Qualitative and Mixed Methods

Qualitative and Mixed Methods examines the methodological foundations and research practices used to study meaning, experience, social interaction, institutional processes and context in population-health research. The volume begins with the epistemological foundations of qualitative inquiry and the relationship between research questions, theoretical commitments and levels of analysis. It then considers the selection of qualitative designs, purposeful sampling, information power and saturation, together with the practical and methodological requirements of interviews, focus groups, observation, documentary analysis and other forms of data generation. Subsequent chapters address coding, thematic and interpretive analysis, grounded theory, narrative and discourse, reflexivity, credibility and the assessment of methodological rigour. Realist evaluation is introduced as an approach to the analysis of context, mechanisms and outcomes, while mixed-methods research is examined with particular attention to the purposeful integration of qualitative and quantitative evidence rather than their simple parallel use. The volume also considers co-production, participation and community governance, as well as the ethical responsibilities that extend through recruitment, field relationships, confidentiality, interpretation and representation. Throughout, methodological quality is approached as a question of coherence between the research question, design, sampling strategy, material, analytic procedures and the claims ultimately advanced. The book is intended for graduate and postgraduate students, researchers, public-health professionals and other readers engaged in the design, conduct, interpretation or critical appraisal of qualitative and mixed-methods health research.