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When all else fails: The (mis)use of qualitative research in the evaluation of complex interventions
Author(s) -
Rotteau Leahora,
Albert Mathieu,
Bhattacharyya Onil,
Berta Whitney,
Webster Fiona
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of evaluation in clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.737
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2753
pISSN - 1356-1294
DOI - 10.1111/jep.13396
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , qualitative research , scale (ratio) , intervention (counseling) , sociocultural evolution , qualitative analysis , health services research , medical education , psychology , medicine , management science , nursing , sociology , public health , engineering , social science , physics , quantum mechanics , anthropology
Rational, aims, and objectives Qualitative research has been promoted as an important component of the evaluation of complex interventions to support the scale up and spread of health service interventions, but is currently not being maximized in practice. We aim to identify and explore the sociocultural and structural factors that impact the uses (and misuses) of qualitative research in the evaluation of complex health services interventions. Methods We conducted a qualitative analysis of data collected in a multiple case study of the evaluation and scale up and spread of three health service intervention. Results Our findings demonstrate the challenges of meaningfully integrating qualitative research in evaluation programmes lead by clinicians with limited qualitative expertise and operating within an environment dominated by biomedical research, even with methodological support. Conclusions Based on these findings we encourage ongoing engagement of qualitative researchers in evaluation programmes to begin to refine our methodological understanding, while also suggesting changes to medical education and evaluation funding models to create fertile environments for interdisciplinary collaborations.