Research studies, including qualitative studies, form the basis for evidence-based practice among health professionals. However, many practicing health educators do not feel fully confident in their ability to critically appraise qualitative research studies. This publication presents an overview of qualitative research approaches, defines key terminology used in qualitative research, and provides guidelines for appraising the strengths and weaknesses of published qualitative research. On reading, health educators will be better equipped to evaluate the quality of the evidence through critical appraisals of qualitative research publications. Keywordshealth education; qualitative research; qualitative research methods Published research studies, including qualitative studies, provide the evidence for the selection of evidence-based practices in health education and promotion. For health educators who may not be comfortable with their skills in determining the quality of research studies, critically reading research studies can be time consuming and challenging. Health educators can however increase their confidence in appraising research studies by using the guidance described in this article. Jack et al. (2010) offer general guidance and recommendations for increasing one's skills and confidence in reading scientific publications that included 1. becoming more familiar with the key components of a research publication and 2. using key questions and guidelines presented in the article to critically appraise the strengths and weaknesses of published studies.Research publications should provide adequate information in order to assess the strengths and weaknesses of any research study. The reader needs to have a basic knowledge of qualitative research in order to appropriately appraise a qualitative study and determine the value of the evidence. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of qualitative research. In addition, this article will provide health educators with general guidelines for appraising the quality of published qualitative research studies. QUALITATIVE RESEARCHThere is no universal definition of qualitative research, as it is an umbrella term that covers several approaches. However, Burns and Grove (2007) describe qualitative research as focusing on the human experience through systematic and interactive approaches. Qualitative research methods are usually used when little is known about the topic and allows the researcher to explore meanings and interpretations of constructs rarely observed in quantitative research. Studies are conducted in natural settings and provide a context to observed phenomena. The information sought focuses on how something is experienced or processed and not specifically about facts and figures. The main approaches are phenomenology, ethnography, and grounded theory.Qualitative research studies begin with the identification of a problem. The research question may be implied in the problem statement or stated separately. Additional research questions m...

EditorialMen are dying unnecessarily. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2010), more than one million or 809.9 per 100,000 men died in the United States in 2007. The top 10 causes of men's death in 2006 were heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, diabetes, suicide, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, and Alzheimer's disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010). The vast majority of these diseases are preventable. Yet it appears that little if anything is being done early enough to prevent men from dying from these conditions. The loss of these men's lives results in direct and indirect costs to this country. For example, children are left without fathers and may eventually live in poverty as a result of the loss of the father's income. Consequently, others may need to assume the cost of rearing and educating those children. Additionally, the potential contributions to this country and to mankind are lost through the deaths of these men.It is commonly known and accepted that men generally seek health care later in a disease process or in a crisis state that is more complex to manage than an early presentation. Why aren't more energy and effort put into the prevention of these causes of death? As with many health-related questions or dilemmas, the answer is multifactorial. One plausible consideration is the men themselves, that is, some of the characteristics of masculinity such as the need to remain in control, risk taking, or the denial of the severity of physical symptoms contribute to delayed access to health care. Another possible factor is men's general lack of knowledge about their bodies. Men frequently do not grow up learning about their bodies in the same way that women learn about their maturing bodies due to puberty, menarche, and pregnancy. It is not unusual for men to report that their work as their only form of physical activity or that one's wellness is reflected in how much weight they can lift. Yet men frequently are unaware of individual cardiovascular risks or that their food intake and weight places them at risk for development of diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease. Unfortunately, our health care system may be a major contributing factor in the lack of prevention of the major causes of death in men. Male-focused preventive or health promoting care is seldom provided.It is not unusual for men to not seek health care independently after their mothers stop scheduling their appointments. Some men, regardless of age, perceive that regularly scheduled health appointments are not manly or macho; they only seek health care when in severe pain or if suspecting a sexually transmitted infection. This mindset may be reinforced by the lack of a recognized men's health specialty; urology is the closest counterpart to a men's specialty. After all, urologists treat prostate conditions and erectile dysfunction. Yet men's health certainly extends beyond the genitalia. Unfortunately, some people have believed t...

No abstract

No abstract