Trend Analysis of Nursing Intervention Studies Published by Taiwan Nurses Association Between 1954 and 2006

Abstract

This study reviewed historical nursing intervention studies in Taiwan and analyzed results based on sample characteristics, methodology characteristics, and content characteristics. Historical studies were split into four groups, G1970, G1980, G1990, and G2000, based on the decade in which they were published. A comparison was then made to identify significant differences between G2000 and other groups. A total of 103 nursing intervention studies were analyzed in this study. Results included sample characteristics of studies conducted primarily by single-disciplinary research teams, although multidisciplinary studies showed a growth trend across decades, with the number of multidisciplinary studies significantly greater in G2000 than in other decades. Nursing practice was the main area of research, clients were the major participants studied, and hospitals provided the principal research setting. No statistical difference was noted in the above mentioned variables. In terms of methodology characteristics, questionnaires were used most frequently to collect data. A quasi-experimental design was the primary research design employed. Although the number of experimental designs has increased significantly in recent years, most studies specified their inclusion criteria. Reliability and validity of instruments were more clearly specified in recent decade groups than in earlier decade groups. Methodology rigor has improved in recent years, achieving a statistically significant difference between G2000 and other groups in all categories, with the exception of instrument validity. In terms of content characteristics, health education was the leading intervention type. Most interventions were categorized as tertiary prevention, with perceptual outcome used most often as the outcome indicator. However, no statistical differences in content dimension variables were identified between G2000 and other groups. In summary, the number of nursing intervention research cases has risen, and research methodology rigor has improved in recent decades. However, no statistically significant differences in sample characteristics and content characteristics between the most recent and earlier decade groups were found. Suggestions for future domestic nursing intervention studies based on study findings are made at the conclusion of this article.

Characteristics of Quantitative Nursing Research from 1990 to 2010

“…There has been an increase over the past 20 years of nurses working with researchers from other disciplines for both TB and EB studies, indicating that multidisciplinary teams are clearly on the rise. This finding is consistent with findings reported by Moody et al () and Yang et al (). Based on the present findings, we recommend, as did Yang et al (), that authors specify more clearly the nature of collaboration and their contributions to the study.…”

“…Moody et al () found that 20% of nursing studies were multidisciplinary. Yang et al () analyzed 103 nursing intervention studies in three scientific journals published in Taiwan after 1969. Findings indicated that multidisciplinary studies increased significantly from 1970 to 2000.…”

Neuroscience Nursing Research

“…There are several trend analyses published in different fields and periods (e.g., Agustsdottir, Holcombe, Wright, Daffin, & Ogletree, 1995;Goldrick, Baigis, Larsen, & Lemert, 2000;Froggatt, Field, Bailey, & Krishnasamy, 2003;Haylock, 2008;Scholes, 2010;Yang, Liu, Ni, Chang, & Chen, 2009). Moreover, no analyses for trend in neuroscience nursing research are available, and this study seems to be the first.…”