Previous edition: 2009.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Section I: Investigating health services and health: the scope of research. Evaluating health services: multidisciplinary collaboration -- Social research on health: sociological and psychological concepts and approaches -- Quality of life: concepts, measurements and patient perception -- Health needs and their assessment: demography and epidemiology -- Costing health services: health economics -- Section II: The philosophy, theory and practice of research. The philosophical framework of measurement -- The principles of research -- Section III: Quantitative research: sampling and research methods. Sample size and sampling for quantitative and qualitative research -- Quantitative research: surveys -- Quantitative research: experiments and other analytic methods of investigation -- Sample selection and group assignment methods in experiments and other analytic methods -- Section IV: The tools of quantitative research. Data collection methods in quantitative research: questionnaires, interviews and their response rates -- Questionnaire design -- Techniques of survey interviewing -- Preparation of quantitative data for coding and analysis Section V Qualitative and mixed research methods -- Unstructured and structured observational studies -- Unstructured interviewing -- Focus groups -- Mixed research approaches.

"This bestselling book provides an accessible introduction to the concepts and practicalities of research methods in health and health services. This new edition has been extensively re-worked and expanded and now includes expanded coverage of: qualitative methods; social research; evaluation methodology; mixed methods; secondary data analysis; literature reviewing and critical appraisal; evidence based practice. Covering all core methodologies in detail the book looks at the following kinds 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.Research methods in health, Fourth Edition is an essential companion for students and researchers of health and health services, health clinicians and policy-makers with responsibility for applying research findings and judging the soundness of research."--Publisher's description.