Use of serial qualitative interviews to understand patients' evolving experiences and needs | The BMJ http://www.bmj.com/content/339/bmj.b3702.full.print 1/8This site uses cookies. More info Close By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Interviewing patients over the course of their illness can give a much better picture of their experience than single interviews, but the approach is rarely used. Scott Murray and colleagues explain how to get the most from itLongitudinal qualitative research offers considerable advantages over the more typical single "snapshot" techniques in understanding patients' changing experience of illness. Serial qualitative interviews are a convenient and efficient approach to developing an ongoing relationship between the participant and researcher, thereby facilitating discussion of sensitive and personal issues while also allowing exploration of changing needs and experiences.Serial interview studies are widely used by social science researchers in anthropology, criminology, education, psychology, and social policy.1 2 3 4 5 6 However, they remain underused in medicine.7 Using our experience with the technique, we suggest when researchers might wish to use serial interviews and discuss the methods, the data generated, and how to avoid potential pitfalls. When to use serial interviewsSerial interviews are suitable for research that aims to explore evolving and complex processes or when time is needed to develop a relationship between researcher and participants. We have used the approach to study the changing experiences and needs of people with lung and brain cancers, heart failure, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and spiritual distress, and access to care for south Asian patients at end of life (table⇓).8 9 10 11Others have shown the value of this approach in, for example, understanding childhood asthma, exploring stigma related to HIV infection, reconstruction of self identity after diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, complex clinician-1

Use of multiperspective qualitative interviews to understand patients' and carers' beliefs, experiences, and needs | The BMJ http://www.bmj.com/content/339/bmj.b4122.full.print 1/7This site uses cookies. More info Close By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Person-centered goal setting within stroke rehabilitation is both possible and rewarding but often does not occur. Goal setting contributes to the post-stroke rehabilitation experience and can be positively or negatively influenced by practitioners. Maintaining hope and a sense of forward momentum in recovery after stroke is perceived by stroke survivors as important and could be supported using goal setting that is tailored to the individual's needs and preferences. Future research should focus on refining individualized methods of goal setting in stroke rehabilitation and the role of the practitioner in this, including what skills are needed and how they can be acquired. The identified gaps in the literature about family members' and unpaid carers' experiences, and the role of goal setting in self-management, warrant further research.

These contrasting illness narratives affect and shape the experiences, thoughts, and fears of patients and their carers in the last months of life. Palliative care offered by generalists or specialists should be provided more flexibly and equitably, responding to the varied concerns and needs of people with different advanced conditions.