Research methodology
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behave in a certain way but they do not adequately answer the “why” and “how” questions.
Research which attempts to increase our understanding of why things are the way they are in
our social world and why people act the ways they do is “qualitative” research.
Qualitative research is concerned with developing explanations of social phenomena. That is
to say, it aims to help us to understand the world in which we live
and why things are the way
they are. It is concerned with the social aspects of our world and seeks to answer questions
about:
• Why people behave the way they do
• How opinions and attitudes are formed
• How people are affected by the events that go on around them
• How and why cultures have developed in the way they have
Qualitative research is concerned with finding the answers to questions which begin with:
why? How? In what way? Quantitative research,
on the other hand, is more concerned with
questions about: how much? How many? How often? To what extent? etc.
Public health problems are complex, not only because of their multicausality but also as a
result of new and emerging domestic and international health problems. Social, economic,
political, ethnic, environmental, and genetic factors all are associated with today’s public
health concerns. Consequently, public health practitioners and
researchers recognize the
need for multiple approaches to understanding problems and developing effective
interventions that address contemporary public health issues. Qualitative methods fill a gap in
the public health toolbox; they help us understand behaviors, attitudes, perceptions, and
culture in a way that quantitative methods alone cannot.
For all these reasons, qualitative
methods are getting renewed attention and gaining new respect in public health.
A thorough description of qualitative research is beyond the scope of this lecture note.
Students interested to know more about qualitative methods could consult other books which
are primarily written for that purpose. The main purpose of this lecture note is to give a
detailed account on the principles of quantitative research.