The contribution of qualitative research within the PRECISE study in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The PRECISE Network is a cohort study established to investigate hypertension, fetal growth restriction and stillbirth(described as“placental disorders”) in Kenya, Mozambique and The Gambia. Several pregnancy or birth cohorts havebeen set up in low- and middle-income countries, focussed on maternal and child health. Qualitative research methodsare sometimes used alongside quantitative data collection fromthese cohorts. Researchers affiliated with PRECISE are alsoplanning to use qualitative methods, from the perspective ofmultiple subject areas. This paper provides an overview ofthe different ways in which qualitative research methods can contribute to achieving PRECISE’s objectives, and discussesthe combination of qualitative methods with quantitative cohort studies more generally.We present planned qualitative work in six subject areas (health systems, health geography, mental health, communityengagement, the implementation of the TraCer tool, and respectful maternity care). Based on these plans, with reference toother cohort studies on maternal and child health, and in the context of the methodological literature on mixed methodsapproaches, we find that qualitative work may have several different functions in relation to cohort studies, includinginforming the quantitative data collection or interpretation. Researchers may also conduct qualitative work in pursuit of acomplementary research agenda. The degree to which integration between qualitative and quantitative methods will besought and achieved within PRECISE remains to be seen. Overall, we conclude that the synergies resulting from thecombination of cohort studies with qualitative researchare an asset to the field of maternal and child health