Application of Qualitative Methods and Mixed Designs in Healthcare

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 546

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group of Humanities and Qualitative Research in Health Science (Hum&QRinHS), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
Interests: mental health; neurology; rare diseases; community health; interdisciplinary research; occupational therapy; rehabilitation sciences
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group of Humanities and Qualitative Research in Health Science (Hum&QRinHS), 28922 Alcorcón, Spain
Interests: neurology; rare diseases; community health; interdisciplinary research; occupational therapy; rehabilitation; virtual reality; exergames

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Qualitative research and mixed designs play a crucial role in advancing the field of health sciences. These approaches allow for a deeper understanding of the lived experiences of patients, caregivers, and health professionals, enabling the exploration of complex phenomena that cannot be fully captured through quantitative methods alone. By integrating diverse perspectives, these methods contribute to the creation of contextually relevant, person-centered solutions in healthcare.

In recent years, the need for holistic approaches in health research has grown, as we face challenges such as increasing health disparities, the complexities of chronic illness management, and the demand for culturally competent care. Qualitative research provides insights into the "why" and "how" behind health behaviors, while mixed designs offer the strength of combining qualitative depth with quantitative rigor, creating a more comprehensive understanding of health-related issues.

This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge research that highlights the application of qualitative methods and mixed designs in addressing pressing health concerns. Topics may include, but are not limited to, patient-centered care, health equity, mental health, rare diseases, neurology, co-creation of interventions, and the evaluation of policies and programs. By bringing together contributions from diverse disciplines, this issue seeks to inspire innovative approaches and encourage collaboration in the pursuit of better health outcomes for all.

We invite researchers and practitioners to share their work and insights, advancing the role of qualitative and mixed methodologies in transforming health research and practice.

Kind regards,

Dr. Jorge Pérez-Corrales
Dr. Cristina Garciá-Bravo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • qualitative methods
  • mixed designs
  • healthcare research
  • patient-centered care
  • interdisciplinary approaches
  • evidence-based practice

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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24 pages, 1223 KiB  
Article
Mental Health Recovery Process Through Art: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Multi-Center Study of an Art-Based Community Project
by Jaume Cases-Cunillera, Ruben del Río Sáez, Josep Manel Santos-López and Salvador Simó-Algado
Healthcare 2025, 13(10), 1103; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13101103 - 9 May 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Art-based community projects positively impact mental health recovery by fostering creativity, self-expression, and social engagement. Despite growing evidence on participatory art interventions, limited studies have used a mixed-methods approach to examine their effects. The present study examines how participation in the Artistic [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Art-based community projects positively impact mental health recovery by fostering creativity, self-expression, and social engagement. Despite growing evidence on participatory art interventions, limited studies have used a mixed-methods approach to examine their effects. The present study examines how participation in the Artistic Couples project influences individuals’ subjective perceptions of recovery, psychological well-being, and self-stigma. Methods: This exploratory multi-center study employed an embedded mixed-methods design, integrating qualitative Photovoice methodology with a quantitative pre–post survey. Participants (N = 30) from five mental health institutions across Catalonia engaged in collaborative art creation with local artists. Qualitative data from Photovoice discussions and semi-structured interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, while quantitative data from standardized measures were examined using paired t-tests and correlation analysis. Results: Qualitative findings revealed the following three key themes: (1) artmaking as an artistic couple, emphasizing the collaborative process and art as a means of self-expression; (2) social connections, highlighting increased belonging, emotional support, and reduced loneliness; and (3) understanding mental health recovery, showcasing art’s role in identity reconstruction and personal growth. Quantitative results indicated a significant improvement in the “Connecting and Belonging” subscale of the RAS-DS (t = −2.51; p = 0.023), particularly among women (t = −2.85; p = 0.019), suggesting enhanced social integration. However, no statistically significant changes were observed in overall recovery, well-being, or self-stigma scores. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that participatory community art projects enhance social connections and self-expression, which are key elements of mental health recovery. The findings suggest that creative collaborations facilitate emotional processing and challenge stigma. The improvement in social belonging supports integrating arts-based interventions in recovery-oriented care. Future research should examine long-term effects and gender-sensitive approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Qualitative Methods and Mixed Designs in Healthcare)
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