When designing an intervention, qualitative methods can be useful in exploring dimensions of acceptability to increase the chances of intervention acceptance and success. In program evaluations, qualitative methods can assist the investigator in diagnosing what went right or wrong as part of a process evaluation or in troubleshooting why a program might not be working as well as expected. For example, during the 2014РІР‚вЂњ2015 Ebola virus disease outbreaks in parts of West Africa, understanding the cultural implications of burial practices within different communities was crucial to designing and monitoring interventions for safe burials ( Box 10.1). Open-ended inquiry methods, the mainstay of qualitative interview techniques, are essential in formative research for exploring contextual factors and rationales for risk behaviors that do not fit neatly into predefined categories. Qualitative research methods are a key component of field epidemiologic investigations because they can provide insight into the perceptions, values, opinions, and community norms where investigations are being conducted ( 1,2).

Managing, Condensing, Displaying, and Interpreting Qualitative Data.Sampling and Recruitment for Qualitative Research.Commonly Used Qualitative Methods in Field Investigations.Choosing When to Apply Qualitative Methods.

Research data analysis methods