Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques

Developing a universal quality standard for thematic analysis (TA) is complicated by the existence of numerous iterations of TA that differ paradigmatically, philosophically and procedurally. This ...

One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis?

The 2020 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: responding to converging crises.

Thematic analysis is widely used in qualitative psychology research, and in this article, we present a particular style of thematic analysis known as Template Analysis We outline the technique and consider its epistemological position, then describe three case studies of research projects which employed Template Analysis to illustrate the diverse ways it can be used Our first case study illustrates how the technique was employed in data analysis undertaken by a team of researchers in a large-scale qualitative research project Our second example demonstrates how a qualitative study that set out to build on mainstream theory made use of the a priori themes (themes determined in advance of coding) permitted in Template Analysis Our final case study shows how Template Analysis can be used from an interpretative phenomenological stance We highlight the distinctive features of this style of thematic analysis, discuss the kind of research where it may be particularly appropriate, and consider possible limitations of the technique We conclude that Template Analysis is a flexible form of thematic analysis with real utility in qualitative psychology research

The Utility of Template Analysis in Qualitative Psychology Research

The 2019 report of The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: ensuring that the health of a child born today is not defined by a changing climate

Purpose – This paper aims to report a synopsis of a recent systematic review of the literature regarding the effectiveness of workplace physical activity interventions, commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).Design/methodology/approach – A search for English‐language papers published between 1996 and 2007 was conducted using 12 relevant databases and associated grey literature. Search protocols and analysis regarding study quality as recommended by NICE were utilised. Key inclusion criteria were, workplace intervention aiming to increase physical activity, intervention aimed at working adults, intervention initiated/endorsed by the employer, physical activity outcome. Thirty‐three studies (38 papers) met the inclusion criteria and were independently reviewed (checked by two reviewers) with a narrative synthesis of findings.Findings – Fourteen studies were graded as high quality or good quality. Evidence from previous systematic reviews was inconclusive. Data regar...

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Workplace physical activity interventions: a systematic review

We conducted a secondary qualitative analysis of consultations between oncologists and their patients to explore how patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) data were referred to in the process of (1) eliciting and exploring patients’ concerns; (2) making decisions about supportive treatment and (3) making decisions about chemotherapy and other systemic treatments We purposively sampled audio recordings of 18 consultations from the intervention arm and 4 from the attention control arm of a previous UK randomised controlled trial of the feedback of PROMs data to doctors (Velikova et al in J Clin Oncol 22(4):714–724 [1]) We used a combination of content and conversation analysis to examine how opportunities for discussion of health-related quality of life issues are opened up or closed down within the consultation and explore why this may or may not lead to changes in patient management Explicit reference to the PROMs data provided an opportunity for the patient to clarify and further elaborate on the side effects of chemotherapy High scores on the PROMs data were not explored further if the patient indicated they were not a problem or were not related to the cancer or chemotherapy Symptomatic treatment was more often offered for problems like nausea, constipation, pain and depression but much less so for fatigue Doctors discussed fatigue by providing a cause for the fatigue (eg the chemotherapy), presenting this as ‘something to be expected’, minimising its impact or moving on to another topic Chemotherapy regimens were not changed on the basis of the PROMs data alone, but PROMs data were sometimes used to legitimise changes Explicit mention of PROMs data in the consultation may strengthen opportunities for patients to elaborate on their problems, but doctors may not always know how to do this Our findings have informed the development of a training package to enable doctors to optimise their use of PROMs data within the consultation

How do doctors refer to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS) in oncology consultations?

Background
Individual illness perceptions have been highlighted as important influences on clinical outcomes for back pain. However, the illness perceptions of 'significant others' (spouse/partner/close family member) are rarely explored, particularly in relation to persistent back pain and work participation. The aim of this study was to initiate qualitative research in this area in order to further understand these wider influences on outcome.

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The influence of 'significant others' on persistent back pain and work participation: A qualitative exploration of illness perceptions

Aims: Lifestyle surveys are often a key component of a local Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), undertaken to inform public health planning. They are usually administered to a large number of people in order to provide a comprehensive profile of population health. However, declining response rates coupled with the under-representation of certain population groups in lifestyle survey data has led to doubts concerning the reliability of findings. In order to inform the design of their own lifestyle survey, NHS Calderdale commissioned an evidence-based review of the methodological literature relating to the administration of lifestyle surveys, with the specific aim of identifying practical and resource-efficient strategies shown to be effective for maximizing whole-population response rates.
Methods: A pragmatic review of the published literature was undertaken, specifically to explore the most practical and resource-efficient ways to maximize lifestyle survey response rates to the most commonly used methods (postal surveys, face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews and electronic surveys). Electronic databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, DARE, EMBASE and PsychINFO were searched. Empirical evidence published in the last 10 years was identified and citation tracking performed on all retrieved articles. An internet search for ‘grey literature’ was also conducted.
Results: The postal questionnaire remains an important lifestyle survey tool, but reported response rates have decreased rapidly in recent years. Interviews and telephone surveys are recommended in order to supplement data from postal questionnaires and increase response rates in some population groups, but costs may be prohibitive. Electronic surveys are a cheaper alternative, but the empirical evidence on effectiveness is inconclusive. Careful planning and tailoring of survey design to the characteristics of target populations can increase response rates and representativeness of lifestyle survey data.
Conclusions: The results of this pragmatic review could provide a valuable resource for those involved in the design and administration of lifestyle surveys.

/pdf/increasing-response-rates-to-lifestyle-surveys-a-pragmatic-3mkjaa1noc.pdf

Serena McCluskey

Papers

The Utility of Template Analysis in Qualitative Psychology Research

Workplace physical activity interventions: a systematic review

How do doctors refer to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS) in oncology consultations?

The influence of 'significant others' on persistent back pain and work participation: A qualitative exploration of illness perceptions

Increasing response rates to lifestyle surveys: A pragmatic evidence review