Hearing the Silenced Voices of Underserved Women: The Role of Qualitative Research in Gynecologic and Reproductive Care.
In order to provide effective evidence-based health care to women, rigorous research that examines women's lived experiences in their own voices is needed. However, clinical health research has often excluded the experiences of women and minority patient populations. Further, clinical research has often relied on quantitative research strategies; this provides an interesting but limited understanding of women's health experiences and hinders the provision of effective patient-centered care. This article defines qualitative research and its unique contributions to research, and provides examples of how qualitative research has given insights into the reproductive health perspectives and behaviors of underserved women.
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 North Saint Clair Street, Suite 1845, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Angela K
AK
Lawson
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, L4000 Women's Hospital, 1500 East Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. Electronic address: marshee@med.umich.edu.
Erica E
EE
Marsh
D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D016387:Women's Health / Q000592:standards*; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards
Fibroids; Gynecology; Qualitative research; Underserved women