Qualitative Reseach

Quantitative research are designed to precisely measure the association between biological, social, environmental, and behavioral factors and health conditions.

Qualitative research methods focus on understanding why and how individual life experience and the context of community life influence health and wellness. Such contextual information is difficult to capture through traditional quantitative surveys. Methods that rely on rapport and trust between researcher and participant that include open-ended questions enable participants to talk about their perceptions and experiences Qualitative methods may be employed in combination with quantitative methods during the research process.

Mixed Methods Research

When qualitative and quantitative methods are blended in the context of a research study, we refer to it as a "mixed methods research." In such cases it is common to employ qualitative methods to:

1. Generate hypotheses which may be applied to intervention design and evaluation
2. Enrich Understanding about a research topic that may be inaccessible using quantitative methods
3. Provide insights that specialists and researchers may not considered beforehand
4. Facilitate partnership between researcher and community members affected by the heath issue under study

Learning Objectives

1. Articulate the purpose and significance of qualitative research methods
2. Determine when it is appropriate to use qualitative methods to address research
3. Illustrate ethical considerations in the conduct of qualitative methods
4. Define the major qualitative research techniques, their strengths and limitations and contexts in which they are best used
5. Define and illustrate the importance of "Community-based Participatory Research" (CBPR) as a research design often involving qualitative methods

Comparison of Research Methods