How do qualitative and quantitative research differ in health care?

Qualitative and quantitative research serve distinct purposes in health care research and provide different types of insights. Qualitative research is specifically designed to explore and understand perceptions, experiences, beliefs, and attitudes of individuals, often through methods such as interviews, focus groups, or open-ended surveys. This approach provides depth and context, revealing the underlying motives and feelings that shape patient behavior and healthcare outcomes.

On the other hand, quantitative research is centered on numerical data and statistical analysis. It seeks to quantify variables and identify patterns or correlations through structured methods such as surveys with fixed responses, experiments, or observational studies. This research is essential for measuring outcomes, testing hypotheses, and making generalizable conclusions based on statistical evidence.

By contrasting these two types of research, it becomes clear that qualitative research contributes rich, descriptive insights into health care phenomena, while quantitative research offers a more objective, measurable perspective. This distinction illustrates why the correct answer highlights qualitative research's focus on perceptions and experiences and quantitative research's emphasis on numerical data.