Using mixed methods to identify and answer clinically relevant research questions

C. L. Shneerson, N. K. Gale

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The need for mixed methods research in answering health care questions is becoming increasingly recognized because of the complexity of factors that affect health outcomes. In this article, we argue for the value of using a qualitatively driven mixed method approach for identifying and answering clinically relevant research questions. This argument is illustrated by findings from a study on the self-management practices of cancer survivors and the exploration of one particular clinically relevant finding about higher uptake of self-management in cancer survivors who had received chemotherapy treatment compared with those who have not. A cross-sectional study generated findings that formed the basis for the qualitative study, by informing the purposive sampling strategy and generating new qualitative research questions. Using a quantitative research component to supplement a qualitative study can enhance the generalizability and clinical relevance of the findings and produce detailed, contextualized, and rich answers to research questions that would be unachievable through quantitative or qualitative methods alone.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)845-856
JournalQualitative Health Research
Volume25
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jun 2015

Keywords

  • cancer
  • illness and disease, chronic
  • interviews
  • research design
  • research, mixed methods
  • self-care
  • survivorship
  • qualitative

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Using mixed methods to identify and answer clinically relevant research questions'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this