1st Edition

Qualitative Research in Health An introduction

By Carol Grbich Copyright 1998
    320 Pages
    by Routledge

    Qualitative Research in Health offers a comprehensive and practical introduction to the main theories and methods of qualitative research in health sciences.

    It covers the full range of conventional and new qualitative methods including ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, biography, memory work, action research, historical research, discourse analysis, postmodern, post-structuralist and feminist approaches to research. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed in an even-handed way, as are the broad differences between qualitative and quantitative methods. Examples are drawn from various health fields.

    Grbich shows that qualitative methods need to be followed just as rigorously as quantitative methods, and she provides guidelines for interpreting and presenting research results. She also outlines key ethical issues, and discusses the implications of using qualitative computing packages.

    Qualitative Research in Health is an ideal introduction for new researchers and a handy reference for professionals across the health sciences.

    Preface

    Part One Theory and Design

    1 Qualitative research: an introduction

    2 Theory in research: approaches to the use of theoretical perspectives

    3 Research design issues

    Part Two Techniques of Data Collection

    4 Interviewing

    5 Observation

    Part Three Methodological Approaches

    6 Library-based methods

    7 Field-based methods

    8 Action-based methods

    Part Four Interpretation, Analysis and Presentation of Data

    9 Interpretation and analysis

    10 Computer-assisted analysis

    11 Presentation of data

    Conclusion

    Qualitative research resources

    Bibliography

    Index

    Biography

    Carol Grbich is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Flinders University, South Australia. She is the editor of Health in Australia: Sociological concepts and issues and The Australian Journal of Social Research.