PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ayano Kelly
AU  - Kathleen Tymms
AU  - Kieran Fallon
AU  - Daniel Sumpton
AU  - Peter Tugwell
AU  - David Tunnicliffe
AU  - Allison Tong
TI  - Qualitative research in rheumatology: an overview of methods and contributions to practice and policy
AID  - 10.3899/jrheum.191368
DP  - 2020 Jul 15
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - jrheum.191368
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2020/07/09/jrheum.191368.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2020/07/09/jrheum.191368.full
AB  - Patient-centred care is widely advocated in rheumatology. This involves collaboration among patients, caregivers and health professionals and is particularly important in chronic rheumatic conditions because the disease and treatment can impair patients’ health and wellbeing. Qualitative research can systematically generate insights about people’s experiences, beliefs and attitudes which patients may not always express in clinical settings. These insights can address complex and challenging areas in rheumatology such as treatment adherence and transition to adult healthcare services. Despite this, qualitative research comprises one per cent of studies published in top-tier rheumatology journals. A better understanding about the impact and role, methods and rigor of qualitative research is needed. This overview highlights recent contributions of qualitative research in rheumatology, summarizes common approaches and methods used, and outlines key principles to guide appraisal of qualitative studies.