Abstract
In this chapter I discuss the importance of understanding social context as it relates to qualitative research, evidence-based health practice, and diversity. My central thesis is that an understanding of social context is integral to qualitative research about diversity because it provides information about how social structures may contribute to the marginalization of populations that are different from mainstream society. Based on an analysis of the interplay between social context and the research process, I also provide some practical guidelines for designing qualitative studies intended to address issues of diversity in health practice.
In this chapter I examine the interplay between social context, the qualitative research process, and health practice, all in relation to diversity. My central thesis is that an understanding of social context is integral to qualitative research about diversity because it provides information about how social structures may contribute to the marginalization of populations that are different from mainstream society. I am particularly interested in how qualitative research informs the understanding of social context and diversity. I will begin with a discussion about the nature of diversity and then attend to the ways in which knowledge on and about diversity is produced and evaluated (Dutta, Communicating health: a culture-centered approach, Polity Press, London, UK, 2008) and the ways research shapes the landscape of practice, especially within the broader backdrop of diversity. Finally, the chapter will end with a discussion of ways qualitative research could be used to identify and transform structures that constrain health of disenfranchised groups.
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Dutta, M. (2016). Social Context of Health and Diversity Issues. In: Olson, K., Young, R., Schultz, I. (eds) Handbook of Qualitative Health Research for Evidence-Based Practice. Handbooks in Health, Work, and Disability, vol 4. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2920-7_2
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