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Table 1 Usage of qualitative research design in dissertations at a medical faculty

From: Qualitative research methods in medical dissertations: an observational methodological study on prevalence and reporting quality of dissertation abstracts in a German university

 

Dr. med. (dent.) (n = 60)

Dr. sc. hum. (n = 43)

Total (n = 103)

A. Department/ Discipline (n %)

 Public Health/ Hygiene

11 (18.3)

16 (37.2)

27 (26.2)

 General Practice

21 (35.0)

5 (11.6)

26 (25.2)

 Medical Psychology

7 (11.7)

12 (27.9)

19 (18.4)

 Internal Medicine/ Psychosomatics

11 (18.3)

3 (7.0)

14 (13.6)

 Health Services Research

3 (5.0)

1 (2.3)

4 (3.9)

 Psychiatry

0 (−)

3 (7.0)

3 (2.9)

 Paediatrics

3 (5.0)

0 (−)

3 (2.9)

 Medical Biometry und Informatics

0 (−)

2 (4.7)

2 (1.9)

 Others (Anatomy, Gynaecology, History, Neurology, Social Medicine)

4 (6.7)

1 (2.3)

5 (4.9)

B. Study Design

 Mixed Methods Approach

24 (40.0)

32 (74.4)

56 (54.4)

 Qualitative Approaches only

36 (60.0)

11 (25.6)

47 (45.6)

C. Method Data Conduction (multiple indications possible)

 Document analysis

3 (5.0)

2 (4.7)

5 (4.9)

 Interviews (individual)

43 (71.7)

37 (86.0)

80 (77.7)

 Group Interviews

21 (35.0)

12 (27.9)

33 (32.0)

 Observation

5 (8.3)

6 (14.0)

11 (10.7)

 Questionnaire

2 (3.3)

1 (2.3)

3 (2.9)

 Not reported

1 (1.7)

4 (9.3)

5 (4.9)

D. Participants (multiple indications possible)

 Health Care Professionals

11 (18.3)

6 (14.0)

17 (16.5)

 Patients

19 (31.7)

17 (39.5)

36 (35.0)

 Physicians

27 (45.0)

9 (20.9)

36 (35.0)

 Relatives

4 (6.7)

3 (7.0)

7 (6.8)

 Students

10 (17)

1 (2.3)

11 (10.7)

 Other

6 (10)

10 (23.3)

16 (15.5)

 Not reported

1 (1.7)

6 (14.0)

7 (6.8)

E. Sample Size

E1 Interviews: Participants

  2–10

6 (10.0)

4 (9.3)

10 (9.7)

  11–20

5 (8.3)

7 (16.3)

12 (11.7)

  21–30

9 (15.0)

4 (9.3)

13 (12.6)

  31–40

5 (8.3)

3 (7.0)

8 (7.8)

  41–50

0 (−)

3 (7.0)

3 (2.9)

  51–60

4 (6.7)

2 (4.7)

6 (5.8)

   > 60

2 (3.3)

1 (2.3)

3 (2.9)

  Not reported

12 (20.0)

13 (30.2)

25 (24.3)

  Not used or unclear

17 (28.3)

6 (14.0)

23 (22.3)

E2 Groups: Number of interview groups

  1–5

7 (11.7)

1 (2.3)

8 (7.8)

  6–10

4 (6.7)

4 (9.3)

8 (7.8)

   > 10

2 (3.3)

3 (7.0)

5 (4.9)

  Not reported

8 (13.3)

4 (9.3)

12 (11.7)

  Not used or unclear

39 (65.0)

31 (72.1)

70 (68.0)

E3 Groups: Total participants in group interviews

  2–20

4 (19.0)

1 (8.3)

5 (15.2)

  21–40

4 (19.0)

1 (8.3)

5 (15.2)

  41–60

3 (14.3)

1 (8.3)

4 (12.1)

  61–76

2 (9.5)

0 (−)

2 (6.1)

  Not reported

8 (38.1)

9 (75.0)

17 (51.5)

F. Recording technology used

 Audio

21 (35.0)

10 (23.3)

31 (30.1)

 Video

5 (8.3)

1 (2.3)

6 (5.8)

 Not reported

34 (56.7)

32 (74.4)

66 (64.1)

G. Method of Data Analysis

 Content Analysis (without P. Mayring)

16 (26.7)

10 (23.3)

26 (25.2)

 Content Analysis following P. Mayring

14 (23.3)

2 (4.7)

16 (15.5)

 Grounded Theory

1 (1.7)

4 (9.3)

5 (4.9)

 Other

6 (1.0)

4 (9.3)

10 (9.7)

 Not reported

23 (38.3)

23 (53.5)

46 (44.7)

H. Qualitative Data Analysis software used

 ATLAS.ti

12 (20.0)

2 (4.7)

14 (13.6)

 MAXQDA

3 (5.0)

0 (−)

3 (2.9)

 NVivo

1 (1.7)

2 (4.7)

3 (2.9)

 Other

2

1 (2.3)

3 (2.9)

 Not reported

42 (70.0)

38 (88.4)

80 (77.7)