Overview of Qualitative Methods in Research With Diverse Populations: Making Research Reflect the Population

摘要

Shifting population dynamics in the United States challenge investigators to modify existing research paradigms to reflect the needs of an increasingly diverse society. Mainstream approaches for conducting research in the United States have largely ignored the perspectives of ethnic minority groups, with researchers effectively excluding large segments of the population from participating in clinical and behavioral research. With the 1993 National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act mandating the inclusion of minorities and women in research, scientists have had little time to develop systematically tested methods for conducting research with diverse cultural groups. The result is that much of the literature on health care, health promotion, and health outcomes may not apply to these segments of the population, leaving us with limited evidence as to how to improve the health of these groups.