Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Research Justification


RESEARCH JUSTIFICATION
YEAR ONE INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH STUDIES

Research Topic: Singaporeans and their perception on Colorectal Cancer

Chosen Area of Focus: How people think that Colorectal Cancer comes about and what they do to prevent it compared to the real reason.

Framing our research topic
Our chosen area of focus is The root cause of Colorectal Cancer and what others think that Colorectal Cancer can be prevented and how different it is from the scientifically proven way of preventing Colorectal Cancer. We have chosen this topic as Colorectal Cancer is the most common cancer in Singapore for both males and females.This is why most of us have taken our own precautionary measures to go about preventing the cancer. Many people have different perceptions and different ways that they think would help against Colorectal Cancer.Singapore has even built a $70 million hospital for colorectal cancer patients. But just how effective is their ways, and does it really help to prevent Colorectal Cancer? Or is it just a myth, or belief? We think that people of the public should be educated on how Colorectal Cancer is prevented in ways that are scientifically proven.

1.Possible reasons for why Colorectal Cancer occurs in us is due to   the high fat, alcohol and red meat intake, obesity, smoking and lack of physical exercise. The risk of you getting Colorectal Cancer increases as you age over the years. Colorectal Cancer can also be inherited. According to the netdoctor (2012), the table below shows the chances of getting Colorectal Cancer if you have relatives that have been diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer. 

   
Relative with CRC
Approximate risk of developing CRC
1 FDR
       1 in 17
1 FDR 1 SDR
       1 in 12
1 FDR under 45 years
       1 in 10
2 FDRs
       1 in 6
3 FDRs 
       1 in 2


Key:
FDR: first degree relative, eg. mother,father,brother,sister
SDR: second degree relative, eg uncle,aunt
CRC: colorectal cancer

2.Many cases of colon cancer have no symptoms. The following symptoms, however, may indicate colon cancer:

  • Abdominal pain and tenderness in the lower abdomen 
  • Blood in stool
  • Diarrhea, constipation, or other changes in bowel habits
  • Narrow stools
  • Weight loss with unknown reasons

3.Colorectal Cancer is higher in patients of Crohn's disease.                                                                                  Crohn’s disease is also knowns as Inflammatory bowel disease - Crohn's disease; Regional enteritis; Ileitis; Granulomatous ileocolitis; IBD- Crohn's disease.The exact cause of Crohn's disease is unknown. It is an autoimmune disorder. An autoimmune disorder is a condition that occurs when your body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue.

4. Some people have their minds and perceptions on the proper ways to prevent Colorectal Cancer clouded with bias-ness and beliefs that may not be true. Hence, some possible solutions to the above mentioned problems would be to educate the people on the above subject.

5.Preventing Colorectal Cancer Colonoscopy
Colonoscopy is the endoscopic examination of the large bowel and the distal part of the small bowel with a CCD camera or a fibre optic camera on a flexible tube passed through the anus. It may provide a visual diagnosis (e.g. ulceration, polyps) and grants the opportunity for biopsy or removal of suspected lesions. 

6. Some people have their minds and perceptions on the proper ways to prevent Colorectal Cancer clouded with bias-ness and beliefs that may not be true. Hence, some possible solutions to the above mentioned problems would be to educate the people on the above subject.

Reasons for the choice of topic.

1. We have chosen this topic, as we want to find out more about Colorectal Cancer and how it can affect our lives.

2.This allows us to fulfill the requirements of the project task as the project task looks at Colorectal Cancer as a whole, and in a non-biased, scientific way.

3.This topic benefits society as this will educate people on more about Colorectal Cancer, one that will explain more about it, and let others know the right way of preventing it - scientifically proven way. 

Feasibility of research 

1.  There is a need for our research, as many people do not know about how to prevent Colorectal Cancer properly. Their ways are mostly biased and all about what we should do in our daily lives, and not the proper measures to prevent it. Hence, our research can help to let these people know about the proper measures to be taken.

2.   It is possible to carry out and complete the project, as there are many students and people that we could interview/survey in the vicinity.The proposed course of action is logical and realistic as it can be completed with the help of some students and/or members of the public who would be willing to do a survey and with our hardwork and group effort.

3. The research provides sufficient opportunity for generation of ideas, as we will constantly have to think of ways to do certain things in the project. As for analysis and evaluation of ideas, we will certainly have many opportunities to analyse information and evaluate ideas on how to go about deciding what to do next.


Manageability of research

1. The timeline for the different components of the project will be decided later based on the situation then. But overall, the project will be done as quickly and carefully as we can, trying our best not to go out of point and staying as close to the topic as possible.

2. This research provides sufficient opportunity for group work as we will need to discuss a lot of matters regarding the project, for example who will be assigned to do what component of the project and we will have to work together. 

3.We do anticipate some difficulties along the way, such as poor communication among the group members and lack of data. We intend to cope with these difficulties by trying to get the group to go and upload their findings and their part of the project onto this google document.

Accessibility of the information required 

1. Information/knowledge that will be relevant to our research would be the measures people take to prevent Colorectal Cancer.

2. We will be obtaining this information from primary and secondary sources.  Documentary, books, youtube videos,surveys or public opinion. Depending on which one gives more reliable and useful information.

3. Some alternatives that we have thought of would be to ask others for information or where can we find the information that we need.

4. Some problems we anticipate while gathering the materials would be that the information that we can find is not entirely relevant to our project and that that is already the closest piece of information among all others that we have found.

References

Colon Cancer Information.

Colon Cancer Symptoms.

Preventing Colorectal Cancer
Colonoscopy
Retrieved on 14/8/12 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonoscopy 

The risk of developing Colorectal Cancer if you have relatives that are suffering from Colorectal Cancer. 
Retrieved on the 14/8/12 from  http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/cancer/203109.html