Research Methods in Health: Investigating Health and Health Services (Fifth edition)

This bestselling book provides an accessible introduction to the concepts and practicalities of multi-disciplinary research methods in health and health services. The new edition has updated and expanded coverage of:

International examples, terms and approaches
Epidemiology and methods of tracing epidemics
Aging population demography and bio-demography
Evaluation and assessment of health services
Health services research and audit, including data generation
Methods of evaluating patients' perspectives
Measuring quality of life outcomes
Health economics methods and applications
Quantitative and qualitative research

Core processes and methodologies such as social research, mixed methods, literature reviewing and critical appraisal, secondary data analysis and evidence-based practice will be covered in detail. The book also looks at the following key areas of health research:

Health needs
Morbidity and mortality trends and rates
Costing health services
Sampling for survey research
Cross-sectional and longitudinal survey design
Experimental methods and techniques of group assignment
Questionnaire design
Interviewing techniques
Coding and analysis of quantitative data
Methods and analysis of qualitative observational studies
Unstructured interviewing

The book is grounded in the author's career as a researcher on health and health service issues, and the valuable experience this has provided in meeting the challenges of research on people and organisations in real life settings.

Research Methods in Health, Fifth Edition is an essential companion for students and researchers of health and health services at all levels, health clinicians and policy-makers with responsibility for applying research findings and judging the soundness of research.

Ann Bowling is a sociologist, specialising in research on ageing, research methods, quality of life, public and social health. She was Professor of Health Sciences at the University of Southampton, UK (2012-17), where she is now Visiting Professor. Ann was awarded the Highly Commended book prize for the 4th edition of Research Methods in Health at the 2015 BMA Medical Book Awards.