Mixed Methods Research

Arindam BasuPrepared for PG Meeting,University of Canterbury,

http://arinbasu.wordpress.com

Interprofessional Education

• Different Professions, Same Trainees • Different Professionals Train the Same People• How does one learn about effectiveness of the

education process?• Whose Perspective? (Trainers? Trainees?

External Stakeholders?)• How Do We Measure Outputs?• Can Everything Be Measured?

How Does One Measure the Effectiveness of Interprofessional Training?

Screening For Colorectal Cancer

• Left is an image of colorectal cancer• Colorectal Cancer is a leading cause of cancer

and kill people• If this cancer can be detected when it the

tumour is very small and localized, then it can be safely removed

• That detection is done using a stool test called guaiac test.

• What’s the best strategy?

What Does One Measure?The Patient (Suffering, Convenience, How Easy)

The Physician (Provider)How best will the screening test perform?Sensitivity? Specificity?

Ministry of Health (Payer)How Economical?How Many False Cases for reasons of logisticsHow Many People should be Screened To Identify One case?

What is the Effectiveness of Telehealth Training for Physicians?

Trainees (Physicians)

Trainers (Teaching Physicians)Stakeholders (MoH)

The Truth Out There (Descriptive Data, Relationships)

The Investigator Who Investigates “The Truth”• Belief• Previous Ideas• “Need” for “Positive” Findings

The Participants WhoContribute to the Truth Seeking Process* Patients•Members. Public• Preconceptions• Life Story ...

The Truth Out There (Descriptive Data, Relationships)

The Investigator Who Investigates “The Truth”• Belief• Previous Ideas• “Need” for “Positive” Findings

The Participants WhoContribute to the Truth Seeking Process* Patients•Members. Public• Preconceptions• Life Story ...

Quantitative Research Dissociates the Investigator from His “Biases”

1. Rule Out Chance2. Control for

Confounding3. Eliminate Bias4. Test for

Causality (where Needed)

Conclusion

• Qualitative + Quantitative = Mixed Methods• Qualitative: subjective, perspective dependent• Quantitative: objective, neutral view of truth• Mixed: Captures “Truth” both ways• Sequential or Concurrent• Full or Partial• Dominant or Non-dominant