ABSTRACT

The analysis of perceptions, experience, and attitudes depends on the researcher's interpretation, developed logically and systematically, with stepwise presentation of data. The content is included in qualitative methods courses. Since 1991, there have been international conferences on qualitative health research sponsored by the International Institute for Qualitative Methodology and, since 2011, by the global congress for qualitative health research (GCQHR). Qualitative health research is becoming a standard part of curricula, contributing to our understanding of health, to health policy, and to health practices. The public mandate for the governmental support of universities and the setting of priorities for funding has not yet extended to qualitative inquiry. In the United States, the main support for qualitative inquiry comes from the International Institute for Qualitative Inquiry, which is located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and spearheaded by Norman Denzin. Research into the experiential and interpersonal aspects of care introduces extraordinary methodological challenges.