Best practices in mixed methods for quality of life research

Excerpt

There is a growing priority in all areas of health research to develop new methodologies to improve the quality and scientific power of data, and this is leading to an extraordinary surge in methodological diversity. This diversity reflects the nature of the problems facing health sciences and health care delivery, such as disparities among populations, age groups, ethnicities, and cultures; poor adherence to recommended treatments; behavioral risk factors contributing to disability and health; and the translation of research findings into applied settings. The diversity in methodology also signals a growing acceptance of behavioral and social science perspectives in clinical research, the formation of interdisciplinary research teams, and use of multi-faceted approaches. Such approaches are important to investigations of complex health problems, which call for incorporating patient and family point of view, and cultural models of illness and health. …