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The European Journal of Public Health Advance Access published online on June 26, 2009
The European Journal of Public Health, doi:10.1093/eurpub/ckp085
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

The contribution of qualitative research to the development of tailor-made community-based interventions in primary care: a review

Yvonne J. F. M. Jansen1, Marleen M. E. Foets2 and Antoinette A. de Bont1

1 Institute of Health Policy and Management, department of Healthcare Governance, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2 Institute of Health Policy and Management, department of Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment, Erasmus MC Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Correspondence:Yvonne J.F.M. Jansen, Institute of Health Policy and Management, Department of Healthcare Governance, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands, tel: +31 10 40 88912, fax: +31 10 40 89094, e-mail: y.jansen{at}erasmusmc.nl

Received November 20, 2008 , accepted May 29, 2009

Background: In recent years, a trend in the use of tailor-made approaches and pragmatic trial methodology for evaluating effectiveness has been visible in programs ranging from large-scale national health prevention campaigns to community-based initiatives. Qualitative research is used more often for tailoring interventions towards communities and/or local care practices. This article systematically reviews the contribution of qualitative research in developing tailor-made community-based interventions in primary care evaluated by means of the pragmatic trial methodology. Methods: A systematic search of Pubmed/Medline and Embase revealed 33 articles. Using a literature mapping process, the articles were arranged according to the development phases identified in the MRC framework for the development of complex interventions to improve health. Results: The review showed qualitative research is mainly used to provide insight into the contextual circumstances of the interventions’ implementation, delivery and evaluation. To a lesser extent, qualitative research findings are used for tailoring and improving the design of the interventions for a better fit with daily primary care practice. Moreover, most qualitative findings are used for tailoring the interventions’ contextual circumstances so that the interventions are performed in practice as planned, rather than adjusted to local circumstances. Conclusions: Pragmatic trials seem to be oxymoronic. Although the pragmatic trial methodology establishes the effectiveness of interventions under natural, non-experimental conditions, no pragmatic fit is allowed. Qualitative research's contribution to the development of tailor-made community-based interventions lies in providing ongoing evaluations of the dilemmas faced in pragmatic trials and allowing for the development of true tailor-made interventions.

Keywords: developing tailor-made community-based interventions, pragmatic trials, primary care, qualitative research, tailor-made approach.


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