17 Flashcards
Quantitative research
measurement and statistical treatments
- some argue misses “essence” of human health/illness
Qualitative/interpretive research
seeks to understand thoughts, feelings and experiences of individuals
WHAT IS QUALITATIVE FIELD RESEARCH
Qualitative data = detailed descriptions, based on language or pictures
“Field” indicates research is in natural environment of the phenomenon, not controlled lab setting
-may not actually be in field, but about the field
– eg. conduct interviews about peoples’ perspectives
Guided by methodological principles for defining problem, collecting/analyzing evidence, forming theories
Some questions for field research:
What is it like to have an eating disorder; in what ways does it disrupt the person’s life from their point of view?
How do caregivers interact with terminally ill patients? How do health professionals experience the death of a patient?
What is the context of food habits in a different culture (eg. use of dog meat in certain Asian cultures)?
DATA COLLECTION AND INTERPRETATION
aim = position researcher close to participants to gain access to and describe personal experiences
Perception of subject matter
in natural setting, no attempt to control for extraneous variables
no operational definitions for dependent or independent variables
phenomenon perceived and described as a whole
strong preconceptions or fixed hypotheses not advantageous – put aside
do have general aims and theoretical notions, but tentative and open to modification as collect data
focuses on in-depth understanding of individuals, not characteristics of populations for specific variables
differ from n=1 design in not addressing specific variables but studying individual holistically
ie. “ideographic” (describing specific individual) rather than “nomothetic” (describing phenomena, laws)
Positioning the researcher
rather than detached/objective observer, is more part of phenomenon being investigated
to fully understand personal significance need to become involved with lives of subjects
need to develop empathy
not bound by limitations/intrusiveness of measuring instrument,
allows observation of subtle cues or changes within natural setting
Data base
qualitative research data = “thick”/thorough description of what people said, actions/activities, and non-verbal behaviors/interactions
“The reality of the place should be conveyed through representation of its mundane aspects in a straight forward manner.” Lofland 1971
important to keep thorough, up-to-date field notes
record as close as possible to time of phenomena
contain direct quotations from participants
can use audio and video recordings if not intrusive or inappropriate
improves accuracy and allows review
reports of events need to be truthful/unbiased
ie. researcher can’t allow biases to distort/censor observations, or misrepresent truth to put subject in good or bad light
close personal interaction with subjects may predispose to report favorably
“going native” (from anthropology) - when researcher completely adopts views of subjects being studied
data base = narrative/story on what happened, what did, what said in specific situations
detailed enough to reveal personal meanings (ie. significance) that events had for the subject
Theories
from quantitative vs qualitative
from quantitative evidence integrate patterns/interrelationships among variables
produce models eg. of anatomical or physiological processes
from qualitative research integrate how personal meanings emerge in specific social settings
Some - personal meanings viewed as unique and idiosyncratic
theory is the accurate presentation of a particular person’s perspective
Others - identify common themes or categories of meanings emerging from the data/narratives
“critical theory”
how personal meanings and actions emerge and are influenced by person’s social and cultural background
identify extent to which person’s self- perception and freedom for action are influenced/limited by society
Theory testing
quantitative vs qualitative
from quantitative evidence produce testable predictions/hypotheses
supported or falsified by empirical evidence collected in controlled conditions
to verify qualitative interpretations, simplest is to ask subjects themselves if researcher’s interpretations make sense to them
extent of consensus between researchers and subjects is important indicator of truth of theory
Applications in health care delivery
quantitative research provides evidence and theories to predict, control or treat health variables
qualitative research provides evidence and theories to better understand our clients as human beings
how illnesses, disability and health care delivery affects peoples lives
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN HEALTH CARE AND DIETETICS
with differences in cultural backgrounds becomes problematic to fully understand personal meanings/perspectives
eg. anthropologist – may need to immerse in a culture for some time before can interpret actions and traditions of participants
in health care, are many instances where interpretation of personal meanings needed to ensure effective practice
Eg. 1. Understanding cultural differences between health researchers and clients
Canada multicultural society
qualitative field research helps clarify personal meanings to improve communications and treatment outcomes
Eg. 2. Evaluating the effects of health care environments
persons in long-term care may come to view themselves and their life situations from an institutionalized perspective
critical theories from qualitative research provide understanding of influences of health care environments
Eg. 3. Cross-cultural comparisons of food habits
Eg. 4. Sensory evaluation of new food products
Eg. 5. Food and nutrition marketing (whats a good way to convey the healthyness of a food)
Eg. 6. Development and evaluation of nutrition education materials (going into school and understand how kids receive information- which was most effective)
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