Qualitative methods in pharmacy practice research

There is an increasing drive toward using research methods in pharmacy practice that supplement or substitute more traditional approaches based on measuring variables and testing hypotheses. These newer qualitative methodologies are built on very distinct assumptions about the world and how it can be researched, and can present themselves as challenging to people with limited experience on their use. This chapter aims to provide an overview of the knowledge that would underpin the adequate selection and use of qualitative research methods, providing practical advice on data collection, analysis and the reporting of results, alongside an overview of how this field was first developed and is now evolving.