The Qualitative Research Core (QRC) at UW’s Department of Health Systems and Population Health supports UW and community partners with guidance on qualitative research. With a flexible, collaborative approach, the QRC helps ensure research is methodologically sound, community-informed and impactful.
The Qualitative Research Core (QRC) is a small but mighty research center housed within the Department of Health Systems and Population Health at the University of Washington (UW). The QRC provides support for any UW research teams and community organizations seeking guidance for their qualitative research projects. With experts who specialize in research methodologies, the core can help with any portion of a qualitative research project from technical assistance with data collection and analysis, to training, resources, and consultations.
“The QRC has a lot of experience using relevant qualitative data methods,” said Miriana Duran, QRC Leader, Qualitative Trainer and Data Analyst at the center. “We’re here to help research teams have a better understanding of the methods to ensure the validity of their findings and reduce bias,” said Duran. “We can tailor our expertise and resources to wherever you are in the project process, and to academic and community partners. We’ll do a 30-minute consultation to assess what you need from our skills and take it from there.”
Flexible, collaborative and community-informed
Collaboration with the QRC can take many forms. The core has helped research teams in the early project stage by providing guidance on research methodologies and interview questions. The core has also helped research teams pivot to methods or processes that better align with objectives mid-project. QRC is flexible with how involved they are with the data. The core has provided training for local health departments and community organizations, so partners have the tools and resources they need to collect and analyze qualitative data to better understand the needs of their community and inform their programs or interventions.
More recently, QRC received a request to complete the entire analysis for a project that aimed to inform the development of a lifespan clinic serving adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Data was collected from three different participant sources, including a series of interviews and focus groups. “The timeline was tight, but two of our research scientists jumped on board; created a codebook, coded the interviews, analyzed the data and provided a summary of results for a conference and paper on the project in a matter over the course of 2-3 months,” said Duran.
The QRC team is a powerful resource for anyone interested in exploring complex issues. “Qualitative methods help answer questions that numbers can’t provide responses to,” said Duran. “If you’re interested in the “how” and “why” of something, qualitative methods are a great way to find those answers. They allow you to gather information from people’s lived experiences and help make programs, interventions, and policies better.”
To work with Duran and her team at the QRC, reach out for a consultation with the form below. To explore the services the core offers visit their website below.