Life history: a qualitative method of research
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TL;DR
A new direction in nursing research is described and specific steps for using the life-history approach to explore a person's microhistorical experiences within a macrohistorical framework are identified.
Abstract
The life-history method of qualitative research is an alternative to empirical methods for identifying and documenting health patterns of individuals and groups. It allows the nurse researcher to explore a person's microhistorical (individual) experiences within a macrohistorical (history of the time) framework. Life-history information challenges the nurse to understand an individual's current attitudes and behaviours and how they may have been influenced by initial decisions made at another time and in another place. This paper describes a new direction in nursing research and identifies specific steps for using the life-history approach.