Research methods in health : investigating health and health services / Ann Bowling.

Previous edition: 2009.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Section I: Investigating health services and health: the scope of research. Evaluating health services: multidisciplinary collaboration -- Social research on health: sociological and psychological concepts and approaches -- Quality of life: concepts, measurements and patient perception -- Health needs and their assessment: demography and epidemiology -- Costing health services: health economics -- Section II: The philosophy, theory and practice of research. The philosophical framework of measurement -- The principles of research -- Section III: Quantitative research: sampling and research methods. Sample size and sampling for quantitative and qualitative research -- Quantitative research: surveys -- Quantitative research: experiments and other analytic methods of investigation -- Sample selection and group assignment methods in experiments and other analytic methods -- Section IV: The tools of quantitative research. Data collection methods in quantitative research: questionnaires, interviews and their response rates -- Questionnaire design -- Techniques of survey interviewing -- Preparation of quantitative data for coding and analysis Section V Qualitative and mixed research methods -- Unstructured and structured observational studies -- Unstructured interviewing -- Focus groups -- Mixed research approaches.

Bowling describes the range of methods that can be used to study and evaluate health and health care. Designed for students in a range of health care disciplines, this text is also suitable for those who need to apply research findings in practice.