessation services. This is despite the fact that blacks are more willing than white to quit
smoking. Access to cessation services is a serious problem that could interfere with the goal
of reducing the number of smokers. It is important to correct this problem.
Conclusion
Overall, the researchers in the selected article did a good job formulating the research
questions as well as working towards answering the research questions. In analyzing the
research, one can gain insights into the process of research. The paper is well presented and
provides valuable recommendations that can be implemented.

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References

Bhardwaj, P. (2019). Types of sampling in research. Journal of the Practice of
Cardiovascular Sciences, 5(3), 157.
Singh, S. K. (n.d.). Advantages and Disadvantages of Probability Sampling Methods in
Social Research. Mathematical Sciences, 5.
Turliuc, M. N., & Candel, O. S. (2019). Ethical issues in couple and family research and
therapy. In Ethics in Research Practice and Innovation (pp. 226-242). IGI Global.
Velleman, P., & Wilkinson, L. (2011). Nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio typologies are
misleading. In Trends and perspectives in empirical social research (pp. 161-177). De
Gruyter.
Warner, R. M. (2008). Applied statistics: From bivariate through multivariate techniques.
sage.