Qualitative Research and its Uses in Health Care

Although relatively uncommon in health care research, qualitative research is now receiving recognition and is increasinglyused in health care research with social and cultural dimensions. Unlike quantitative research, which is deductive and tendsto analyze phenomena in terms of trends and frequencies, qualitative research seeks to determine the meaning of a phenomenonthrough description. It aims to develop concepts that aid in the understanding of natural phenomena with emphasis on the meaning,experiences and views of the participants. Differences among qualitative researchers exist on matters of ontology, epistemology, datacollection methods and methods of evaluation. The aim of this article is not to act as a practical guide on how to conduct qualitativeresearch, but is an attempt to give an introduction to qualitative research methods and their use in health-related research.