WHOYMNHYPSE/943 Englih only Dist Gansta! QUALITATIVE RESEARCH FOR HEALTH PROGRAMMES Patricia M. Hudelson This document provides an overview of the concepts and methods used in qualitative research, and illustrates how these may be used for programme development. It is not however a "how-to" training manual for field researchers, Rather, itis an intoductory guide for programme managers, project directors, researchers and others who need to make decisions conceming when and how to conduct research for programme development purposes. The document wil iso serve as 0 useful reference for field researchers as well as for use in training workshops. — DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION GENEVA 1994Acknowledgements Many people have contributed to the development of this guide. Dr John Orley, Acting Director of the WHO Division of Mental Health, recognized the need for resource materials on qualitative research for people working in health programmes, and took the initiative to develop such materials. Without his support this guide could not have been written T am also grateful to the following individuals, who took the time to review early Grafts of the guide and provided many useful comments and suggestions: Anu Kumar, José Martinez, Pertti J. Pelto, Thomas Perneger, Sylvia Van Duuren, Carol Viassoff, Diana Weil, and Peter Winch. 1 would also like to thank Bruno Bionda, from the WHO library, who was enormously helpful in conducting a thorough search of the literature. Further information conceming this material may be obtained from Division of Mental Health World Health Organization 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland © World Health Organization 1994 This document & nota format pulaton of me We Hacitn Organization (WHO), and ct ights oe reerved fy the Crgantation. The document may, hewaver, be heel tevewed,abshoctod, reproduced ot hanuied. a pert oth wha, but net for le we In conlnetion wih commerce Purpores The vows exerosed In documents by narod authors ave toll ho responsibly of those author.Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .. . Who is this guide for? . . What is qualitative research’ Qualitative vs. survey researc ‘What can qualitative research do for health programmes’ Who should conduct qualitative research? CHAPTER 2: THE TOOLBOX Unstructured interviews .. Semi-structured interviews Depth/focused interviews Case studies... . Life histories . Structured or systematic interviewing Free listing Pile sons . Rating scales . Rank order methods . Group interviewing techniques Focus groups . . Other group interview techniques. Observation . Participant observation Unstructured observation . Structured observation . Ethnographic decision modelling. Social network analysis. CHAPTER 3: SAMPLING ISSUES IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH . Selection of research sites . Selection of respondents . Selection of key informants Issues of sample size CHAPTER 4: STUDY DESIGN ISSUES .. Defining the purpose of the research. Defining research questions ..... Choosing appropriate data collection methods . . CHAPTER 5: DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORT-WRITING IN N QUALITATIVE RESEARCH Drawing on all relevant data sources . Analysing textual data... Some general considerations when preparing a final report Suggested format for a final report... 2... 6.040