Periodontal and Cardiovascular Diseases: Research Development Project

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Research Question

To what extent do lifestyle factors link cardiovascular disease and periodontal disease?

Research Aim

Cardiovascular and periodontal diseases constitute two types of chronic diseases known to affect people, both in developed and developing countries (Petersen and Ogawa, 2005). For instance, it has been established that cardiovascular disease affects 20% of people in developed countries and 50% in developing countries. Estimates further indicate that the disease is becoming a leading killer in developing countries (Bokhari and Khan, 2006). On the other hand, research shows that periodontal disease affects 30% of population in developed countries at the moment and 70% in developing societies (Slim, 2011).

The link between periodontal and cardiovascular diseases remains debatable, even when causative factors of the two conditions appear to manifest some similarities. Some research undertakings have alluded to the fact that association exists between periodontal and cardiovascular (DeStefano, et al., 1993). On the other hand, Demmer and Desvarieux (2006) observe that there exists no statistical evidence to correlate periodontal disease and cardiovascular. These two divergent positions indicate how more research is required to authenticate any of the above positions. Nevertheless, it should not be ignored that factors causing these two diseases are indeed related in one way or the other as seen above.

As much as research continues to dwell merely on association of the two diseases based on different factors, review of literature indicates that little effort is being made to investigate and evaluate the extent to which lifestyle factors link the two diseases. As a result, the source of motivation for this research project is the discrepancy. In a move to establish better understanding of periodontal and cardiovascular diseases, this research aims at evaluating and analyzing the extent to which lifestyle factors link the two diseases. Objectives to be derived through this include analyzing lifestyles factors responsible for emergence of periodontal and cardiovascular diseases; how increase of factors in one of the diseases may increase chances of the other disease emerging; and how improvement of lifestyle factors in one disease explains reduced chances of the other disease occurring.

Research Approach and Rationale

Numerous factors that contribute to emergence of these two chronic diseases have been identified. For example, Alexander et al. (2009) observes that cardiovascular disease emanates from interaction of complex factors that may include genetics, lifestyle and environmental factors, which may act alone or combine to increase severity of cardiovascular disease. As such, aspects such as cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, lack of physical fitness, and overall sedentary lifestyle have shown positive correlation with prevalence of cardiovascular disease (Alexander et al., 2009). Periodontal condition on the other hand has been associated with multiple factors ranging from genetic, lifestyles, environmental, and social economic aspects (Idris, 2010).

Investigation of these factors and prevalence of the diseases among different populations has assumed different methodologies, which are concisely attached to research questions under investigation. Some of the common methodologies that have been employed include case-studies and analysis, longitudinal and cross-section studies, cohort and control-case studies, and also experimental studies (Daly and Bourke, 2000). In each case, attempt is always aimed at deriving valid and reliable data that can be applied across different groups of people. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the extent to which lifestyle factors link cardiovascular and periodontal diseases. To successfully explore and find answers to this statement, methodology to be adopted will largely correlate with the research questions and the aims of the study (Strauss and Corbin, 1998). Cross-section study will be adopted as the study methodology (Daly and Bourke, 2000). Research approach to be adopted will include collecting both primary and secondary data. This will involve administration of validated health questionnaires to the identified samples. Also, collection of data will involve assessment of patients’ health records provided in the selected hospital.

Research Design

The aim of this research project is to derive objectivity and in-depth analysis of the research question. In order to achieve this, both quantitative and qualitative approaches will be applied in this research. Combination of these research designs generally will aim to retrieve data premised on the strength of qualitative and quantitative designs. Validity and reliability originates from quantitative approach while qualitative design normally provides in-depth analysis of data (Udokwu and University of Missouri, 2009). In this manner, it is expected that a more robust and meaningful conclusion can be gauged by the research (Bryman, 1988 cited in Udokwu and University of Missouri, 2009).

Research sample

The study will take place in a selected hospital in the state of New York and will involve 1280 men and women diagnosed with cardiovascular and periodontal diseases. Selection of sample will involved adoption of probability sampling procedure, as it constitutes the appropriate next step of the research (Babbie, 2010). Sampling methodology will include a multistage sampling process that uses a stratified random sample of patients identified in the hospital affected by the two diseases. The use of random sampling is important to avoid bias in the selection process (Yates and Yates 2004). Moreover, the severity, prevalence, and frequency of cardiovascular and periodontal among the selected samples will be evaluated and recorded in accordance to the identified lifestyle factors. Some of the lifestyle aspects to be investigated include eating habits of the patients, smoking and drinking habits, physical exercises, and sedentary lifestyles of the patients.

Research data collection process

The study will commence by getting relevant permission from the hospital to be selected. In seeking permission, researchers will explain to the administration of the hospital the goals and objectives of the research to be carried out and why selection of their hospital is perceived to be appropriate. Information provided to the administrators will be true, while compliance to ethics will be observed. Prior to being given permission, selection of samples will proceed, with probability sampling being employed in the identified population of cardiovascular and periodontal population. Patients attending clinics in the hospitals and their subsequent health records will be sampled for the study. Validated health questionnaires will be developed to be administered to the identified samples of cardiovascular patients attending the clinics, while data on periodontal disease will be generated from the patients’ health records.

Data analysis procedure

As expressed in the research, major instrument to be used will constitute closed-ended interview questionnaires and the need for this will establish how different lifestyle factors are associated with cardiovascular and periodontal diseases. Moreover, through the questionnaires, researchers will want to establish key characteristics that manifest in both diseases as linked to the identified lifestyle factors. Generated data will be analyzed using appropriate statistical tests and tools. In this case, Microsoft Excel 2010 version will be used and the P-Value will be set at 0.05 for significance level (Idris, 2010). It should be further known that data analysis of the results will greatly be in accordance with research questions of the study.

Ethics in the research

Observing ethics will be paramount in this research project. This is largely motivated by the fact that the research will involve human subjects and as a result, ethical considerations need to be observed. Use of patients in the study will originate largely from permission in the hospital and also after thorough introduction to the patients, stating to them the goals and aims of the research project. To apply fairness, a random selection technique shall be applied. In this manner, anonymity and confidentiality of information are important considerations. Prior to continuing with the research, it will be important that consent be derived from the participants and objective of the study be explained to both hospital administration and patients involved so that they know the honest intention of the research. Likewise, they will be guaranteed access to results of the study at the end of the research project.

Research implications and limitations

It is implied that, association exists between cardiovascular and periodontal diseases and this can also be linked to the lifestyles factors, which cause the diseases. However, given that some earlier researches have disputed this association, it is prudent that increased exhaustive research work is needed in future to statistically prove these two positions. Among the patients identified to suffer from periodontal and cardiovascular diseases, it is important to postulate that the level at which lifestyle factors link the two diseases differ with some indicating insignificant statistical differences. More so, the results of the research have great implications to health care personnel in terms of designing treatment and preventive programs. In this way, association of the lifestyle factors between the two diseases is likely to inform treatment and prevention policy, especially with knowledge of the rate at which different lifestyles link the relationship of the two diseases.

Research limitation can be evidenced in the generalization of the sample results, and this has to do with limited sample selection, research confined in one hospital, little regard to aspects of social-economic factors, and age and ethnic aspects. Moreover, given that a relatively large number of samples will be utilized, time and financial limitation will be experienced. Lastly, limitation of the research will be exhibited in terms of content, whereby, the research will confine itself to cardiovascular and periodontal diseases, and leave out other diseases.

Conclusion

The above review constitute research development outline of the work to be undertaken. In the development, it has been established that, although dispute exists on the possibility of existence of association between periodontal and cardiovascular diseases, strong evidence indicates likelihood of the two conditions being linked in terms of causative factors. But the fact is that, the level or extent to which causative factors link the two conditions is largely unavailable. In an attempt to rectify this deficiency, this research development proposal aims at investigating the extent to which lifestyle factors link cardiovascular and periodontal conditions. Research methodology adopted to investigate this aspect is considered to be appropriate and results to be generated will be useful in forming a body of knowledge that can be utilized in various ways.

References

Alexander, L. L., Larosa, J., Bader, H., Alexander, W. J. and Garfield, S. (2009).New Dimensions in Women’s Health. PA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Web.

Babbie, E.R. (2010). The Practice of Social Research. OH: Cengage Learning. Web.

Bokhari, S. A. and Khan, A. A. (2006). The relationship of periodontal disease to cardiovascular disease-Review of literature. J Pak Medical Association, Vol. 56, No. 4, pp.177-181. Web.

Daly, L. E. and Bourke, G. J. (2000). Interpretation and uses of medical statistics.MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Web.

Demmer, R.T. & Desvarieux, M. (2006). Periodontal infections and cardiovascular disease: The heart of the matter. The journal of the American dental association, Vol, 137, pp. 14-20. Web.

DeStefano, S. et al., (1993). Dental disease and risk of coronary heart disease and mortality. BMJ, Vol. 306, pp. 688-691. Web.

Idris, F. A. (2010). Periodontal disease prevalence and some related factors among 15 years old school children in Khartoum State, Sudan. Sudan Journal of Public Health, Vol. 5, No. 4, ppp.187-192. Web.

Petersen, P. E and Ogawa, H. (2005). Strengthening the prevention of periodontal disease: The WHO approach.J Periodontol, Vol. 76, pp. 2187-2193. Web.

Slim, L. H. (2011). Dental hygiene as a profit center. The National Magazine for Dental Hygiene Professionals. Web.

Udokwu, C. J. and University of Missouri. (2009). Investigation of urban science teachers’ pedagogical engagements: Are urban science teachers culturally responsive? MI: ProQuest LLC. Web.

Yates, S. J. and Yates, S. (2004). Doing social science research. NY: SAGE. Web.

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