The Gerontologist Advance Access published online on April 22, 2009
The Gerontologist, doi:10.1093/geront/gnp047
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Understanding the Experience of Stroke: A Mixed-Method Research Agenda
2 Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
1 Address correspondence to Philippa Clarke, PhD, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. E-mail: pjclarke{at}umich.edu
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Abstract |
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The use of both quantitative and qualitative strategies to examine a single research question has been a subject of considerable controversy and still remains a largely uncommon practice in the sociology of health and illness. Yet, when seeking to understand the meaning of a chronic disabling condition in later life from a social psychological perspective, a mixed-method approach is likely to provide the most comprehensive picture. This article provides an overview of the usefulness and appropriateness of a mixed-method approach to understanding the stroke experience. I comment on the current state of research on the experience of stroke, including epistemological and ontological orientations. Using real data examples, I address paradigmatic assumptions, methods of integration, as well as challenges and pitfalls in integrating methods. I conclude by considering future directions in this field of research.
Keywords: Stroke, Mixed methods, Quantitative, Qualitative
Received August 12, 2008; Accepted October 6, 2008