Qualitative research

Abstract

Macnaughton 1 Macnaughton RJ Numbers, scales, and qualitative research. Lancet. 1996; 347: 1099-1100 Abstract PubMed Scopus (32) Google Scholar raises fundamental issues about methods of clinical research but unfortunately perpetuates a serious misunderstanding. Qualitative research is conducted and reported by means of concepts—ie, verbally and without resort to numbers. It is increasingly promoted by medical journals as a way of understanding complex aspects of human behaviour, or organisations such as hospitals in situations in which quantification would be impossible or unhelpful. 2 Fitzpatrick R Boulton M Qualitative methods for assessing health care. Qual Health Care. 1994; 3: 107-113 Crossref PubMed Scopus (210) Google Scholar She specifically refers to studies of issues such as patient satisfaction and quality of life, which are not usefully thought of as qualitative because data and analysis are nothing if not numerical: 3 Fitzpatrick R Fletcher A Gore S et al. Quality of life measures in health care. I: applications and issues in measurement. BMJ. 1992; 305: 1074-1077 Crossref PubMed Google Scholar they involve the quantitative study of experiences.