Analysis of qualitative data

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Analysis of qualitative data

• India FETP

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Competency to be gained from this lecture

• Appreciate the complexity of the analysis of
  qualitative data

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Outline

• Principle of analysis of qualitative data
• Analysis of focus groups
• Enhancing the quality of the analysis
• Writing the report

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The interpretative nature of qualitative research

• Critical issues
• Self-as-instrument for data collection, analysis
  and reporting
• Lack of guidelines for data analysis
• Possible answers
• Document biases, feelings and personal experience
  of the investigator
• Explicit descriptions attesting the fidelity of
  implementation of recommended procedures

Analysis principles
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Main pitfall in qualitative data analysis

• Temptation
• Impressions on the basis of the initial review of
  notes and tapes
• Quick move to written summary
• Blur the distinction between
• What was observed, heard or read (raw data)
• Patterns and theme discerned (Interpretation )

Analysis principles
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Activities in qualitative data analysis

• Data reduction
• Selecting, focusing, simplifying, abstracting and
  transforming data
• Data display
• Presenting data in an organized manner to help
  understand what is occurring
• Conclusion drawing and verification
• Noting regularities, patterns, explanations
  tested for plausibility, robustness and validity

Analysis principles
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Qualitative analysis plan

• Lists research questions
• Indicates which data collection technique
  provided relevant information

Analysis principles
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Example of a qualitative analysis plan
In depth interview with field supervisor Focus group with scholars Observation of learning activities
What learning technique is most effective?
What obstacles prevent scholars from being more active in the field?
Analysis principles
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Focus group analysis

• Overview of group data
• Content analysis
• Deviant case analysis

Focus group analysis
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Overview of group data

• Table format
• List the proportion of groups raising a subject
  or concern
• Should not be mistaken for a quantitative
  analysis
• Does not capture how much an issue was stressed
• Does not specify the context
• More in-depth analysis is needed

Focus group analysis
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Summarized overview of group data for FETP focus
groups
Scholars Graduates State supervisors
Contact sessions too academic 2/5 1/4 0/5
Lack of field supervision 3/5 3/4 N/A
Need of technical support for outbreaks 1/5 2/4 5/5
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Techniques in content analysis

• Transcript analysis with coding
• Group analysis with synthetic table

Focus group analysis
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Transcript analysis with coding

• Reading of the notes / transcripts
• Issues colour or letter coded
• Notes or colours flag issues in the transcript
• Blue, red, green
• A, B, C
• Sub-categories possible A1, A2 etc

Focus group analysis
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Group analysis with synthetic table

• Use of a table format
• Lines
• List of groups
• Columns
• Issues
• Filling the table
• Summary of the conclusion of the interview
• Meaning and intention of respondents

Focus group analysis
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Summarized example of table content analysis for
FETP focus groups
Contact sessions Field experience Outbreaks
FG1 Scholars state A Highly technical Too complex No supervision Contrast with class teaching Little support from faculty Tools useful
FG2 Scholars state B Well framed Good teaching Xerox needed Local supervisor does not help with epi Need support to address political pressure
FG3 Scholars state C Lectures useful More case studies needed More academic input is needed in the field Connectivity would improve supervision
Focus group analysis
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Advantage of synthetic table

• Systematic
• Stimulates collective discussion
• Fast
• Facilitates
• Syntheses
• Conclusions

Focus group analysis
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Reviewing content

• Identify similarities
• Spot differences
• Find the causes for similarities and differences
• Interpret in relation to the objectives of the
  study

Focus group analysis
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Ethnographic summary

• Repeated open minded readings of the transcripts
• Search for underlying meaning of emergent themes
• Beyond count of occurrences

Focus group analysis
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Deviant case analysis

• Identify deviants
• Positive
• Negative
• Conduct in-depth interview

Focus group analysis
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Computer software for qualitative data analysis

• Stages of use
• Note taking
• Transcribing
• Coding
• Content analyzing
• Data display
• Report writing

• Types of packages
• Text retrievers
• Textbase managers
• Code retrieve programmes
• Code base theory builders
• Conceptual network builders

Focus group analysis
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Pro and cons of qualitative data analysis
computer software

• Strengths
• Speed up tasks
• Allow more complex tasks
• Allow consistency and comprehensiveness

• Weaknesses
• Do not conduct the qualitative analysis
• Cannot be a substitute for training of the
  investigator
• Require new learning

Focus group analysis
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Enhancing the quality of the analysis

• Testing rival explanations
• Examining negative cases
• May broaden, change or cast doubts on the rule
• Triangulation

Quality of analysis
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Triangulation

• Term taken from land surveying
• No single method adequately solves the problem of
  rival explanations
• Guard against systematic biases
• Several triangulations
• Methods
• Sources
• Analyst
• Theory

Quality of analysis
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Triangulation of methods

• Compare data collected using different methods
• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Focus on what is learned by the degree of
  convergence
• Form of comparative analysis

Quality of analysis
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Triangulation of data sources

• Possible sources of data to compare
• Observations with interviews
• What is said in public and in private
• What is said over time
• Perspective of different persons
• Doctors, nurses, patients
• The point is to understand the difference, not to
  achieve convergence

Quality of analysis
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Triangulation of analysts

• Uses multiple observers / analysts
• Use those who were studied to review the findings
• Control for
• Selective perception
• Interpretative bias

Quality of analysis
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Triangulation of theories

• Use different interpretation framework
• Behaviours
• Psycho-analytical
• Understand how findings are affected by
  different
• Assumptions
• Fundamental premises

Quality of analysis
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Adapting the report to the audience

• Identify audiences
• Health planners
• Policy makers
• Media
• Funders
• Population
• Tailor the format of the report to the action you
  expect

Report
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The report

• Concise
• Summarizes main conclusions
• Highlights differences and similarities
• Contains examples and quotes
• Addresses the objectives of the research
• Includes an executive summary
• Recommendations
• Identifies areas for further research
• Spells out action points

Report
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Take home message

• Systematic approaches may help address the
  subjective nature of qualitative data analysis
• Code, display and formulate conclusions
• Triangulate to check hypotheses
• Adapt the report to the various audiences to
  promote recommendations