The purpose of this paper is to answer several questions concerning the following article:
EHLERS, V. J., 2003. Adolescent mothersÆ utilization of contraceptive services in South Africa. International Council of Nurses, International Nursing Review, 58, 229-241.
(I) This study investigates South African adolescent mothersÆ knowledge of contraception, relating the information gained to why young women fail to utilize contraception and contraception services and so end up pregnant. Nurses are, of course, involved in every area of reproductive health. Therefore, the study is of great importance to nurses; however, this fact is not directly stated in the article. Rather, the only time nurses are directly discussed is to relate the information obtained from the research to nurses with moral objections to contraception (Ehlers 2003, p. 239).
(ii) Applied research is aimed at gaining knowledge and applying it to a particular phenomena or problem (National Science Foundation, Directorate of Social, Behavioral and Economic Services, 1996, 6 lines). This study fits this definition in that it hopes to enhance contraception services and utilization by adolescents using the information obtained through the undertaken research.
(I) The research did not make any statement of its research philosophy which relates to the researchÆs underlying assumptions about science and knowledge claims (see: Cresswell 1994, pp. 55-72).
(ii) The study utilizes a non-experimental, yet quantitative approach to knowledge seeking and knowledge claims. This could mean that, at least to some extent, the epistemological assumption is that information is more reliable and precise when empirical methods are used to collect and analyze data (Pullen 2000: 124-128).
(iii) & (iv) The Health Belief Model was used in the study in order to explain what adolescent mothers perceived as barriers to utilizing contraception/contraception services (Ehlers 2003, p...