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This research study aimed at investigating the relationship between children of specific age enrollment in social programs and the level of maternal health literacy by seeking to establish the impact that maternal health literacy programs has on such enrollment. To investigate this, the research study applied cohort research study in which a total of 744 participants had their children followed over duration of time (Pati, Mohamad, Cnaan, Kavanagh and Shea, 2010). The findings of this research study indicate that there exists a correlation between maternal health literacy level and increased enrollment of their children in social programs (Pati et al, 2010).
Null Hypothesis
Mothers without adequate health literacy are less likely to participate in public programs compared to literate mothers (Pati et al, 2010) and consequently are less likely to have their children enroll in social programs.
Alternative hypothesis
Mothers with adequate health literacy would be more likely than those with inadequate health literacy to participate in public programs (Pati et al, 2010) and consequently their children are more likely to be enrolled in social programs.
Sampling procedures
Since this was a cohort study, it means that the study needed to identify cases with characteristics of interest beforehand, whom will then be prospectively monitored; this type of sampling is referred as purposive sampling where cases of interest are deliberately identified (Bogdam and Bilken, 1992). In this case the study was interested in mothers with children aged more than 36 weeks that were not overweight and whom were living with their mothers, for the purpose of the study all mothers were supposed to be eligible for Medicaid and proficient in english language (Pati et al, 2010).
Independent variable
Independent variable is a factor in a study for which is not affected by change in other variables (Blalock, 1982), in this case the independent variable is the mothers literacy level since it is the characteristic that influences the other outcomes of the study which will be the dependent variables (Pati et al, 2010).
Dependent variables
These are variables that are influenced by the independent variable (Hult, 1996), for our case the dependent variables are rate of children enrollment in social programs as well as rate of maternal enrolment in public programs (Pati et al, 2010).
Alpha level
The alpha level that was set for this research study was 0.05, significance level.
Outcome
The findings of this research study indicated that children of mothers that had average and more than average literacy level were in general more likely to participate in social programs compared to children of mothers that had less than average literacy levels.
Conclusion
Foremost, if I was to undertake a similar research study like this there is nothing much that I will change in terms of design and so on; in the same way it will be impossible to have different independent variables or dependent variables given that the research study would be investigating the same objectives. Based on the focus area of this research study, I would also say that its findings do make sense when you consider that mothers with higher than average literacy levels are more likely to appreciate the importance of social programs and their benefits to their children and are therefore likely to pressure their children in joining such social programs. Similarly, they are also more likely to participate in such programs themselves compared to less literate mothers; indeed this is what the study had hypothesized initially and its ultimately what it has confirmed to be the case.
If I was to ask two questions regarding this research study I will be interested in knowing the procedure that the researchers applied in measuring the literacy levels among the subjects and how the 50% literacy level was established. Secondly, I would be interested to know how the researchers controlled against confounding factors such as poverty/reduced earnings, diseases and other factors which we know for a fact can also be attributed to reduced enrollment of children in such programs.
References
Bogdam, R. & Bilken, S. (1992). Quantitative Research for Education. Boston; Allyn & Bacon.
Blalock, H. (1982). Introduction to Social Research. Washington DC; Prentice Hall.
Hult, C. (1996). Researching and Writing in the Social Sciences. Boston, Allyn & Brown.
Pati, S., Mohamad, Z., Cnaan, A.,Kavanagh, J. & Shea, J. (2010). Influence of Maternal Health Literacy on Child Participation in Social Welfare Programs; The Philadelphia Experience. American Journal of Public Health, 100 (9): 1662-1665.
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