IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0234898.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Applying a mixed methods design to test saturation for qualitative data in health outcomes research

Author

Listed:
  • Fatoumata Fofana
  • Pat Bazeley
  • Antoine Regnault

Abstract

Saturation, a core concept in qualitative research, suggests when data collection might end. It is reached when no new relevant information emerges with additional interviews. The aim of this research was to explore whether a mixed methods design could contribute to the demonstration of saturation. Firstly, saturation was conceptualized mathematically using set theory. Secondly, a conversion mixed design was conducted: a set of codes derived from qualitative interviews were quantitized and analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) regression to document whether saturation was reached. A qualitative study conducted by other researchers prior to this work (i.e. none of the present authors was involved in this study) was used to test saturation using PLS regression. This illustrative qualitative study aimed to investigate the impact of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) on nurses’ work in the hospital and the results were published elsewhere (Guillemin et al. 2015). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 nurses. Saturation was characterized by the cumulative percentage of variability accounted for by PLS factors. After 12 interviews, this percentage was 51% which suggests that saturation was achieved at least on main themes. Two main themes identifying similarities in the experience of nurses caring for patients with CDI were identified: Organization/Coordination of the working day and Time-consuming work. Although dependent on the coding of qualitative data, PLS regression of quantitized data from qualitative interviews generated useful information for the determination of saturation.

Suggested Citation

  • Fatoumata Fofana & Pat Bazeley & Antoine Regnault, 2020. "Applying a mixed methods design to test saturation for qualitative data in health outcomes research," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-12, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0234898
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234898
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0234898
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0234898&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0234898?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Frank J van Rijnsoever, 2017. "(I Can’t Get No) Saturation: A simulation and guidelines for sample sizes in qualitative research," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, July.
    2. Anthony Onwuegbuzie & Nancy Leech, 2007. "A Call for Qualitative Power Analyses," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 105-121, February.
    3. Benjamin Saunders & Julius Sim & Tom Kingstone & Shula Baker & Jackie Waterfield & Bernadette Bartlam & Heather Burroughs & Clare Jinks, 2018. "Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1893-1907, July.
    4. Karl Sivesind, 1999. "Structured, Qualitative Comparison," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 33(4), pages 361-380, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hennink, Monique & Kaiser, Bonnie N., 2022. "Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research: A systematic review of empirical tests," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liza Rybina & Timothy J. Lee, 2020. "Traveler Motivation and Destination Loyalty: Visiting Sacred Places in Central Asia," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 2(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Jennifer Tartaglia & Michelle McIntosh & Jonine Jancey & Jane Scott & Andrea Begley, 2021. "Exploring Feeding Practices and Food Literacy in Parents with Young Children from Disadvantaged Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    3. Najwa Taghy & Linda Cambon & Caroline Boulliat & Olivier Aromatario & Claude Dussart, 2021. "Exploring the Determinants of Polypharmacy Prescribing and Dispensing Behaviours in Primary Care for the Elderly—Protocol for a Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-10, July.
    4. Van Droogenbroeck, Ellen & Van Hove, Leo, 2020. "Intra-household task allocation in online grocery shopping: Together alone," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    5. Şahika Simsek-Cetinkaya & Simge Evrenol Ocal, 2023. "“Psychological Injuries Are Not Visible†: Experiences and Perceptions of Midwives and Nurses about Domestic Violence during Pregnancy," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 32(8), pages 1115-1123, November.
    6. Najwa Taghy & Viviane Ramel & Ana Rivadeneyra & Florence Carrouel & Linda Cambon & Claude Dussart, 2023. "Exploring the Determinants of Polypharmacy Prescribing and Dispensing Behaviors in Primary Care for the Elderly—Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Xudan Lin & Hong Zhu & Duo Yin, 2022. "Enhancing Rural Resilience in a Tea Town of China: Exploring Tea Farmers’ Knowledge Production for Tea Planting, Tea Processing and Tea Tasting," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.
    8. Silvia Scaramuzzi & Sara Gabellini & Giovanni Belletti & Andrea Marescotti, 2021. "Agrobiodiversity-Oriented Food Systems between Public Policies and Private Action: A Socio-Ecological Model for Sustainable Territorial Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-32, November.
    9. Asiimire Donath & Medard Twinamatsiko & Johnson Atwiine & Dr. Nuwatuhaire Benard, 2024. "Women Productive Resource Ownership and their Contribution to the Changing Family Patterns in Ankole Sub-Region, Uganda," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(5), pages 844-855, May.
    10. Tongyu Meng & Jamie Newth & Christine Woods, 2022. "Ethical Sensemaking in Impact Investing: Reasons and Motives in the Chinese Renewable Energy Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(4), pages 1091-1117, September.
    11. Navin Kumar & John Scott & Victor Minichiello, 2017. "Masculinity and the Occupational Experience of Male Independent Escorts Who Seek Male Clients," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, June.
    12. John Bwalya & Cecil Seethal, 2016. "Neighbourhood context and social cohesion in Southernwood, East London, South Africa," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(1), pages 40-56, January.
    13. Annette Peart & Virginia Lewis & Chris Barton & Grant Russell, 2020. "Healthcare professionals providing care coordination to people living with multimorbidity: An interpretative phenomenological analysis," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(13-14), pages 2317-2328, July.
    14. Soo-Yong Shin & Eun-Ju Lim, 2021. "Clinical Work and Life of Mid-Career Male Nurses: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-10, June.
    15. Alasdair Jones & Susan Parham, 2023. "Living in an Age-Friendly Community: Evidence from a Masterplanned Development in Southwest Sydney," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-21, January.
    16. Diego M. Coraiola & Robbin Derry, 2020. "Remembering to Forget: The Historic Irresponsibility of U.S. Big Tobacco," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 166(2), pages 233-252, October.
    17. Julian Alexandrakis & Julia Hein & Jan Kratzer, 2022. "Living Labs and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Symbioses Propelling Sustainable Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, October.
    18. Nuchjarin Intalar & Yasushi Ueki & Chawalit Jeenanunta, 2024. "Enhancing Competitiveness: Driving and Facilitating Factors for Industry 4.0 Adoption in Thai Manufacturing," Economies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-23, August.
    19. Rajshri Roy & Alshaima Alsaie & Jessica Malloy & Joya A. Kemper, 2024. "Sustainable Culinary Skills: Fostering Vegetable-Centric Cooking Practices among Young Adults for Health and Environmental Benefits—A Qualitative Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.
    20. Thomas Dax & Oliver Tamme, 2023. "Attractive Landscape Features as Drivers for Sustainable Mountain Tourism Experiences," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-16, June.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0234898. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.