Mixed Methods Research

NIH RELEASES BEST PRACTICES FOR COMBINING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH 

The National Institutes of Health today released recommendations or best practices <http://obssr.od.nih.gov/scientific_areas/methodology/mixed_methods_research/index.aspx> for scientists conducting mixed methods health research. Mixed methods research combines the strengths of quantitative research and qualitative research. Despite the increased interest in mixed methods research in health fields and at NIH, prior to this report, there was limited guidance to help scientists developing applications for NIH funding that featured mixed methods designs, nor was there guidance for the reviewers at NIH who assess the quality of these applications.