Why Epidemiology Is Incomplete Without Qualitative and Mixed Methods.

Abstract

Epidemiology has traditionally used quantitative approaches to characterizing disease prevalence and studying the effects of medical and public health interventions. Despite the power of such methods, they leave important gaps in understanding population health that can be addressed using qualitative and mixed methods. In this commentary, I describe philosophical differences in qualitative and quantitative approaches to research and explain how they can be used together to strengthen epidemiologic inquiry.