Publication: Qualitative Research and Its Place in Health Research in Nepal
Date
2011
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT:
There has been a steady growth in recent decades in Nepal in health and health
services research, much of it based on quantitative research methods. Over the
same period international medical journals such as The Lancet, the British Medical
Journal (BMJ), The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the
Journal of Family Planning & Reproductive Health Care and many more have
published methods papers outlining and promoting qualitative methods.
This paper argues in favour of more high-quality qualitative research in Nepal,
either on its own or as part of a mixed-methods approach, to help strengthen
the country’s research capacity. After outlining the reasons for using qualitative
methods, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the three main approaches:
(a) observation; (b) in-depth interviews; and (c) focus groups. We also discuss
issues around sampling, analysis, presentation of findings, reflexivity of the
qualitative researcher and theory building, and highlight some misconceptions
about qualitative research and mistakes commonly made.
Description
van Teijlingen E,1 Simkhada B,2 Porter M,3 Simkhada P,4 Pitchforth E,5 Bhatta P3
1School of Health & Social Care Bournemouth University, UK Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences Nepal
2Green Tara Nepal Kathmandu, Nepal
3School of Medicine & Dentistry University of Aberdeen, UK
4 ScHARR, University of Sheffield, UK Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences Nepal
5RAND Europe, Cambridge, UK