HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH METHODS IN PHARMACY: Focus groups and observation studies

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Abstract
This paper reviews research undertaken in pharmacy practice and related settings employing focus groups and observation methods. The aim of the review is to identify the main methodological considerations of these approaches to enable pharmacy practice researchers to benefit from the experiences of their colleagues when conducting their own research. The paper is in two parts. Focus groups have become increasingly prominent in pharmacy practice and health services research. They are an attractive and effective alternative to individual qualitative interviews for particular problems in pharmacy research. In this paper, the use of focus groups by researchers in pharmacy practice and related settings is reviewed. Observation studies have been applied widely to address many research questions. They are a valuable method of obtaining data, documenting actual events and activities rather than relying on self-reports of behaviours and events. Observation methods have been used both as a sole method for a research study and in combination with other methods. In the pharmacy practice literature there are examples of participant and non-participant observation studies and both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Through the experiences of pharmacy practice researchers, the methodological and ethical issues that these studies present are identified and ways in which they have been addressed are explored.