Health Care
Introduction
Research question, aims and objectives
Literature search strategy
Appraisal of key study
Identification of key themes
Literature search strategy
Action plan
Conclusion
Introduction
The national framework for people survey document provides data supportive of a need pertaining to primary health care alignment of strategies when planning medical interventions for elderly populations across the world. Oman is no exception since every geographic location has its peculiar aging characteristics that must be addressed in designing health promotions programs and planning health care interventions for this vulnerable population(Department of Health, 2000)
Hence, the role of primary health care in initiating this alignment process establishing availability, accessibility and relevance of medical care for Oman elderly is the goal of this research project. Research shows where the world’s elderly population is increasing at a tremendous rate. For example, in 1998 World Health Organization published estimates showing where there were 390 million people over the 65 age group in the world. The organization projected that this figure is expected to double by 2025 (Help the Aged, 2000).
Importantly, the estimates in developing nations are more acute since the 2025 over 65 age prediction increase for Asia and Latin America is 300%. As such, by 2050 there will be 2 billion people over age 65 years old living in the world. Interestingly 80% of these people will be living in developing nations (Kevin, 2005). Precisely, there a growing concern related to how primary health care strategies could be aligned to serving this vulnerable population efficiently while exploring its present role in sustaining independence and quality of life among people over age 65 (World Health Organization, 2005).
The aging population profile for Oman is as follows:-
(National Elderly Health Survey, 2008)
Significantly, elderly care in Oman is a twenty-first century public health priority from the premise of an emerging demographic transition occurring daily within the society. This encompasses consistent changes in life expectancy rates due to the increasingly ageing population. Besides, Oman is undertaking immense infrastructural and technological developments(Salman& Kharusi, 2012). Complicating this developmentare new epidemiological trends. The responsibility of treating chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, dementia, Alzheimer’s and neurological emergencies are major public health concerns among the aging population in Oman and around the world (Ministry of National Economy, 2010).
Other factors desperately impacting the alignment of public health primary care strategies as it relates to medical interventions in the elderly Oman population include the high illiteracy rate among people over the 65 age group(Owtram, 2004). It is an estimated 5.79%.This means that they still have the ability to be gainfully employed and participate in the social structure decision making process. Family lifestyle changes along with a growing predisposition towards urbanization is calling public health attention to imminent non alignment of primary health care strategies with the prevailing needs of the misunderstood vulnerable Oman population(World Health Survey, 2008).
More importantly, the first Oman survey conducted in 2005/2006 regarding primary health care interventions applicability in medical/non-medical services available to Oman elderly revealed that there are four crucial areas of care intervention requiring immediate attention. They include supervision twenty four hours a day for those who are nor capable of executing their independence. Secondly, many residents are left alone for extensive when they have debilitating diseases such as stoke, diabetes and heart disease. This is unacceptable. Thirdly, when these elderly remain in their homes medical help in the form of a visiting nurse becomes necessary. Fourthly, assistance is not, given to them when they must leave home to doctors’ visits or shopping (World Health Survey, 2008).
Services in primary health care for Oman elderly began in 2011.An evaluation of these services reveal that 9.2% of the elderly populations enjoy very good care; 37.8 get goodcare 12.8% bad care and 2.3% very bad care(Wilson, 2012).
Based on the foregoing situation it is imperative that further investigations intothe impact of primary health care strategies on medical interventions in the elderly population – Oman be conducted.
Research question, aims and objectives
General research question
Do the primary health care services in Oman are meet elderly care needs sufficiently and effectively?
The PICO question informing this study is asking: -
Can primary health care services alone in Oman effectively meet the medical needs of the Oman elderly population as against secondary intervention strategies in improving quality of life? P- patient/population: Oman Elderly Population; I-Intervention: Primary Health Care strategies; C- Comparison: Secondary health care strategies; O-Outcome: Improving quality of life(Huang Demner-Fushman, 2006).
Specific research question(s)
What are the health care needs of Oman elderly population?
How appropriate are the present primary health careservicesfor Oman elderly population?
Whatsecondary health care interventions are available to Oman elderly population?
Whatevidences surface in identifying inadequacies in primary health care strategies that is expected to provide quality healthcare for Oman elderly population?
How accessible are health care services for Oman elderly population?
What obvious omissions ofcare can be identified among Oman elderly population?
Can primary health care strategies adequately address these issues?
Is it necessary to combine primary and secondary health care interventions in improving quality of life among Oman elderly population?
What are the services provided to elderly care from other sector in Oman?
Aim
Objectives are to:-
Literature search strategy
For this study books, journals research from Oman university library and internet sources will be used. Key words that will be used in exploring appropriate literature areprimary health care strategies Oman; secondary heath care strategies Oman;Oman elderly population andimprovingquality of life.These terms form the basis of the of the PICO research question(Schardt et.al, 2007). Therefore, searching literature and data bases for these terms will greatly assist in finding material for this systemic literature review of the topic. Primary search occur when retrieving studies from databases that were previously conducted on the topic (Au, 2007)
http://google.com/scholar
(Heneghan & Badenoch, 2002).
Books, journals research from Oman university library
(Heneghan & Badenoch, 2002).
Appraisal of key study
Emerging Burden of Frail Young and Elderly Persons in Oman.For whom the bell tolls?
Hamed Al-Sinawi, Mohammed Al-Alawi, Rehab Al-Lawati, Ahmed Al-Harrasi,
Mohammed Al-Shafaee, and Samir Al-Adawi
This study was published in the Sultan Qaboos Univ Medical Journal. It consisted of a critical review of the primary health care strategies in Oman among frail young people and the elderly. The researchers advanced that ‘recent improvements in health and an increased standard of living in Oman have led to a reduction in environment-related and infectious diseases’ (Al- Sinawi et.al, 2012, p 169) However, from their critical review of literature it was discovered that chronic non communicable diseases are plaguing the nation’s elderly population and not spearing some younger ones too(Ganguly et.al, 2009).
It was then advocated that a paradigm shift is necessary at this point in the era of Oman health care strategies. ‘A health care system that goes beyond a traditional cure-orientation to provide care services for the chronically sick of all ages’ (Al-Sinawi et.al, 2012, p 169) was suggested which means more effective secondary health care strategies combing with primary health care interventions (Gujjar et,al, 2011).
This study is relevant to the present critical review pertaining to theimpact of primary health care strategies on medical interventions in the Oman elderly population. Precisely, it answers the PICO question can primary health care services alone in Oman effectively meet the medical needs of the Oman elderly population as against secondary intervention strategies in improving quality of life by highlighting that Oman health care services need to take a paradigm shift since thepresent strategies are obviously inappropriate foraddressing transitions occurring in the society whereby the ‘cure-oriented’ health care system previously designed to treat environment-related and infectious diseases is no longer effective for a chronic non communicable diseases emerging in the society among the Oman elderlypopulation (Sulaiman et.al, 2001).
The implications are relevant and strongly related to this study. It will support this critical appraisal as a foundation literature serving as a selection reference piece. It limitation or weakness lie in it being critical appraisal also and not an experiment which would have produced more valid conclusions (Creswell, 2003).
Identification of key themes
Themes ought to provide a foundation whereby the critical review takes shape for designing a new theoretical perspective on the issue(Rowley & Slack 2004). Consequently, themes reflected in this studythe impact of primary health care strategies on medical interventions in the Oman elderly population in providing answers to the PICO question, Can primary health care services alone in Oman effectively meet the medical needs of the Oman elderly population as against secondary intervention strategies in improving quality of life must embrace :-
Oman elderly population health care culture; primary health care theories; Oman primary healthcare structure; secondary healthcare theories; Oman secondary health structure; theories on aging; Oman elder population quality of life profile; quality of life theories; quality of life aging theories; psychology of aging theories and appropriate intervention strategies in healthcare
Literature search strategy
Literature for this critical appraisal project will be categorized according to dominant key words embodied in both the title and PICO question which are primary health care; secondary health care; Oman elderly population; quality of life; primary health care strategies in Oman; secondary health care strategies in Oman (Randolph, 2009).
Objective
Inclusion criteria
All literature containing key concepts related to elderly, primary health care, secondary health care quality of life, Oman health care system (Agency for research and health care quality, 2013)
Exclusion criteria
All literature that speaks of researchers conducted on children, young adults or animals; literature unrelated to health care(Rockville, 2008).
Action plan
(Asian University Network, 2013)
Conclusion
The foregoing paragraphs outlined a research proposal for undertaking a critical literature review related to the impact/role of primary health care strategies in improving quality of life among Oman elderly population. Data revealed that the quality of life among Oman elderly is a public health concern (Anwar & Batty, 2007) since many of them lack the companionship elderly ill people should enjoy. This is highly suggestive that either alternatives be investigated or an in depth evaluation of the present primaryhealth care strategies be conducted (Al Lamk, 2006) (Dhar, 2001).
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Appendix
Link to Appraisal of Key Study
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3327563/
