Beyond exploratory: a tailored framework for designing and assessing qualitative health research. BMJ Open 2019 Aug 27;9(8):e030123
Date
08/30/2019Pubmed ID
31462482Pubmed Central ID
PMC6720470DOI
10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030123Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85071564428 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 160 CitationsAbstract
The objective of this commentary is to develop a framework for assessing the rigour of qualitative approaches that identifies and distinguishes between the diverse objectives of qualitative health research, guided by a narrative review of the published literature on qualitative guidelines and standards from peer-reviewed journals and national funding organisations that support health services research, patient-centered outcomes research and other applied health research fields. In this framework, we identify and distinguish three objectives of qualitative studies in applied health research: exploratory, descriptive and comparative. For each objective, we propose methodological standards that may be used to assess and improve rigour across all study phases-from design to reporting. Similar to hierarchies of quality of evidence within quantitative studies, we argue that standards for qualitative rigour differ, appropriately, for studies with different objectives and should be evaluated as such. Distinguishing between different objectives of qualitative health research improves the ability to appreciate variation in qualitative studies and to develop appropriate evaluations of the rigour and success of qualitative studies in meeting their stated objectives. Researchers, funders and journal editors should consider how further developing and adopting the framework for assessing qualitative rigour outlined here may advance the rigour and potential impact of this important mode of inquiry.
Author List
Rendle KA, Abramson CM, Garrett SB, Halley MC, Dohan DAuthor
Meghan C. Halley PhD, BA, MPH Assistant Professor in the Institute for Health and Humanity department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
Health Services ResearchHumans
Patient Outcome Assessment
Qualitative Research
Research Design
