Research methods from social science can contribute much to the health sciences.
OBJECTIVE
Research methods from social science, such as social network analysis, random coefficient modeling, and advanced measurement techniques, can contribute much to the health sciences. There is, however, a slow rate of transmission of social science methodology into the health sciences. This paper identifies some of the barriers for adoption and proposes ideas for the future.


METHODS
Commentary.


RESULTS
Contributions of social science to the health sciences are not always recognized as such. It may help if the professional profile of social science in the health sciences would be higher and if its focus would be more on making useful predictions. Clinical epidemiologists may assume that their discipline includes all relevant methods and that social science is largely based on qualitative research. These perceptions need to be challenged in order to widen the scope of clinical epidemiology and include relevant methods from other sciences.


CONCLUSIONS
New methods help to ask new research questions and to provide better to old questions. This paper has sketched challenges for both social science researchers and clinical epidemiologists.
Wensing
Michel
M
Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Centre for Quality of Care Research, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. M.Wensing@kwazo.umcn.nl
D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design; D012942:Social Sciences / Q000379:methods*