Qualitative evidence

Question 1

What is qualitative data?

Answer 1

Data which sheds light on emotions and understandings around a topic. Data is mainly objective and cannot be given a value

Question 2

How is qualitative data collected?

Answer 2

Mainly - interviews and focus groups

Less common - observation, patient diaries and images

Question 3

What are important in understanding people’s understandings in relation to health issues?

Answer 3

'How and why questions'
Health literacy
Emotions
Social interactions
Decision making

Question 4

What is the difference between studies at the top and bottom of the hierarchies of evidence?

Answer 4

Top (e.g. RCT) - researchers have more control over studies however, these studies do not reflect the real world
Bottom (qualitative) - more context and focussed on single cases but not much control over research

Question 5

Advantages of qualitative methods

Answer 5

Focussed/detailed cases
Can focus on the real world
Can capture experiences and understandings

Question 6

Disadvantages of qualitative methods

Answer 6

Loss of auditability (not many inbuilt structures to reduce bias so must trust researchers)
Generalisable with CAUTION (so bsc not really) 
Cannot predict (only suggests) causation/outcome

Question 7

Need for qualitative data

Answer 7

To find out about experiences/emotions
To describe and explain health behaviours
To improve quantitative research by informing questions
Help understand study findings

Question 8

What is purposive sampling and which methods is it used in?

Answer 8

Choosing a group of participants because their perspectives are assumed to be important to the issue being studied.
Used in qualitative sampling

Question 9

What is the iterative method of data collection?

Answer 9

Repeating cycles of data collection and analysis while refining focus till no more new insights are gained.
When no more insights are gained it is known as saturation

Question 10

Why is the iterative of data used?

Answer 10

Analysing data with collection means that questions can be refined and modified to improve research and link it closer to real people.

Question 11

How is qualitative data analysed?

Answer 11

Transcripts are coded, topics and issued raised are labelled. Main themes are then identified along with emerging themes

Question 12

What is an emerging theme?

Answer 12

Themes which the researcher was not interested in but came out

Question 13

How can a qualitative paper be made stronger?

Answer 13

By describing methods of data collection and analysis in high levels of detail.
Also by describing in detail the beliefs and background of the researchers

Question 14

What is reflexivity?

Answer 14

Researchers being continuously aware of their own beliefs/thoughts/feelings so that they reflect on how they may influence their research

Question 15

What is a type 1 error in interpretation?

Answer 15

Finding something in data which is NOT there - researchers believe/try to make the reader believe things which have not come up

Question 16

How may type 1 errors occur?

Answer 16

When there are conflicts of interest (doctors interviewing their own patients)
When there is a social pressure to give positive answers - can be reduced by anonymous questionnaires
Cherry picking quotes (limited no. of quotes which all seem similar)

Question 17

What are type 2 errors in interpretation?

Answer 17

ignoring something which is there. Type 2 errors are mainly influenced by context

Question 18

How may type 2 errors in interpretation occur?

Answer 18

When participants are forced in to categories (e.g. good and bad) or when the data is overly complex even when data is complex.

Question 19

What are the main things to consider when appraising qualitative evidence?

Answer 19

Transparency - explicitness of methods and analysis
Validity - justifying interpretations
Reliability - using more than one researcher to analyse
Comparativeness - comparing between participants and studies
Reflexivity - accounting for the researcher’s background and interests

Question 20

What is grounded theory?

Answer 20

A qualitative method which develop theory (explains WHY people think/behave in the way they do)

Question 21

What is symbolic interactionism?

Answer 21

A form of grounded theory which focuses on how people create meaning through social interaction

Question 22

What is theoretical sampling?

Answer 22

Sampling participants to inform the analysis once the study is underway (e.g. looking for people with particular demographics)

Question 23

What is the constant comparison model?

Answer 23

Any new interview data is compared with existing ones as findings and interpretations change with emerging data

Question 24

What is triangulation?

Answer 24

Comparing different types of data to achieve a more complex and realistic picture of issues studied

Question 25

What is respondent validation?

Answer 25

Asking participants to comment on the developing analysis

Question 26

What is content/thematic analysis?

Answer 26

Interpreting and structuring data by grouping responses in to themes (themes should summarise data related to a particular topic/issue)