The problem of appraising qualitative research

Qualitative research can make a valuable contribution to the study of quality and safety in health care. Sound ways of appraising qualitative research are needed, but currently there are many different proposals with few signs of an emerging consensus. One problem has been the tendency to treat qualitative research as a unified field. We distinguish universal features of quality from those specific to methodology and offer a set of minimally prescriptive prompts to assist with the assessment of generic features of qualitative research. In using these, account will need to be taken of the particular method of data collection and methodological approach being used. There may be a need for appraisal criteria suited to the different methods of qualitative data collection and to different methodological approaches. These more specific criteria would help to distinguish fatal flaws from more minor errors in the design, conduct, and reporting of qualitative research. There will be difficulties in doing this because some aspects of qualitative research, particularly those relating to quality of insight and interpretation, will remain difficult to appraise and will rely largely on subjective judgement.

What do we know about the experience of age related macular degeneration? A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative research

Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of registerable blindness with a high medical and societal cost burden. Much of the research examining experiences of living with AMD has been conducted independently with small sample sizes and has failed to impact on practice. Meta-synthesis of qualitative research can improve the understanding of the experience of living with AMD by drawing together findings of qualitative studies. This article presents a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies investigating the experience of AMD (literature searched up to April 2012; published studies identified range from 1996 to 2009). The review highlights themes relating to: functional limitations, adaptation and independence; feelings about the future with vision impairment; interaction with the health service; social engagement; disclosure; and the emotional impacts of living with AMD. Attention to the experience of living with AMD can help us to better understand the needs of patients. This meta-synthesis aimed to bring together the findings of qualitative research studies and highlights important areas for consideration when caring for patients with AMD. Our findings suggest that a holistic approach to service provision and support for AMD is needed which takes into account individuals' needs and experiences when coping with and adjusting to living with AMD. This support should aim to reduce stigma, increase social engagement, and develop the psychological resources of patients with AMD.

Finding qualitative research: an evaluation of search strategies

Background Qualitative research makes an important contribution to our understanding of health and healthcare. However, qualitative evidence can be difficult to search for and identify, and the effectiveness of different types of search strategies is unknown. Methods Three search strategies for qualitative research in the example area of support for breast-feeding were evaluated using six electronic bibliographic databases. The strategies were based on using thesaurus terms, free-text terms and broad-based terms. These strategies were combined with recognised search terms for support for breast-feeding previously used in a Cochrane review. For each strategy, we evaluated the recall (potentially relevant records found) and precision (actually relevant records found). Results A total yield of 7420 potentially relevant records was retrieved by the three strategies combined. Of these, 262 were judged relevant. Using one strategy alone would miss relevant records. The broad-based strategy had the highest recall and the thesaurus strategy the highest precision. Precision was generally poor: 96% of records initially identified as potentially relevant were deemed irrelevant. Searching for qualitative research involves trade-offs between recall and precision. Conclusions These findings confirm that strategies that attempt to maximise the number of potentially relevant records found are likely to result in a large number of false positives. The findings also suggest that a range of search terms is required to optimise searching for qualitative evidence. This underlines the problems of current methods for indexing qualitative research in bibliographic databases and indicates where improvements need to be made.

The experiences of con sultations on oral anticoagula-tion for AF:the importance of qualitative research incardiovascular sciences

Objectives: Multiple-perspective qualitative designs can aid researchersto develop a more multifaceted account of a phenomenon and as aform of triangulation of data. Two interlinking studies aimed toexplore patients’ and physicians’ experiences of atrial fibrillation (AF)and warfarin.Methods: Audio-recorded semistructured individual interviews wereused. Study 1: Three AF patient subgroups were interviewed (n = 11);accepted, refused, or discontinued warfarin. Study 2: Four physiciansubgroups (n = 16): consultant cardiologists, consultant general physi-cians, general practitioners, and cardiology registrars. Data was ana-lyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, a qualitativemethodology.Results: Study 1: Three overarching themes comprised patients’ experi-ences: the initial consultation, life after the consultation, and patients’reflections. Patients commented on the reassurance experienced duringthe consultation, but they perceived the decision-making processmostly led by the physician. Lack of education and take-home materi-als during the initial consultation were highlighted. Patients’ uptake ofinformation was influenced by past experiences and knowledge ofstroke and/or bleeding. Study 2: Two overarching themes covered phy-sicians’ experiences: communicating information and challenges withwarfarin prescription for AF. Physicians’ approach to the consultationstyle shifted through a continuum of compliance-adherence-concor-dance during the consultation. Time and the perceived patient trust inthem as the expert led to physicians to adopt a paternalistic approach.Guideline adherence and the need to adopt a multidisciplinaryapproach were pointed out as current challenges.Conclusion: There is a need to target patients’ and physicians’ abilityto communicate with each other in a comprehensible way. This projecthas illustrated the benefit of using a qualitative approach to under-stand the lived experience of the physician–patient consultation.Disclosure of Interest: None declare

Grounded theory, a kvalitatív kutatás klasszikus mérföldköve (Grounded theory, the classic milestone of qualitative research)

A grounded theory olyan kutatási módszer, ahol az elmélet az empirikus adatokból fejlődik ki és abban gyökerezik (Glaser - Strauss, 1967). Annak ellenére, hogy a módszer nemzetközileg rendkívül népszerű, a grounded theory nem igazán vert gyökeret a hazai menedzsment- és marketingkutatás talajában. A cikk célja a grounded theory kulcsfontosságú mozzanatainak bemutatása és a módszer népszerűsítése. / === / Grounded theory is a research method in which theory emerges from the data and is grounded in it (Glaser - Strauss, 1967). Despite the international popularity of the method, the grounded theory unfortunately hasn't taken roots in the Hungarian management and marketing research fields. The purpose of this article is to highlight some features and key points of the method and to popularize it among researchers.

Bizonytalanság, stratégia és teljesítmény – Kvalitatív kutatás innovatív kis- és középvállalatok vezetői körében (Uncertainty, strategy and performance – Qualitative research in innovative SMEs)

A szerző kvalitatív kutatási módszerekkel vizsgálja a kis- és középvállalatok (kkv-k) innovatív tevékenységeinek korlátait és lehetőségeit. A vizsgálat tárgyai (legalább) Magyarország szintjén új terméket vagy szolgáltatást nyújtó kkv-k, melyek határozott növekedési szándékkal rendelkeznek. Az eredmények egységes vizsgálati keretben, 41 vezető véleménye alapján születtek meg, három területre fókuszálva: (1) a környezeti bizonytalanság megítélése, (2) a szervezet követett stratégiája, kettős képessége, kiaknázó és felderítő tevékenysége, és (3) a versenyképes teljesítménycélok, konfigurációk. A cikk a kutatás lépéseit részletesen bemutatja, fontos eredményének tekinthető, hogy rámutat arra, hogy a kutatási és fejlesztési, valamint az innovatív tevékenységek legfontosabb gátja leginkább a vezetési és szervezési képességek és a stratégiai gondolkodás hiányára vezethető vissza a kis- és középvállalkozásokban. ______ The author conducted a qualitative research on the innovation potential of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs). SMEs with new products and services and with growth orientation are in the focus of the research. The standardized research design is based on 41 owner managers’ responses. It is focusing on 3 main areas: (1) environmental uncertainty, (2) the strategy followed by the organization, its ambidextrous capability, exploitative and explorative behavior, and (3) competitive performance and configurations. The paper describes a qualitative research design in detail. The main finding of the research is that the lack of managerial skills and strategic thinking inhibit SMEs to conduct innovation as well as to engage in research and development activities.

Positionality and Comparisons: Critical Views on Qualitative Research across Asia

Ce cahier est basé sur la réflexion autobiographique de deux chercheuses ayant effectué des recherches qualitatives et ethnographiques, de 2008 à 2014, en Asie centrale et du Sud-­‐Est. Les expériences sur le terrain constituent des moyens de comparaisons dans le présent document. En mettant l’accent sur le positionnement sur le terrain, l’étude montre que, d’abord, il est essentiel de détenir une poste intermédiaire et de parler une langue locale afin de garantir un accès et de mener des activités de recherche sur le terrain. Deuxièmement, différentes régions prédéterminent des contextes culturels et politiques ponctuels qui, à leur tour, façonneraient la recherche en sciences sociales. Troisièmement, le fait d’être une femme présente à la fois des avantages et des inconvénients. Enfin, en termes de méthodologie, les stages et les entrevues se sont avérés des méthodes fiables pour la collecte des données empiriques sur les régions ci-­‐dessus mentionnées, sans pour autant permettre de bâtir la confiance.

Positionality and Comparisons: Critical Views on Qualitative Research across Asia

Ce cahier est basé sur la réflexion autobiographique de deux chercheuses ayant effectué des recherches qualitatives et ethnographiques, de 2008 à 2014, en Asie centrale et du Sud-­‐Est. Les expériences sur le terrain constituent des moyens de comparaisons dans le présent document. En mettant l’accent sur le positionnement sur le terrain, l’étude montre que, d’abord, il est essentiel de détenir une poste intermédiaire et de parler une langue locale afin de garantir un accès et de mener des activités de recherche sur le terrain. Deuxièmement, différentes régions prédéterminent des contextes culturels et politiques ponctuels qui, à leur tour, façonneraient la recherche en sciences sociales. Troisièmement, le fait d’être une femme présente à la fois des avantages et des inconvénients. Enfin, en termes de méthodologie, les stages et les entrevues se sont avérés des méthodes fiables pour la collecte des données empiriques sur les régions ci-­‐dessus mentionnées, sans pour autant permettre de bâtir la confiance.

Causes of teachers’ turnover intentions in Swedish schools : A qualitative research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the causes of teachers' turnover intentions in selected Swedish schools. Research methodology – This research took the form of a qualitative research. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the causes of teachers' turnover intentions within the schools selected for this study. The sample was composed by 9 teachers that work in Säter. In order to provide a different yet meaningful perspective, a further interview with the Säter school department has been conducted. Results – Several of the results were coherent with the literature: elements such as motivations to teach, administrative support, workload, class size and collaboration were found to be related to teachers’ turnover intentions and therefore confirmed the previous studies. However, factors like salary, mentoring, autonomy, physical conditions and orderly environment were not found to have a connection with the respondents’ turnover intentions, hence constituting a result that did not confirm the literature. Originality – This thesis extended the previous research related to the causes of teachers’ turnover intentions by focusing on Sweden, which had not been investigated yet to that matter. The Swedish context appears particularly worth researching because of both the particularity of its decentralized educational system and the widespread turnover intentions of teachers.

Understanding the Patient Experience Through the Power of Film: a Mixed Method Qualitative Research Study

Background For decades film has proved to be a powerful form of communication. Whether produced as entertainment, art or documentary, films have the capacity to inform and move us. Films are a highly attractive teaching instrument and an appropriate teaching method in health education. It is a valuable tool for studying situations most transcendental to human beings such as pain, disease and death. Objectives The objectives were to determine how this helps students engage with their role as health care professionals; to determine how they view the personal experience of illness, disease, disability or death; and to determine how this may impact upon their provision of patient care. Design, Setting and Participants The project was underpinned by the film selection determined by considerate review, intensive scrutiny, contemplation and discourse by the research team. 7 films were selected, ranging from animation; foreign, documentary, biopic and Hollywood drama. Each film was shown discretely, in an acoustic lecture theatre projected onto a large screen to pre-registration student nurses (adult, child and mental health) across each year of study from different cohorts (n = 49). Method A mixed qualitative method approach consisted of audio-recorded 5-minute reactions post film screening; coded questionnaires; and focus group. Findings were drawn from the impact of the films through thematic analysis of data sets and subjective text condensation categorised as: new insights looking through patient eyes; evoking emotion in student nurses; spiritual care; going to the moves to learn about the patient experience; self discovery through films; using films to link theory to practice. Results Deeper learning through film as a powerful medium was identified in meeting the objectives of the study. Integration of film into pre registration curriculum, pedagogy, teaching and learning is recommended. Conclusion The teaching potential of film stems from the visual process linked to human emotion and experience. Its impact has the power to not only help in learning the values that underpin nursing, but also for respecting the patient experience of disease, disability, death and its reality.

The qualitative research method approach (qurma) : students guide

Qualitative methods are commonly used within the area of Electronic Government as well as other fields in social science. Among students carrying out qualitative approaches in their thesis work, qualitative studies are very common but unfortunately there is often a lack of rigor when using qualitative approaches. Method books discussing qualitative studies are frequent, but they often lack some firm advices about how to actually carry out a qualitative study. There are lots of good advices about interviews and observations. Grounded theory is often mentioned although in rather general terms. The interpretive part is not very thoroughly discussed though. Below we present an outline that might fill the mentioned gap somewhat. Our aim is to give the student a guide in carrying out the qualitative/interpretive approach. By following the ten steps below, students will not only have to prepare the study, they will also find some solid reference support for the necessary steps in the process of research.

THE GEMINI NICI PLANET-FINDING CAMPAIGN: DISCOVERY OF A CLOSE SUBSTELLAR COMPANION TO THE YOUNG DEBRIS DISK STAR PZ Tel

We report the discovery of a tight substellar companion to the young solar analog PZ Tel, a member of the beta Pic moving group observed with high-contrast adaptive optics imaging as part of the Gemini Near-Infrared Coronagraphic Imager Planet-Finding Campaign. The companion was detected at a projected separation of 16.4 +/- 1.0 AU (0.'' 33 +/- 0.'' 01) in 2009 April. Second-epoch observations in 2010 May demonstrate that the companion is physically associated and shows significant orbital motion. Monte Carlo modeling constrains the orbit of PZ Tel B to eccentricities >0.6. The near-IR colors of PZ Tel B indicate a spectral type of M7 +/- 2 and thus this object will be a new benchmark companion for studies of ultracool, low-gravity photospheres. Adopting an age of 12(-4)(+8) Myr for the system, we estimate a mass of 36 +/- 6 M(Jup) based on the Lyon/DUSTY evolutionary models. PZ Tel B is one of the few young substellar companions directly imaged at orbital separations similar to those of giant planets in our own solar system. Additionally, the primary star PZ Tel A shows a 70 mu m emission excess, evidence for a significant quantity of circumstellar dust that has not been disrupted by the orbital motion of the companion.

Wolbachia: why these bacteria are important to genome research

Intracellular bacteria of the genus Wolbachia were first discovered in mosquitoes in the 1920s. Their superficial similarity to pathogenic rickettsia initially raised interest in them as potential human pathogens. However, injection experiments with mice showed that they were non-pathogenic, and they were subsequently classified as symbionts of insects. Until the 1970s, Wolbachia was considered to infect a limited number of species of mosquitoes. It is now clear that Wolbachia is an extremely common intracellular agent of invertebrates, infecting nearly all the major groups of arthropods and other terrestrial invertebrates. Its wide host range and abundance can be attributed partly to the unusual phenotypes it exerts on the host it infects. These include the induction of parthenogenesis (the production of female offspring from unmated mothers) in certain insects, the feminization of genetic male crustaceans to functional phenotypic females, and the failure of fertilization in hosts when males and females have a different infection status (cytoplasmic incompatibility). All of these phenotypes favor maternal transmission of the intracellular Wolbachia. In the last year, Wolbachia has also been shown to be a widespread symbiont of filarial nematodes. It appears that Wolbachia is needed by the adult worm for normal fertility, indicating that Wolbachia is behaving like a classic mutualist in this case. This discovery exemplifies that the extent of the host range of Wolbachia and its associated phenotypes is still far from fully understood.