Different wor(l)ds: three approaches to health research

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Population Health Research

Background:

• The social sciences employ diverse research methodologies.
• Understanding philosophical assumptions is crucial for research design and interpretation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and compare positivist, interpretivist, and critical social science research approaches.
• To examine the philosophical assumptions underlying these methods.
• To situate these approaches within the context of population health research.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of research paradigms.
• Comparative description of social science research approaches.
• Application of theoretical frameworks to population health.

Main Results:

• Identified key philosophical assumptions for each research approach.
• Demonstrated the relevance of these assumptions to population health studies.
• Highlighted ongoing debates and complexities in social science research.

Conclusions:

• Explicitly defining terms and assumptions facilitates interdisciplinary dialogue.
• Acknowledging and tolerating diverse research approaches enriches the field.
• Further exploration of philosophical underpinnings is recommended for robust population health research.