Qualitative Methods and Process Evaluations

Module title	Qualitative Methods and Process Evaluations
Module code	HPDM055
Academic year	2024/5
Credits	15
Module staff	Dr Julia Frost (Lecturer)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks		5

Description - summary of the module content

Module description

This module can be taken online.

This module aims to equip you as a health services researcher with both the fundamental and advanced knowledge, understanding and skills to plan and undertake qualitative analyses in applied health care research. You will also critically evaluate the place of process evaluations within experimental designs to clarify causal mechanisms associated with variation in outcomes.

Module aims - intentions of the module

You will develop competences in the design, analysis and interpretation of qualitative data suitable for a range of health services research study designs. You will develop an understanding of how to apply in depth and systematic knowledge to manage and perform research with technical expertise in qualitative methods. You will be able to design a basic process evaluation to examine how a complex intervention operates.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Use and appraise the contribution of primary and secondary qualitative methods to the study of complex interventions
2. Comprehend how process evaluations can be used to investigate mechanisms of change associated with complex healthcare interventions

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. Demonstrate the relationship(s) between methodology and method(s)
4. Apply in depth and systematic knowledge to perform specialist research skills with technical expertise.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Use and appraise various qualitative methodologies and process evaluation designs
6. Competently analyse and synthesise primary and secondary qualitative data

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

Methods of qualitative data collection (interviews, focus groups, ethnography)
Qualitative data analysis process
Identifying qualitative studies for review
Qualitative synthesis (Meta-ethnography)
Process evaluation

This module can be taken online. There are two 2 days of OPTIONAL face-to-face participatory workshops offered as part of the module at the Exeter St Luke’s campus and, for those who cannot attend, there will be alternative opportunities provided to meet the intended learning outcomes.

The following approaches might be applied if necessary due to Covid19:

- Face-to-face scheduled lectures may be replaced by short pre-recorded videos for each topic (15-20 minutes) and/or brief overview lectures delivered via MS Teams/Zoom, with learning consolidated by self-directed learning resources and ELE activities.

- Small-group discussion in tutorials and seminars may be replaced by synchronous group discussion on Teams/ Zoom; or asynchronous online discussion, for example via Yammer or ELE Discussion board

- Workshops involving face-to-face classroom teaching may be replaced by synchronous sessions on Teams/Zoom; or Asynchronous workshop activities supported with discussion forum

- Skills workshops involving practical skills acquisition demonstrations may be replaced by short pre-recorded videos as pre-learning; or workshop via Teams/Zoom.

Learning and teaching

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
40	110

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning & teaching activities	12	Lectures, seminars, master-classes to enhance learning through introduction to key topics, specialist areas and role models and diversity of contexts and outcomes.
Scheduled learning & teaching activities	28	Group discussions, practical exercises, simulated case-studies and engagement with real-world scenarios to foster experiential learning with opportunities for peer and tutor feedback
Guided independent study	66	Web-based learning; resource gathering and in-depth reading during the period of module delivery
Guided independent study	44	Preparation and writing of assignments.

Assessment

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Practical exercises	Various and ongoing	1-6	Verbal/written
Small group work	Various and ongoing	1-6	Verbal/written
Case-based discussions	Various and ongoing	1, 2, 5, 6.	Verbal/written

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Coursework essay	100	2000 words (maximum)	1-6	Written
	0
	0
	0
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Coursework essay (100%)	Coursework essay (2000 words)	1-6	August/September Referral/Deferral period

Re-assessment notes

Same as the original summative assessment, to include response to the written feedback and undertaken during the University’s agreed referral/deferral period.

Resources

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Green J, Thorogood N (2014) Qualitative methods for health research. 3rd edition. Sage: London.

Miles MB, Huberman AM, Saldana J (2014) Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook, Edition 3. Sage: London.

Noblit G, Hare R (1988) Meta-ethnography: Synthesising Qualitative Studies, Sage: London.

Pope C, Mays N (2020) Qualitative research in health care. 4th Edition, Blackwell Publishing: Oxford.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE– College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages

Barroso J, Gollop CJ, Sandelowski M, Meynell J, Pearce PF and Collins LJ. (2003) The challenges of searching for and retrieving qualitative studies. Western Journal of Nursing Research. 25, 2:153-7

Britten N, Campbell R, Pope C, Donovan J, Morgan M, Pill R (2002) Using meta ethnography to synthesise qualitative research: a worked example. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy. 7.4: 209–215

Campbell R, Pound P, Pope C, Britten N, Pill R, Morgan M, Donovan J (2003) Evaluating meta-ethnography: a synthesis of qualitative research on lay experiences of diabetes and diabetes care. Social Science & Medicine 56: 671–684

Campbell R, Pound P, Morgan M, Daker-White G, Britten N, Pill R, Yardley L, Pope C, Donovan J (2011)

Evaluating meta-ethnography: systematic analysis and synthesis of qualitative research. Health Technology Assessment. 15.43.

Cooke A, Smith, D and Booth A. (2012) Beyond PICO: The SPIDER Tool for Qualitative Evidence Synthesis. Qualitative Health Research. 22.10:1435-43

Evans D. (2002) Database searches for qualitative research. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 90.3:290–293.

Flemming K and Briggs M. (2007) Electronic searching to locate qualitative research: evaluation of three strategies. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 57.1:95-100.

Frost J, Garside R, Cooper C, Britten N (2014) A qualitative synthesis of diabetes self-management strategies for long term medical outcomes and quality of life in the UK. BMC Health Services Research. 14:348

Lewin S, Glenton C, Oxman OD (2009) Use of qualitative methods alongside randomised controlled trials of complex healthcare interventions: methodological study. British Medical Journal 2009; 339:b3496

Malpass A, Shaw A, Sharp D, Walter F, Feder G, Ridd M, Kessler D (2009) “Medication career” or “Moral career”? The two sides of managing antidepressants: A meta-ethnography of patients' experience of antidepressants. Social Science & Medicine. 68. 1.154–168

Moore G, Audrey S, Barker M, Bond L, Bonell C, Hardeman W, Moore L, O’Cathain A, Tinati T, Wight D, Baird J. Process evaluation of complex interventions: Medical Research Council guidance. MRC Population Health Science Research Network, London, 2014

Pope C, Ziebland S, Mays N (2000) Analysing qualitative data. British Medical Journal. 320. 114- 116

Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J (2007) Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. International Journal for Quality in Health Care. 19, 6. 349–357.

Module has an active ELE page

Key words search

Interview, Focus Group, Meta-ethnography, process evaluation, Qualitative

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
Module pre-requisites	None
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	Yes
Origin date	20/12/2016
Last revision date	08/06/2022