Achieving Integration in Mixed Methods Designs—Principles and Practices

Abstract

Mixed methods research offers powerful tools for investigating complex processes and systems in health and health care. This article describes integration principles and practices at three levels in mixed methods research and provides illustrative examples. Integration at the study design level occurs through three basic mixed method designs-exploratory sequential, explanatory sequential, and convergent-and through four advanced frameworks-multistage, intervention, case study, and participatory. Integration at the methods level occurs through four approaches. In connecting, one database links to the other through sampling. With building, one database informs the data collection approach of the other. When merging, the two databases are brought together for analysis. With embedding, data collection and analysis link at multiple points. Integration at the interpretation and reporting level occurs through narrative, data transformation, and joint display. The fit of integration describes the extent the qualitative and quantitative findings cohere. Understanding these principles and practices of integration can help health services researchers leverage the strengths of mixed methods.

Resilience of the health team in caring for people with mental disorders in a psychiatric hospital

“…This is a mixed method study implementing concomitant data triangulation which allows for simultaneous collection of quantitative and qualitative data, aiming at identifying convergences, differences or combinations between the data at the time of data analysis (7) . Thus, a quantitative study was carried out with a cross-sectional design and qualitative research based on the constructivist perspective of the Grounded Theory (GT) (8) .…”

How do the characteristics of breast cancer diagnostic assessment programmes influence service delivery: A mixed methods study

“…A mixed methods multiple case study was conducted involving four breast cancer diagnostic assessment programmes (DAPs), chosen because they shared the goal of coordinating diagnostic assessment for patients with suspected cancer, but varied by health region and by regional characteristics (urban, rural, remote and size of population served), factors that may have influenced DAP design (Fetters, Curry, & Creswell, 2013; Yin, 1999). A convergent mixed methods approach was used where the priority of qualitative and quantitative methods was equal; qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis were concurrent; and qualitative and quantitative data were integrated and interpreted following analysis.…”

“…Data were integrated by translating coded qualitative data into counts (transformation approach); weaving the qualitative findings through the description of quantitative findings (narrative approach); and visually depicting potential associations between qualitative and quantitative findings (joint display) (Fetters et al., 2013). This enabled the assessment of coherence between qualitative and quantitative findings (confirmation, expansion and/or discordance).…”

Systematický přehled smíšeného výzkumu publikovaného ve výzkumných studiích v časopise Pedagogická orientace v období 2006–2016

“…Důležité je, jak se integrace ve výzkumu zrealizuje na úrovni designu vý-zkumu, metod a interpretace dat a ve zprávě z výzkumu (Fetters, Curry, & Creswell, 2013).…”

“…Jak jsme již uvedli, existuje řada designů smíšeného výzkumu, které jsou diskutovány v odborné literatuře (viz Cameron & Molina-Azorín, 2011;Creswell, 2009Creswell, , 2013. Tyto přístupy je možné řadit do dvou základních skupin (dle Creswell & Plano Clark, 2011):…”