Qualitative to Quantitative: linked trajectory of method triangulation in a study on HIV/AIDS in Goa, India
Résumé
With 3.1 million people estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS in India and globally 39.5 million people, the epidemic has posed academics the challenge to identify behaviours and their underlying beliefs in the effort to reduce the risk of HIV transmission. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is frequently used to identify risk behaviours and adherence behaviour in the field of HIV/AIDS. Risk behaviour studies that apply HBM have been largely quantitative and use of qualitative methodology is rare. The marriage of qualitative and quantitative methods has never been easy. The challenge is in triangulating the methods. Method triangulation has been largely used to combine insights from the qualitative and quantitative methods but not to link both the methods. In this paper we suggest a linked trajectory of method triangulation. The linked trajectory aims to first gather individual level information through in-depth interviews and then present the information as vignettes in focus group discussions. We thus validate information obtained from in-depth interviews and gather emic concepts that arise from the interaction. We thus capture both the interpretation and the interaction angles of the qualitative method. Further, using the qualitative information gained, a survey is designed. In doing so, the survey questions are grounded and contextualized. We employed this linked trajectory of method triangulation in a study on ‘Risk assessment of HIV/AIDS among migrant and mobile men? Fieldwork was carried out in Goa, India. Data come from two waves of studies, first explorative qualitative study (2003), second larger study (2004-05) includes in-depth interviews (25), focus group discussions (21) and a survey (N=1259). By employing the qualitative to quantitative linked trajectory of method triangulation (LTMT) we can, not only contextualize the existing concepts of the HBM, but also validate new concepts and identify new risk groups.
Origine : Fichiers produits par l'(les) auteur(s)