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Which study type is that? A guide to study types

Study and experiment types for Health Sciences and Medicine

Action research


Action research, also known as participatory action research, can be used to improve the quality of healthcare practices and services. It aligns with continuous quality improvement cycles in healthcare management and is valuable for fostering innovation, improving services, expanding practitioner knowledge, and involving users and staff. It integrates action and reflection, theory and practice, in collaboration with others (Hughes, 2008; Koshy et al., 2010).

action research

Further reading and resources

  • Casey, M., Coghlan, D., Carroll, Á., & Stokes, D. (2023). Towards a Checklist for Improving Action Research Quality in Healthcare Contexts. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 36(6), 923-934. Full Text
     
  • Casey, M., Carroll, Á., Coghlan, D., & Stokes, D. (2024). Appraising Quality in Action Research in Healthcare Settings. IJAR–International Journal of Action Research, 20(1), 27-49. Full Text
     
  • Hughes, I. (2008) ‘Action research in healthcare’, in P. Reason and H. Bradbury (eds), The SAGE Handbook of Action Research: Participative Inquiry and Practice. SAGE, London. Catalogue Link
     
  • Koshy, E., Waterman, H., & Koshy, V. (2010). Action research in healthcare. SAGE, London. Catalogue Link
     
  • Morrison, B., & Lilford, R. (2001). How can action research apply to health services?. Qualitative Health Research, 11(4), 436-449. Full Text
     

Example

Giesen, J., Berings, M., Bakker‐Jacobs, A., Vermeulen, H., Huisman‐De Waal, G., & Van Vught, A. (2024). Facilitating an Evidence‐Based Quality Improvement Learning Culture in Nursing Teams Through Coaching and Identification of Key Influencing Factors: An Action Research Approach. Journal of advanced nursing. Full Text

 

 


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