RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Zaria Oliver
Independent Research
2016-2017
Title: Stopping the Statistic- How Environmental Factors affect the Risk of getting
Cardiovascular Disease
Introduction and Overview of Research
The main points of this research project are to emphasize the importance of health for all
people. Through informing audiences about the severity of heart diseases and health risks and
environmental factors, more information can spread and awareness can grow. Individuals will
not only know how to help their own health, but also be influenced to help people who cannot
help their own health. In the end, it will be proven how important each factor of life is because of
its impact on health.
Background and Rationale:
About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every yearthats 1 in
every 4 deaths (Types of Cardiovascular Disease). Cardiovascular disease, or heart disease,
refers to several conditions, including: heart attacks, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure,
diabetes, etc. The heart is the strongest muscle in the body. It pumps blood from the chambers,
through the arteries, and to the capillaries (Types of Cardiovascular Disease). Once it has done its
jobs of collecting waste and delivering oxygen and nutrients, it returns to the heart. The process
of doing this is vulnerable to destruction.
Therefore, various risks exist to getting heart disease, and, to decrease the statistics,
people will need to start paying more attention to improving their health factors. These factors
include things like a healthy diet, drinking water, exorcise, etc. Through research, it has been
found that there exists more factors than these. They are referred to as environmental factors.
These include things like education, access to healthy food sources, neighborhood, etc. Many
people are not aware of these factors. For example, a study proved that higher risks for heart
disease were associated with lower socioeconomic status (education, income, and occupation)
(American journal of public health). Due to these environmental factors, different ethnicities
have different risks of getting heart disease. African Americans and Latin Americans have the
highest cases of heart disease (African-americans and heart disease, stroke).
The statistics associated with heart disease are large and shocking. It is important to
inform individuals about the vital health risks that they may have. Many people do not know that
they may have and increased risk. Many individuals do not understand the severity of the issue.
If groups can be informed about environmental factors and heart disease, there is a greater
chance that they will share the information with family and peers, thus lowering the statistic. A
small amount of information can have a large impact.
Research Methodology:
Research Question:
1

How do minority ethnic groups living characteristics and factors affect their risk of getting heart
disease in comparison to the majority?
Hypothesis:
Minority ethnic groups living characteristics factors make them more susceptible to getting
heart disease in comparison to the majoritys living characteristics factors effect on getting
heart disease.
In the synthesis paper, the elements of education, socioeconomic status, food distribution,
and more might be argued.
Research Design Model: A description design model is being used. This is a qualitative research
design. This design was chosen because it relies on verbal descriptions. There are no independent
or dependent variables. An ethnographic or descriptive approach will be taken throughout this
research process.
Data Collection:
A likely data collection that will be used is a questionnaire. Participants will be answering many
questions about their background and health conditions. This design model allows for evaluation
of health conditions in relation to environmental factors, proving the hypothesis correct. Data
will likely be collected from teachers, as they have had more experience with health situations.
Product Objectives:
To showcase my research, a fundraiser or an interactive website that allows people to
learn about the different health risks would be created. A fundraiser would be sufficient in
advocating for people who cannot change their environmental factors that could be affecting
their risk for heart disease. There could be a health related reward to inspire people to donate,
such as buttons or pins. An interactive website would enable people to learn facts about how they
should be caring for their health. The specific targeted audience of my research project includes
individuals or teens who can learn about the conditions to help improve their own health, or
teens who can learn about how to help people living with environmental factors, that they cannot
change, which affect their risk for getting heart disease. The potential products can be
communicated through announcements, if it is a fundraiser, and through email or social media, if
it is an interactive website. During the end of the year oral presentation, the audience can be
made aware of the product, so that they can participate in it.
Logistical Considerations:
Several resources will be needed for the final product. These resources include
organizations, participants, media, materials for pins, and/or administration. The special
considerations include money for the several materials that will be needed. Printing and
distribution may also be needed. Permission will be needed to conduct and share my final
product.
Timeline- In third quarter, a timeline will be added that outlines the data collection, product
development, and audience distribution.
Approval:

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Student Signature

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G/T Resource Teacher Signature

Works Cited:
American journal of public health. (1992). http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.82.6.816
Heart disease. (n.d.). Retrieved October 17, 2016, from Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention website: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm
Types of cardiovascular disease [Photograph]. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/en/cvd_atlas_01_types.pdf
African-americans and heart disease, stroke. (2015, July). Retrieved September 11, 2016, from
American Heart Association website:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/More/MyHeartandStrokeNews/AfricanAmericans-and-Heart-Disease-Stroke_UCM_444863_Article.jsp#.V9VYBfldVHo