Appraisal of the Methods Used for a Qualitative Study - Essay Sample

Introduction

The qualitative approach to research has become much common in today's fields of study focusing on the micro-level of social interactions. It has a long history in the analysis of human behavior. Crossman (2019) described qualitative research as a type of social science study involving collection and analysis of non-numerical data with the aim of interpreting the meaning of this data concerning a particular context. It is differentiated from quantitative research due to the lack of application of numerical data and statistical approach to assess the relationship between variables of interest. Also, qualitative research is mostly used when evaluating the context, meaning or experiences relating to an issue while quantitative research is used to evaluate the intervention of the specific problems. However, the methods used for a qualitative study may have a significant influence on the research findings. This report paper provides an appraisal of the research conducted by Smith-Carrier et al. (2017) based on the title; "It's not just the word care, it's the meaning of the word... (they) actually care': caregivers' perceptions of home-based primary care in Toronto, Ontario." An evaluation of the methods used for this qualitative study will be provided. It is the responsibility of the researcher to ensure that appropriate procedures are adopted for proper qualitative research.

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Overview of the Research Aims

The research used a qualitative study to analyze the difficulties faced by older adults in accessing primary care in medical centers. The researchers argue that this population is subjected to inadequate healthcare services. They proposed the provision of home-based primary care (HBPC) to bridge the existing gap. The study focused on examining the perception of the unpaid caregivers towards the HBPC programs in Toronto Canada. Just like it was mentioned earlier, this type of research involves social interaction, and hence it can be effectively undertaken with the use of the qualitative method. This would help in discovering the various themes regarding the interpretation of the caregivers on the HBPC. The aging population in continually increasing not only in Canada but also across the world. This has also fascinated the interest of countless scholars with the objective of addressing the significant challenges faced by this particular group of people. Older individuals are also vulnerable to many, and hence, there is a need to ensure the provision of quality and accessible healthcare services. According to Smith (2009), appraising the qualitative research methods in the healthcare sector is much vital, and it helps in improving the quality of services based on available evidence. The facts collected from the finding of qualitative research are used to identify the areas to give more attention. There are several methods used to address the aim of the study selected for this analysis.

Description of the Methods Used

The research by Smith-Carrier et al. (2017) adopted a qualitative inductive approach that uses grounded theory principles. The method facilitates diverse studies to a given phenomenon. Memo-taking, data collection, and analysis, as well as the use of constant comparative methods, were embraced in this research. The data was collected from a selected sample of 14 caregivers from seven different research sites. A dedicated community care coordinator was used to act as the liaison patients and caregivers. Ethical considerations were also taken as a priority in this research. The concept of ethics is critical in all studies involving human beings (Kothari, 2010). The researchers recruited the target sample through referral approach in the circle of care with associated patients. The team members provided a copy of research information and sought informed consent with the unpaid caregivers as they tried to gather information. The data collection approach involved the use of English-speaking participants to mitigate the risk challenge of the language barrier. The study also made use of a research assistant to help in the data collection process. They made the follow up of the consent letter and sought any need for clarity prior to the main interview.

The study involved the application of semi-structured interview questions where the findings were transcribed and digitally recorded for exploration purpose. Questionnaires are one of the most methods adopted with qualitative research (Jeanfreau & Jack, 2010). The researchers read and re-read the responses obtained in each interview transcripts to confirm relevancy before them to Nvivo qualitative software (V9) for analysis. This software is mostly used with a form of textual data unlike the case with numerical data which calls for the use of quantitative analysis software. NVivo is very useful in organizing both structured and unstructured data. Use of this software improves on the credibility and reliability of the research from the audiences' perspective. It helps in sorting, classifying, and arranging information to assess the relationships in the data and linking it to the models used for the study. Jeanfreau & Jack (2010) posited that NVivo makes it possible for the researcher to cross-examine the information obtained about the theoretical framework. This is done with the use of query functions and the search engine. The software supports a wide range of data formats including audio files, plain text, digital photos, videos, word, spreadsheets, PDFs, and social media data. The data can also be changed from one format to another for easier comparability. Therefore, the methods used to justify the reliability of the research.

Main Findings Reported

The research found that the provision of home-based primary care is much vital in promoting the wellbeing of older people. However, there was observed a high rate of deterioration in the quality of the services that result from the unpaid nature and inadequate or ill-equipped performance. The research confirmed the existence of the increasing need for caregiving for the older adults especially those suffering from chronic conditions. A significant number of the participants indicated that providing unpaid services might be challenging and hence lowering the morale which eventually affects the quality of the service. There is also a need for training to equip the caregivers with the necessary skills and competence that are essential in enhancing the quality services. The research suggested for the usefulness of the home-based primary care service providers in meeting the health needs of the older population in society (Smith-Carrier et al., 2017). Use of qualitative methods was much vital in providing justification for the claims raised by the researcher.

According to this study, HBPC is associated with different features such as enormous time and costs, stress, pressure, and anxiety to the service providers in Ontario's health systems. It becomes hectic going through a series of service providers and specialists as the condition of the patient changes. The research indicated that most specialist might find themselves changing because the patients are also changing. Most of the individuals interviewed in this study revealed that they would be willing to have someone to consult for support and advice whenever a need arises. This is due to the fact that the caregivers are faced with numerous challenges in the execution of their roles and this may lead to a significant worry and stress especially when there is no one to help them (Smith-Carrier et al., 2017). However, the participants stated that the difficulties are less severe with the HBPC than it was with the office-based care model. The services provided at home are deemed to be more relational and humane; therefore, there is a high need for emphasizing on this type of services and even making them more useful to promote accessible and affordable quality healthcare to the older generation.

Possible Reasons That Made the Researchers Choose a Qualitative Research Approach in Their Study

Qualitative research has proven to be the most applicable method when investigating a phenomenon that involves the use of textual, verbal or visual data. The approach has got a long history in social science and has been used in most of the studies that are trying to investigate human behavior. This is much relevant to the study conducted by Smith-Carrier and others. This type of study was meant to investigate how people attribute their behavior or interactions with others (Smith-Carrier et al., 2017). Qualitative research is useful in the process of illuminating the type of connection existing between people and a particular phenomenon. It also helps in assessing the trend in the identified themes. The method is designed to evaluate the meaning of the intended actions that result from interpretations of the individuals' social life. Also, due to its nature of focusing on the experiences of people, qualitative study aids the creation of new theories through the application of the inductive method.

The researcher may also have used this approach in their study because of its potential to create an in-depth understanding of the social processes that make up our day-to-day life. Qualitative research helps the researchers in understanding how peoples' life is affected by the social structure and various types of social forces (Crossman, 2019). The method is also associated with a high level of flexibility which makes it easier to accommodate the changes that may exist in human behavior. This nature helps the researcher in probing the response given by the previous participants or even criticizing findings by the earlier researchers. The research environment is surrounded by numerous variations which call for a continuous update for higher quality and relevancy (Hammarberg, Kirkman & de Lacey, 2016). For instance, the perception of the unpaid caregivers towards the HBPC may change from time to time depending on the changes in demand. On the other hand, the method has been criticized for its limited scope which may make the findings hard to generalize. In this case, the research was focusing on the home-based service care providers, and it is also difficult to identify the target population and hence, the researchers had to make use of referral method in selecting the appropriate participants. This challenge can be mitigated through adequate training to the research assistants to ensure quality data is collected with the minimum possible level of bias.

A qualitative study is gaining momentum in the fields of research in the clinical setting when assessing the quality of services provided (Hammarberg, Kirkman & de Lacey, 2016). It generally involves a systematic process of collecting data concerning a given phenomenon. The research design uses various methods to collect data which is analyzed with standardized procedures and statistical breakdown. However, it is critical to upholding high integrity and cohesiveness of the research to ensure reliability and validity. This is because qualitative studies are prone to manipulation and this calls for the adoption of better approaches in the attempts of enhancing the quality of the research like those utilized by Smith-Carrier and her colleagues. The researchers have effectively defended the integrity, credibility, trustworthiness, and consistency of their study through the use of qualitative research design.

Smith (2009) posited that qualitative study is commonly used in addressing the questions on experience, understanding, and perspectives from the viewpoint of the participants. Similarly, the selected research sought to assess the perceptions of the unpaid caregivers towards HBPC pro...