Qualitative Studies

Question 1

Uses of qualitative studies

Answer 1

Understanding patient experiences (e.g. living with a condition)
Understanding (health seeking) behaviour
Part of a clinic trial
Patient reported outcomes/measures
Guideline development

Question 2

Confirmability

Answer 2

Degree of neutrality of researchers. Findings based in participant responses- not bias or personal motivations. Audit trail (shows steps of data analysis that was made to give a rationale) shows that findings portray participant responses

Question 3

Credibility

Answer 3

Confidence that can be placed in the findings. Establishes whether findings represent plausible info drawn from participants original data and interpretation is correct

Question 4

Data saturation

Answer 4

No new info or themes observed in the data- collection is continued until there has been saturation

Question 5

Dependability

Answer 5

Extent that the study can be repeated by other researchers and the findings would be consistent.
A dependable study has clear method and info so someone else could do it and also should get similar findings.
Inquiry audit to establish dependability- outside person reviews and examines process and analysis

Question 6

Discordant/disconfirming/divergent cases

Answer 6

Cases that differ from the more general pattern of observations within dataset. Valued as they can reveal underlying processes as further data are gathered/ an attempt made to understand why they differ

Question 7

Iterative approach

Answer 7

Use findings from initial analysis from early participants to further refine data collection and analysis from later participants

Question 8

Member checking or validation

Answer 8

Participant or respondent validation. Explores credibility of results. Data/results returned to participants to check for accuracy and resonance with their experiences

Question 9

Purposive sampling

Answer 9

Purposeful identification and recruitment of ‘information rich participants’ related to topic. Data returned to participants to check for accuracy and resonance with their experiences

Question 10

Qualitative approaches: grounded theory

Answer 10

Developing theory grounded in data from the field

Question 11

Qualitative approaches: ethnography

Answer 11

Describing/interpreting a cultural or social group

Question 12

Qualitative approaches: case study

Answer 12

In depth analysis of a single case or multiple cases

Question 13

Qualitative approaches: narrative

Answer 13

Eliciting meaning of experiences expressed as stories of individuals

Question 14

Qualitative approaches: phenomenology

Answer 14

Understanding the essence of experience of a phenomenon

Question 15

Qualitative approaches: other

Answer 15

Generic/ descriptive studies

Question 16

Reflexivity

Answer 16

Researcher identifying and reflecting on how their own beliefs, views, attitudes and experiences may have influenced the whole research process (formulation of research questions, data collection, analysis, interpretation and relationship with participants)

Question 17

Thematic analysis

Answer 17

Analysis process to identify patterns or themes within qualitative data

Question 18

Transferability

Answer 18

How the researcher demonstrates the research study findings are applicable to other contexts (similar populations/situations/phemomena

Question 19

Triangulation

Answer 19

Using multiple theories, data sources, methods and investigators within a study of a single phenomenon. Used to avoid potential biases arising from the use of a single methodology/data source/ investigator

Question 20

Trustworthiness

Answer 20

How researchers establish that the findings are credible, transferable, confirmable and dependable

Question 21

What things should all good quality qualitative research studies have?

Answer 21

Credibility, relevance, trustworthiness, reflexivity