Conclusion

Over the past 30 years, there has been an increased appreciation for the need to make use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods to understand public health problems. Although frequently employed separately, there has been a growing interest in mixed methods studies that employ both methods - either sequentially or concurrently.

Creswell et al. (2007) define mixed methods research as: “focuses on collecting, analyzing, and mixing both quantitative and qualitative data in a single study or series of studies. Its central premise is that the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches, in combination, provides a better understanding of research problems than either approach alone.”

By combining qualitative and quantitative methods, mixed methods research can integrate the strengths and compensate for the weaknesses of either qualitative or quantitative research alone (mono-method studies). Also, by collecting data with two separate methodologies, a mixed methods study provides more evidence for understanding the phenomenon and can address a broader set of research questions than a single method study.

This module reviewed the various ways mixed methods research is designed and analyzed. We hope that this module has provided you with a deeper understanding of the potential benefits of mixed methods research, an appreciation of how the integration of mixed methods research can improve and extend your research, and an introductory understanding of how to begin integrating mixed methods research and analysis into your work.