Value of Shifting From Qualitative to Quantitative

¶ … Value of Shifting from Qualitative to Quantitative and Back Again Qualitative research is considered hypothesis generating, whereas quantitative research is designed to test hypotheses. Based on this perspective, the natural direction of research flow would be from qualitative to quantitative study designs (Black & Fauske, 2008). Qualitative research tends to focus on experiences, rather than the measuring and tracking of objective factors, but there are times when it makes sense to base a qualitative study on quantitative findings.

This essay will examine the value of transitioning from qualitative to quantitative study designs and vice versa. Qualitative to Quantitative A qualitative study is traditionally conducted when little is understood about a phenomenon, such as the experiences of patients during treatment. For example, Black and Fauske (2008) were interested in understanding the experiences and practices of case managers during advanced care planning.

A focus group design was used to conduct semi-structured interviews, which resulted in the identification of five modalities of practice: (1) providing information, (2) referrals, (3) discussing options, (4) acting as moderator between family members, and (5) interfacing with providers. Further analysis allowed the researchers to identify themes, together with barriers and facilitators of advanced care planning by case managers. The qualitative study conducted by Black and Fauske (2008) was based on a small sample size, but to increase the validity and reliability of the findings a quantitative study design was needed.

The qualitative findings were used to create a survey, which could then be used to sample a larger number of case managers. For example, the theme of 'divergent roles in advanced care planning' was reduced to three subthemes: (1) no role, (2) limited role, and (3) distinctive role. Accordingly, the survey question would ask participants what they perceived their advanced care planning role to be as case managers. Another example was related to barriers and facilitators of advanced care planning and the role of case manager knowledge and experience in this area.

Quantitative to Qualitative The study by Black and Fauske (2008) provides an excellent example of how qualitative findings can be used as a foundation for quantitative research within the healthcare field; however, examples of basing a qualitative study on quantitative findings are not as common. Ullman (2005) describes her journey from a background of 15 years conducting surveys of sexual assault survivors and generating quantitative findings, to the realization that almost no qualitative studies of sexual assault survivors or their providers had been conducted.

Her interest had grown from measuring variables like victim age and gender, offender characteristics, and the frequency and outcomes of police encounters to wanting to better understand the subjective experiences of providers who work with sexual assault survivors. Ullman's (2005) decision to venture into semistructured interviews of survivors and providers.