Using Naturally Occurring Data in Qualitative Health Research: A Practical Guide

This highly practical resource brings new dimensions to the utility of qualitative data in health research by focusing on naturally occurring data. It examines how naturally occurring data complement interviews and other sources of researcher-generated health data, and takes readers through the steps of identifying, collecting, analyzing, and disseminating these findings in ethical research with real-world relevance. The authors acknowledge the critical importance of evidence-based practice in today’s healthcare landscape and argue for naturally occurring data as a form of practice-based evidence making valued contributions to the field. And chapters evaluate frequently overlooked avenues for naturally occurring data, including media and social media sources, health policy and forensic health contexts, and digital communications. 

·         Exploring the benefits and limitations of using naturally occurring data in health research

·         Considering qualitative approaches that may benefit from using naturally occurring data

·         Utilizing computer-mediated communications and social media in health

·         Using naturally occurring data to research vulnerable groups

·         Reviewing empirical examples of health research using naturally occurring data

Using Naturally Occurring Data in Qualitative Health Research makes concepts, methods, and rationales accessible and applicable for readers in the health and mental health fields, among them health administrators, professionals in research methodology, psychology researchers, and practicing and trainee clinicians. 

Nikki Kiyimba, DClinPsy, PhD, is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and the Director of Clinical Services for a specialist trauma centre. She works clinically with both adults and children. Nikki is also a senior lecturer at the University of Chester and works as the Programme Leader for the MSc in Therapeutic Practice for Psychological Trauma. Her research interests are in qualitative research and in using discourse and conversation analysis to study therapeutic interactions. Specifically, she has research interests in child and adolescent mental health and trauma, and in mental health assessments. She has published several articles related to these topics, such as exploring questions from practitioners and strategies for engaging children and young people. She has recently co-authored a book on engaging in mental health research with children and adolescents; Doing mental health research with children and adolescents: A guide to qualitative methods. London: Sage. 

Jessica Nina Lester, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Inquiry Methodology (Qualitative Methodologies/Methods) in the School of Education at Indiana University, US. Much of her research is positioned at the intersection of discourse studies and disability studies. Jessica co-edited a book focused on performance ethnographies and co-authored a book focused on the use of digital tools across the qualitative research process. She also co-authored a research methods textbook and is the co-editor of The Palgrave handbook of child mental health: Discourse and conversation studies and The Palgrave handbook of adult mental health: Discourse and conversation studies. She has most recently published in journals such as Qualitative Inquiry and Discourse Studies. Jessica also sits on the editorial boards of several journals, including Disability Studies Quarterly, Qualitative Research in Psychology, and Education Policy Analysis Archives. She is also the recipient of the 2014 Division D Early Career Award in Measurement and Research Methodology (Qualitative Methodology) from the American Educational Research Association, as well as the 2018 2018 Distinguished Early Career Contributions in Qualitative Inquiry Award (Division 5) from the American Psychological Association. 

Michelle O’Reilly, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer at the Greenwood Institute of Child Health, University of Leicester, UK. She works for the School of Media Communication and Sociology and the School of Psychology as part of this role. Michelle is also a Research Consultant, at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. Michelle’s research interests are broadly in the areas of child mental health (with an interest in neurodevelopmental conditions), family therapy, qualitative health research, and research ethics. Michelle directs an international scholarly group specialising in discourse and conversation analysis in Autism Spectrum Disorder (Conversation Analysis Research in Autism – CARA). Michelle sits on the editorial board of the Journal of Family Therapy and the journal, Research on Children and Social Interaction (RoCSI). Specifically, Michelle is interested in language and mental health, having recently co-authored a book on social constructionism and mental health and is a co-editor of the book series, the language of mental health with Jessica Nina Lester. She has also recently edited two handbooks related to mental health with her co-author Jessica Lester ‘The Palgrave handbook of child mental health’ and ‘The Palgrave handbook of adult mental health’.