Qualitative and Mixed-Methods Studies


Objectives of the Course

  • Differentiate qualitative research from quantitative research

  • Discuss common qualitative research methodologies used in health sciences

  • Understand methods of data collection in qualitative research

  • Explore data analysis in qualitative research

  • Learn about mixed-methods design

Qualitative Research Methodology

Definition and Purpose

  • Qualitative Research aims to answer questions involving the "why" and "how" that are often inadequately addressed by numbers-focused quantitative research.

Practical Examples

  • Barriers to clinic attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic are captured in patient quotations:

    • “I was really scared […], you know that my immune system is already weak. So, I can pick any disease fast. So, I was scared.” (54-year-old female HIV patient)

    • “[…], I was not afraid because I always protect myself. I wear my nose mask, this is my sanitizer, I don’t touch people or try to hug anybody, and I practice social distancing as well. We also wash our hands regularly.” (51-year-old female HIV patient)

Comparative Overview of Research Approaches

  • Quantitative Research:

    • Utilizes structured, hypothesis-driven methods for gathering data that can be statistically analyzed.

    • Main types of questions addressed:

    • Who? When? Where? What?

  • Qualitative Research:

    • Employs in-depth interviews, focus groups, and other unstructured or semi-structured methods to explore attitudes and perceptions, identify themes and patterns, and formulate new theories.

Comparison of Research Approaches

Feature

Qualitative

Quantitative

Main Types of Questions

Why? How?

Who? When? Where? What?

Participants

Small purposively recruited population

Large randomly-sampled population

Data Collection Approach

Unstructured, semi-structured

Structured

Data Collection Methods

Participant observation, Interview, Focus Group Discussion

Questionnaires

Types of Questions

Open-ended (flexible responses)

Closed-ended (fixed response options)

Data Collected

Text data (words, images, objects)

Numeric data

Goal of Data Analysis

Formulate new theories

Test existing hypotheses

Outcomes Reported

Themes and patterns

Statistics

Common Qualitative Methodologies in Health Sciences

  • Grounded Theory

  • Phenomenology

  • Ethnography

  • Case Studies

  • Narrative Research

  • One-On-One Interviews

  • Focus Groups

Description of Methodologies

  1. Grounded Theory

    • Inductive reasoning process that develops theories explaining human behavior.

    • Data collection and analysis occur simultaneously until saturation is reached.

  2. Phenomenology

    • Seeks to understand individual interpretations and meanings derived from personal life experiences through in-depth interviews.

    • Bracketing: Researchers set aside preconceived ideas to discover new meanings.

  3. Ethnography

    • Systematic study of individuals and cultures in their natural context, utilizing participant observation to understand experiences, beliefs, and values.

  4. Case Study

    • Utilizes multiple data sources to examine specific persons, groups, events, or situations in detail.

    • Applicable for reporting case series or understanding processes and programs.

Common Methods

  • Interviews: In-depth discussions often moderated by a researcher. Time typically less than one hour; focuses on fostering conversational flow and asking relevant follow-up questions.

  • Focus Groups: 8 to 10 purposively sampled participants; moderated by two to draw out deeper insights. Time spans from 1-2 hours.

Visual Techniques

  • Photo-voice/Elicitation: Participants document their communities visually to express experiences; community partners actively collaborate in research and policy development.

  • Community-Based Participatory Research: Involves community participation in developing research priorities and analyses.

Document Review

  • Systematic evaluation of printed and electronic materials, often triangulated with other qualitative methods.

  • Examples include course syllabi, journals, meeting minutes, etc.

Common Approaches to Qualitative Data Analysis

  • Content Analysis: Identifying specific words or themes within qualitative data.

  • Narrative Analysis: Understanding personal stories and the structure of communication within them.

  • Discourse Analysis: Evaluates language use in written and spoken contexts.

  • Thematic Analysis: Identifies and interprets patterns within qualitative datasets, as per Braun and Clarke (2006; 2013).

  • Grounded Theory Analysis: Employs an inductive approach to formulate causal theories.

Data Collection Tools and Techniques

  • Transcription of interviews must be verbatim in the original language.

  • Additional inputs include researchers’ notes, photographs, and videos.

Data Coding in Qualitative Research

  • Inductive Coding: Codes derived from data to determine themes and patterns.

  • Deductive Coding: Pre-established codes utilized before examining data.

Software for Organizing Data

  • Examples include NVivo, ATLAS, QDA Miner for line-by-line coding.

Trustworthiness of Data

  • Ensuring credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability of qualitative findings.

  • Discusses rigorous data collection, clear documentation, and reflexivity in interpretation.

Mixed-Methods Research

  • Definitions and Convergence:

    • Mixed-methods research combines qualitative and quantitative methods in a single study to enhance understanding and validate outcomes.

Conclusions and Final Thoughts

  • Both qualitative and quantitative studies are valid for knowledge generation.

  • Qualitative research strives to comprehend the "why" and "how" of phenomena.

  • Common methodologies in health sciences include phenomenology, ethnography, grounded-theory, and case studies, which can integrate various data collection methods.

  • Mixed-methods research incorporates a combination of both qualitative and quantitative approaches for enriched insight.