Abstract
BackgroundQualitative synthesis approaches are increasingly used in healthcare research. One of the most commonly utilised approaches is meta-ethnography. This is a systematic approach which synthesises data from multiple studies to enable new insights into patients’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences and perspectives. Meta-ethnographies can provide important theoretical and conceptual contributions and generate evidence for healthcare practice and policy. However, there is currently a lack of clarity and guidance surrounding the data synthesis stages and process.MethodThis paper aimed to outline a step-by-step method for conducting a meta-ethnography with illustrative examples.ResultsA practical step-by-step guide for conducting meta-ethnography based on the original seven steps as developed by Noblit & Hare (Meta-ethnography: Synthesizing qualitative studies.,1998) is presented. The stages include getting started, deciding what is relevant to the initial interest, reading the studies, determining how the studies are related, translating the studies into one another, synthesising the translations and expressing the synthesis.We have incorporated adaptations and developments from recent publications. Annotations based on a previous meta-ethnography are provided. These are particularly detailed for stages 4–6, as these are often described as being the most challenging to conduct, but with the most limited amount of guidance available.ConclusionMeta-ethnographic synthesis is an important and increasingly used tool in healthcare research, which can be used to inform policy and practice. The guide presented clarifies how the stages and processes involved in conducting a meta-synthesis can be operationalised.
Highlights
Qualitative synthesis approaches are increasingly used in healthcare research
Annotations based on a previous meta-ethnography are provided
The reviewers need to consider if a synthesis of the topic is required and whether a qualitative synthesis and the meta-ethnographic approach fits with the research question [30]
Summary
Qualitative synthesis approaches are increasingly used in healthcare research. One of the most commonly utilised approaches is meta-ethnography. This is a systematic approach which synthesises data from multiple studies to enable new insights into patients’ and healthcare professionals’ experiences and perspectives. There are a number of different qualitative synthesis methods including qualitative meta-synthesis, narrative synthesis, thematic synthesis, interpretative synthesis, grounded theory and meta-ethnography. The various qualitative synthesis approaches mentioned above differ in their purposes, philosophical traditions and whether they primarily aggregate or re-interpret the study findings [4, 5]. Metaethnography is an inductive, interpretative approach upon which most interpretative qualitative synthesis methods are based [6] and is the most commonly utilised qualitative synthesis approach in healthcare research [7]
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