Qualitative Research in Medicine

Deepak Dath

CORE program in Surgery

BACKGROUND

• Used in the Social Sciences for a long time

• Felt to be “soft science” by those using quantitative methodology

• Generally was rare in medicine

• Gained popularity in the nursing literature

• Now being embraced slowly in medicine as “real” science

Why the lag?

• Push to EBM– Values numerical data– Values typical EBM research designs– Little previous techniques for determining the

quality of the qualitative research design

• Very time (researcher time) intensive

• Inertia and unfamiliarity

• Infrastructure for quantitative research

Objectives

• What is Qualitative Research

• What are the types of Qualitative Research methodologies

• Do something to wake up and to ‘feel’ the topic

• How do we use qualitative research in medicine

What is it?

• Helps to answer questions like– What?– Why?– How?– What does that mean?

• Can help generate new theories or hypotheses

• Helps to generate a deeper understanding of an issue or topic

What is it?

• Inductive vs deductive– Deductive: premise 1 and premise 2 and….

therefore ……….• All men are mortal. (major premise) • Socrates is a man. (minor premise) • Socrates is mortal. (conclusion)

– Inductive: fact 1 and fact 2 and …

therefore new fact is….

after touching much ice, I can say that all ice is cold

What is it?

• Descriptive

• Analytical

• Selective

• Experiential

• Begins with broad, exploratory aims that provide a focus for study without pre-empting which aspects of the experience may be deemed important or relevant

What is it?

• When there is a gap in knowledge or when little is known about a particular phenomenon, experience, or concept

• Researchers study people in natural settings

• Attempts to make sense of, or interpret the meanings people attribute to their experiences

Many types of Quantitative Research

• Participant observation– Intensive, lengthy

• Direct observation– Trained observers

• Unstructured Interviewing– Can be very in-depth and focussed

• Case studies

• Focus groups

Techniques used in Qualitative Research

• Interviews

• Focus groups

• Surveys

• Observation

Data Analysis

• Data collected is– Variable i.e. not determined apriori– Written (notes/written comments) or spoken,– Large volume

• Requires consolidation and summarization according to the researchers’ meaningful interpretation

• Multiple iterations of data consolidiation

Data Analysis

• Data analysis starts the minute you start collecting data, and affects how and what is collected.– As meaning or interest is generated, the data

collection is focused to increase the understanding

• Grounded theory– Previous concepts

• Thematic analysis– Previous concepts and emergent concepts used to

help collate data

Data Analysis

• Software used to streamline analysis– Categorizes– Links– Summarizes– Compares– Functions as a textual database

• The actual analysis is the meaning that you interpret/generate from the raw data and the discussion that convinces the reader

Data Validation

• Member checks

• Triangulation

• Post-analysis observation

• Repeat study or observational validation in a different setting to determine generalizability

Case #1

• Dr. Osteo Blast notices that some patients with arthroscopies do well and others do less well – its just an impression, and he wants to know just what that means and what is involved.

Case # 2

• Dr. Islets Langerhans wants to know whether the patients who come to see him in consultation leave the office satisfied with the consultation. He is a HPB surgeon who spends a great deal of time describing treatment approaches or discussing cases without surgical options.

Case # 3

• Dr. Ed Ucator is keen to understand what makes a good operative teacher.

• Dr. Osteone notices that some patients with arthroscopies do well and others do less well – its just an impression, and he wants to know just what that means and what is involved.

• Dr. Langerhans wants to know whether the patients who come to see him in consultation leave the office satisfied with the consultation. He is a HPB surgeon who spends a great deal of time describing treatment approaches or discussing cases without surgical options.

• Dr. Ed Ucator is keen to understand what makes a good operative teacher.

Questions

• How do you need to ask?

• What design would you use?

• What instruments do you need?

• How many will need to participate?

• How can you disseminate the data?

In Summary

• A technique of research that you need to understand to interpret the results

• Useful as a first step in understanding a question/process

• A well-validated science• Resources on the web:• http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/index.php• Poor literature on qualitative research methodology in journals• Suggest that if you decide on a qualitative project, you include a

qualitative expert in your process at the start.