Research Methods in Health: Investigating Health and Health Services

“An essential and comprehensive guide for students and researchers in a range of health care disciplines investigating health services, health care and well-being.”
Professor Robert J. Edelmann, Emeritus Professor of Clinical and Forensic Psychology, University of Roehampton, UK

“An invaluable resource for students, researchers and practitioners from all health backgrounds and disciplines, who are involved in research to produce a robust evidence-base to inform the development, provision, delivery and evaluation of healthcare services.”
Felicity Smith, Professor Emeritus of Pharmacy Practice, UCL School of Pharmacy, UK

“The fifth edition of ‘Research Methods in Health’ continues to provide an excellent broad based introduction to the subject.”
Virginia Berridge, Professor of History and Health Policy, Centre for History in Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK

This bestselling book provides an accessible introduction to the concepts and practicalities of multi-disciplinary research methods in health and health services. The new edition has updated and expanded coverage of:

•International examples, terms and approaches
•Epidemiology and methods of tracing epidemics
•Aging population demography and bio-demography 
•Evaluation and assessment of health services
•Health services research and audit, including data generation
•Methods of evaluating patients’ perspectives 
•Measuring quality of life outcomes
•Health economics methods and applications
•Quantitative and qualitative research

Core processes and methodologies such as social research, mixed methods, literature reviewing and critical appraisal, secondary data analysis and evidence-based practice will be covered in detail. The book also looks at the following key areas of health research:

•Health needs
•Morbidity and mortality trends and rates
•Costing health services
•Sampling for survey research
•Cross-sectional and longitudinal survey design
•Experimental methods and techniques of group assignment
•Questionnaire design
•Interviewing techniques
•Coding and analysis of quantitative data
•Methods and analysis of qualitative observational studies
•Unstructured interviewing

The book is grounded in the author's career as a researcher on health and health service issues, and the valuable experience this has provided in meeting the challenges of research on people and organisations in real life settings.

Research Methods in Health, Fifth Edition is an essential companion for students and researchers of health and health services at all levels, health clinicians and policy-makers with responsibility for applying research findings and judging the soundness of research.

Ann Bowling is a sociologist, specialising in research on ageing, research methods, quality of life, public and social health. She was Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Southampton, UK (2012–17), where she is now Visiting Professor. Ann was awarded the Highly Commended book prize for the 4th edition of Research Methods in Health at the 2015 BMA Medical Book Awards.