| |  | Carrillo-González, Gloria M. | La Metasíntesis: una Metodología de Investigación read moreAbstract: This article resulted from a bibliographical review concerning meta-synthesis, considered to be a novel methodology in health science research. Meta-synthesis' importance lies in evaluating high complex scientific evidence from qualitative research and strengthening a discipline's body of knowledge when constructing, describing or explaining related theories. Several authors' definitions of meta-synthesis are presented. They coincide in stating that its purpose is to enhance interpreting an outcome by integrating the findings from qualitative research and thus have an impact on support, research and proposals in resolving problems regarding nursing practice. Some criteria to be born in mind when applying this methodology are also mentioned. | 2007 |
| |  | Pujol Ribera, Enriqueta | El producto de la atención primaria definido por profesionales y usuarios read moreAbstract: Objective: To identify the components of the primary health care (PHC) product defined by health professionals and users in order to establish indicators for evaluation. Methods: Qualitative methodology was used with group techniques: a nominal group (health professionals) and focus groups (users). The study was performed in PHC centers in Catalonia (Spain). There were 7 groups: a) family physicians and pediatricians; b) nurses and social workers; c) staff from admissions units and customer services; d) other medical specialists; e) users; f) managers, pharmacists, pharmacologists, and technicians. Participants responded to the question: «Which features should be evaluated in the services that should be provided by PHC?». A content analysis was performed. Textual data were broken down into units and then grouped into categories, following analogy criteria. The interpretative context of the research team was taken into account. Results: Health professionals and users identified 4 dimensions of the PHC product, coinciding with its basic attributes: a) access to services; b) coordination and continuity of the PHC teams with other levels of healthcare; c) relationship between health professionals and users, and d) scientific-technical quality of the PHC teams and the portfolio of services. Equity, satisfaction and efficiency appeared as keystones in all the components of the product identified. Conclusion: There was broad agreement in the product definition among health professionals and users. The relationship between health professionals and patients was a key element in all groups. The four dimensions should be included in the evaluation of PHC teams. | 2006 |
| |  | Callejo Gallego, Javier | Observation, interview and discussion group: the silence of three research practices read moreAbstract: Before entering into the opposition between quantitative perspective and qualitative perspective of social research, the need is discussed of considering the social research process as a social process and the empirical observation situations per se as social situations. Therefore, in social research, the object of observation and the ways of observation are made in the same stuff. As in any social situation, social norms come into play in the observation situation. Thus, the article develops the presentation of three qualitative social research practices from their design as producing different social situations which, in turn, take on the nature of immediate contexts which favor respective articulations between the practical norms of specific social groups and the dominant social norms in society at large. The practices presented are: participant observation, in-depth interview and discussion group. A different articulation among social norms which finds silence to be privileged way of observation. Hence, the conclusion is reached that the management and analysis of silence is fundamental both for distinguishing the qualitative from the quantitative perspective, the former opening up more to silence than the latter, and to distinguish one practice from another, especially for observing the effects proper of the observation during the observation processes. | 2002 |
| |  | Amezcua, Manuel | Los modos de análisis en investigación cualitativa en salud: perspectiva crítica y reflexiones en voz alta read moreAbstract: There is a consistent theoretical and methodological foundations on qualitative health research provided mainly by social sciences. However, this existent overlap between social and health aspects is a wide multidisciplinary field still underexplored. This article offers an overview of the main paradigms, methodologies and theoretical tendencies of qualitative research analyses within the health sciences context. Based on an initial classification, two opposite extremes for setting the bounds of the qualitative analysis continuum - from designs focusing on data description, which are purely exploratory, to those which go into theorizing processes so as to draw out interpretations and inferences - are discussed. Qualitative research is an important tool in the analysis of health problems from a social and cultural point of view. Adopting different procedures such as content and speech analysis, qualitative research approaches communication patterns and examines the diverse language ideologies. Sociological and anthropological traditions provide unique methodologies which allow to know the context where the phenomena appear and set out theoretical proposals in order to explain them, for example ethnomethodology or analytical induction. Lastly, some keys are suggested for developing a common area, out of which new epistemological perspectives may be set out based on different disciplines coming together. | 2002 |
| |  | Suchan, T. A. | Qualitative methods for research on mapmaking and map use read moreAbstract: Sorry no abstract available for this article | 2000 |