title: Method development at Nordic School of Public Health NHV: Phenomenology and Grounded Theory.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Qualitative methods such as phenomenology and grounded theory have been valuable tools in studying public health problems.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A description and comparison of these methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Phenomenology emphasises an inside perspective in form of consciousness and subjectively lived experiences, whereas grounded theory emanates from the idea that interactions between people create new insights and knowledge. Fundamental aspects of phenomenology include life world, consciousness, phenomenological reduction and essence. Significant elements in grounded theory are coding, categories and core categories, which develop a theory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are differences in the philosophical approach, the name of the concept and the systematic tools between the methods. Thus, the phenomenological method is appropriate when studying emotional and existential research problems, and grounded theory is a method more suited to investigate processes.
authors: Institution of Health Sciences, Karlstad University, Sweden Margaretha.Strandmark@kau.se Margarethastrandmark@hotmail.com.
authors: Margaretha
authors: M
authors: Strandmark
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000266:history* / Q000379:methods; D066296:Grounded Theory; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D010684:Philosophy; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education / Q000266:history*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D012581:Schools, Public Health / Q000266:history*
keywords: Phenomenology; differences; grounded theory; lived experiences; processes