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Qualitative research is the organized, systematic exploration of some portion of human experience. It is not concerned with the statistical interpretation of data but rather with the discovery of common emergent themes. A qualitative study can be as simple as an open-ended questionnaire exploring responses to a new clinic program or as complex as a decade-long study of the interactions of a family living with a HIV positive member. Data are most often interviews but may also include observation, music, art, photos, videos, crafts, tools, newspapers, or any other artifact that expands human understanding (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000).
Purpose and Forms of Qualitative Research
The purpose of qualitative research is always to gain understanding at the individual or group level. Qualitative research may be done when little is known about a phenomenon. A qualitative study might first identify the values, customs, responses, or rituals of importance to a patient group. A subsequent quantitative study could then assess the frequency or intensity or rate the priority placed on these factors. Alternately, a single study might incorporate both quantitative and qualitative components. As an example, a methodologically combined study might explore what services a mentally ill individual in the community uses, how often the services are used (both quantitative questions), and what it is like to use these services (a qualitative question). Frequently, however, qualitative studies are intended to stand alone, to allow...