| Description |
There are presently several scientific communities of researchers investigating the menopausal hot flash (MHF). Within each community the research findings provide a cohesive representation of this phenomenon. A synthesis of all research findings, however, results in a nebulous picture of MHF. Thus, health care providers and their clients are faced with contradictory and inconclusive information. The purpose of this investigation was to provide an understanding of the current problem as a means toward achieving a resolution of the information dilemma encountered by consumers of MHF research. This study combined the use of historical-hermeneutical understanding and epistemological construction as the methodology for investigating the research problem. A historical horizon of the problem was developed through examination of scientific literature published on the perimenopause prior to 1950. These articles were viewed as historical documents which reflected the cultural beliefs of the researchers. Given the development of a historical horizon, the specific problem-solutions guiding MHF scientific literature. With the identification of MHF exemplars, the facts determined to be significant, the theories articulated, and the facts matched to validate theories were described. Further, identification of MHF exemplars allowed for epistemological construction of the models guiding MHF researchers. The different models constructed provided a focus for discussion of why the present state-of-the-art knowledge about MHF consists of contradictory and inconclusive information. The concept of cooperative-collaborative inquiry, where research subjects are viewed as actively participating, decision-making members of the research project, was propped as a mean towards achieving a resolution of the information dilemma presently encountered by consumers of MHF research. An implementation plan for this concept of inquiry was described. |
