The power of words: evaluating the role of qualitative methods in cancer research

Abstract

This Review underscores qualitative research as an indispensable facet of scientific inquiry to improve provision of safe, effective, and affordable care for patients with cancer worldwide. Representing a global working group of applied qualitative researchers, our multidisciplinary authorship team defines qualitative research, characterises its purpose and value, and describes specific ways in which qualitative inquiry is central to advancing cures, treatment, and quality of life in oncology. In this Review, we put forward an imperative for the use of qualitative methods to assess context, understand population needs, design interventions, optimise implementation, and investigate mechanisms of action underpinning changes in health outcomes. We highlight the ways in which qualitative methods capture cultural context, making them crucial for scientific inquiry, and discuss the importance of using qualitative research to define research priorities, uncover and address understudied topics, and elevate marginalised voices globally. Ultimately, this Review serves as a call to action for improved integration of qualitative scholarship across each stage of cancer research and establishes a roadmap for collaboration among clinicians, scientists, publishers, and funders to recognise qualitative research as essential for scientific advancement in the field of oncology.