Qualitative descriptive methods in health science research
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OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this methodology paper is to describe an approach to qualitative design known as qualitative descriptive that is well suited to junior health sciences researchers because it can be used with a variety of theoretical approaches, sampling techniques, and data collection strategies. BACKGROUND: It is often difficult for junior qualitative researchers to pull together the tools and resources they need to embark on a high-quality qualitative research study and to manage the volumes of data they collect during qualitative studies. This paper seeks to pull together much needed resources and provide an overview of methods. METHODS: A step-by-step guide to planning a qualitative descriptive study and analyzing the data is provided, utilizing exemplars from the authors' research. RESULTS: This paper presents steps to conducting a qualitative descriptive study under the following headings: describing the qualitative descriptive approach, designing a qualitative descriptive study, steps to data analysis, and ensuring rigor of findings. CONCLUSIONS: The qualitative descriptive approach results in a summary in everyday, factual language that facilitates understanding of a selected phenomenon across disciplines of health science researchers.
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The usability testing and interview data were analyzed together using triangulation.
“The usability testing and interview data were analyzed together using triangulation [76].”
Rigor was determined using a set of strategies including a coding system, and peer debriefing with other researchers and clinicians.
“Rigor was determined using a set of strategies including a coding system, and peer debriefing with other researchers and clinicians [22,23].”
From Towards defining quality in home care for persons living with dementia (2022) · cites this paper as [23]
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- Authors
- Colorafi, K. J., & Evans, B.
- Affiliations
- Arizona State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Colorafi, Karen Jiggins
- Venue
- HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2016-01-19
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 16-25
- ISSN
- 1937-5867 (ISSN-L)
- 2167-5112
- PMC
- PMC7586301
- OpenAlex
- W2297459312
- Cited by
- 1,423
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 201 · 2025: 203 · 2024: 204 · 2023: 180 · 2022: 214 · 2021: 167 · 2020: 108 · 2019: 74 · 2018: 50 · 2017: 20
- FWCI
- 213.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- HERD Health Environments Research & Design Journal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Arizona State University
- National Institutes of Health
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University
- National Institute of Nursing Research (T32NR012718, R01NR010541)
- National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Qualitative Research Methods and Applications
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Qualitative Research Methods and Ethics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Methodologies in Health Research and Practice
- Keywords
- qualitative research design, young researchers, data analysis, research rigor, learning planning, health research
- MeSH terms
- Data Collection, Humans, Research Design, Statistics as Topic, Qualitative Research
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