Qualitative Health Research

Applied qualitative health research (QHR) is a discipline of qualitative research. QHR is a systematic approach to research that specifically focuses on exploring individuals’ experiences of health and illness, including the provision or receipt of healthcare services, the education of health care professionals, and the development and evaluation of health care policies.

The key characteristics of QHR are:

  1. A focus on participants’ perspectives and insights related to health, wellness, illness, recovery or health education, services or policy;
  2. The use of distinct methods that take into consideration the applied purpose of the research and the need to use sampling and data generation strategies that demonstrate understanding of how health/illness may influence participants’ engagement in a study and prioritize the emotional and physical safety of all participants and research team members.

Researchers from the Schools of Nursing at McMaster University, Brock University, and York University  are engaged in advancing the methods of QHR, so that they can be utilized to describe and deepen our understanding of critical practice, policy, or education issues as well as to generate interventions or recommendations grounded in the experiences of participants. We are passionate about supporting learners at all levels (including undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral fellow) to develop the knowledge and skills to design and conduct rigorous QHR studies. To achieve this goal, we continue to publish, facilitate workshops, and develop research resources. For additional information, please contact Dr. Susan Jack [email protected]

Qualitative Health Research Tip Sheets

Conducting a qualitative health research study

Data generation for qualitative health research

A team-based approach to rapid qualitative analysis

Crafting an ‘EPPiC’ research question

Past and Current Training Opportunities

2024      QHR Intensive Course- Advancing Data Generation Skills in Applied Qualitative Health Research

2023      Designing, Conducting and Utilizing Applied QHR-Webinar Series (webinar archives to be posted at a future date)

Relevant Publications

Campbell, K.A., Cammer, A., Moisey, L.L., Orr, E., Whitmore, C., & Jack, S.M. (2024). Critically appraising and utilizing qualitative health research evidence in nutrition practice. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 37(1), 377-387. 

Jack, S.M., Orr, E., Campbell, K.A., Whitmore, C., & Cammer, A. (2023). A framework for data generation strategies in qualitative health research. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 1-16.

Jack, S.M., & Phoenix, M. (2022). Qualitative health research in the fields of developmental medicine and child neurology. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1111/dmcn.15182

Moisey, L.L., Campbell, K.A., Whitmore, C., & Jack, S.M. (2022). Advancing qualitative health research approaches in applied nutrition research. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 35(2), 376-387. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12989

Campbell, K., Orr, E., Durepos, P., Nguygen, L., Gehrke, P., Li, L., Graham, L., Whitmore, C., & Jack, S.M. (2021). Reflexive thematic analysis for applied qualitative health research. The Qualitative Report, 26(6), 2011-2028.

Orr, E., Durepos, P., Jones, V., & Jack, S.M. (2021). Risk of secondary distress for graduate students conducting qualitative research on sensitive subjects: A scoping review of Canadian dissertations and theses. Global Qualitative Nursing Research. doi: 10.1177/2333393621993803. OPEN ACCESS

Manja, V., Nrushimha, A., MacMillan, H., Schwartz, L., & Jack, S.M. Use of ecomaps in qualitative health research. The Qualitative Report, 26(2), 412-442.

Orr, E., Ballantyne, M., Gonzalez, A., & Jack, S.M. (2020). Visual elicitation: Methods for enhancing the quality and depth of interview data in applied qualitative health research. Advances in Nursing Science, 43(3), 202-213. doi: 10.1097/ANS.0000000000000321. 

Luciani, M., Campbell, K.A., Whitmore, C., Di Mauro, S., & Jack, S.M. (2019). How to critically appraise a qualitative health research study. Professioni Infermieristiche, 72(4), 283-293. OPEN ACCESS  

Luciani, M., Campbell, K., Orr, E., Nguyen, L., Manja, V., Ausili, D., & Jack, S.M. (2019). How to design a qualitative health research study. Part 2: data generation and analysis considerations. Professioni Infermieristiche, 72(3), 221-231. OPEN ACCESS 

Luciani, M., Campbell, K., Tschirhart, H., Ausili, D., & Jack, S.M. (2019). How to design a qualitative health research study. Part 1: Design and purposeful sampling considerations. Professioni Infermieristiche, 72(2), 152-161. OPEN ACCESS 

Jack, S.M. (2019). Nursing leadership in qualitative health research (Editorial). Professioni Infermieristiche, 72(1), 3-4. OPEN ACCESS 

Luciani, M., Jack, S.M., Campbell, K., Orr, E., Durepos, P., Lin, L., Strachan, P., & Di Mauro, S. (2019). An introduction to qualitative health research. Professioni Infermieristiche, 72(1), 60-68. OPEN ACCESS