Qualitative and quantitative studies are the two main approaches to conducting research on a wide variety of topics. Quantitative research is usually deductive – that is, its conclusions are more specific and less encompassing than its base assumptions. It focuses on “measuring variables and testing relationships between variables” in numerical form to establish correlations or lack thereof between certain phenomena (Leavy, 2017, p. 23). Qualitative research, on the other hand, is inductive in nature, meaning its conclusions contain more information than the basic premises the researcher acts upon. Qualitative research usually demonstrates “a focus on understanding and an emphasis on meaning” instead of the numerical descriptions of interrelations between variables (Edmonds & Kennedy, 2017, p. 141). Thus, the two approaches represent consistently different ways of researching a given subject.
Public health research can use both qualitative and quantitative methods, depending on the task at hand. Quantitative methods may demonstrate the statistical prevalence or lack thereof of certain phenomena or behaviors in the populations studied, as when gathering routine information on public health (Bruce, Pope, & Stanistreet, 2018). Qualitative research can help with establishing causal relations behind the statistical correlations uncovered with the use of quantitative methods. For example, a quantitative study can establish the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in several populations and cross-reference this data with education on sexual health. A qualitative study may then explain why the coupes aware of STDs can neglect prevention measures by trying to understand how – and if – they use technical information they receive (Tolley et al., 2016). Thus, qualitative and quantitative methods alike can be of use in public health and work in accord to offer a clearer picture and a more thorough understanding of a given matter.
References
Bruce, N., Pope, D., & Stanistreet, D. (2018). Quantitative methods for health research A practical interactive guide to epidemiology and statistics (2nd ed.) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Edmonds, W. A., & Kennedy, T. D. (2017). An applied guide to research designs: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods (2nd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.
Leavy, P. (2017). Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, arts‐based, and community‐based participatory research approaches. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Tolley, E. E., Ulin., P. R., Mack, N., Robinson, E. T., & Succop, S. M. (2016). Qualitative methods in public health: A field guide for applied research (2nd ed.) Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.