Deconstructing the complexity of substance use among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) by optimizing the role of qualitative strategies in a mixed methods study.
Qualitative data can be a powerful tool in developing interventions for substance use and other HIV-risk behaviors. Mixed methods design offers researchers the ability to obtain data that provides both breadth and depth to their research questions. However, the integration of qualitative data in mixed methods research has been limited. This paper describes the qualitative study design of the Healthy Young Men's Study, a longitudinal mixed method study with an ethnically diverse cohort of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) (N = 526) in Los Angeles. Integral to this discussion is how a mixed methods study can address common challenges such as sampling, representation and integration of both datasets.
Kubicek
Katrina
K
The Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA. kkubicek@chla.usc.edu
Weiss
George
G
Iverson
Ellen F
EF
Kipke
Michele D
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000635:transmission; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D018579:Patient Selection; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult