Using qualitative observational methods in rehabilitation research: Part one

Abstract

Background Research in rehabilitation practice commonly aims to evaluate the effectiveness of complex interventions, and qualitative research—often as part of a mixed methods approach—is being increasingly employed to address important research questions in rehabilitation. Such questions often focus on the activities, experiences and perceptions of patients, carers and practitioners, as well as on the outcomes of rehabilitation. Qualitative observational methods can provide detailed accounts of social processes, which are often hidden or taken for granted, but which constitute the day-to-day reality of rehabilitation practice. Content This two-part article examines the characteristics of systematic qualitative observational methods in the context of rehabilitation research. The first article will introduce this methodology, discuss its merits, philosophical and methodological influences, and then illustrate how qualitative observational research should be planned and conducted. The next article will discuss participant observation, and explore the approaches to recording fieldnotes and working with qualitative observational data. Conclusions Increasingly researchers and practitioners are recognizing that reliance on traditional quantitative approaches alone cannot fully account for the all of the individual, social and organizational factors which may have a bearing on the outcomes of rehabilitation interventions. Qualitative observation is an approach available to researchers to understand the impact of these complex factors.