Mixed Methods Studies Using Secondary Analysis in Nursing and Midwifery: A Methodological Review

To identify mixed methods studies in nursing and midwifery using secondary analysis and to examine their methodological characteristics.

Methodological review.

A systematic search was conducted to identify empirical mixed methods studies in nursing and midwifery that used secondary analysis. A data extraction sheet was developed based on previous methodological reviews of secondary analysis and mixed methods.

SCOPUS, Web of Science and CINAHL were searched from inception to March 10, 2023. Supplementary searches were conducted in two methodological journals and six nursing journals.

A total of 26 mixed methods studies published between 2000 and 2022 were included in the review. Of these, only 13 studies explicitly mentioned the type of mixed methods design used. Twenty studies showed evidence of integration of the quantitative and qualitative components. Most of these studies integrated the components at the interpretation stage, whereas fewer integrated the components during data collection. None of the studies mentioned the rationale for using secondary analysis in the context of a mixed methods study.

The included studies demonstrated fairly good reporting of mixed methods features, although they generally lacked a rationale for the use of secondary data.

Adequate reporting of mixed methods studies using secondary analysis is essential in order to allow readers to assess whether secondary analysis was appropriately incorporated into a mixed methods study and whether the potential of secondary analysis was fully exploited.

This review provides a set of recommendations to transparently report information regarding the research process and results obtained in mixed methods studies using secondary analysis.

Items relevant to methodological reviews included in the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) were considered for reporting the review.