Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Documentary Analysis within a Realist Evaluation: recommendations from a study of Sexual Assault Referral Centres

Price, Holly; Domoney, Jill; Ariss, Steven; Hughes, Elizabeth; Trevillion, Kylee

Authors

Holly Price

Jill Domoney

Steven Ariss

Elizabeth Hughes

Kylee Trevillion



Abstract

Realist approaches are increasingly used in studies of complex health interventions/evaluations to understand how programmes work, for whom, and under what circumstances. Mixed-method data sources can be used to generate, refine and test realist programme theories, which explore causal links about the contexts that affect the mechanisms of an intervention and lead to the production of different outcomes. The realist approach provides a framework for a detailed understanding of how a programme functions, aiding with the implementation, refinement or adaptation of interventions.
Documentary analysis provides an overview of the theoretical and practical functioning of a service and the ways it is structured to provide interventions. Data is often collected early in the evaluation and can include service specifications, organisational policies and procedures and routine audit data. This paper describes a two-stage process of documentary analysis, where data extraction forms and journey maps are used to explore how Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in England respond to the mental health and substance use needs of users. Using documentary analysis as part of a sequential data collection process can be valuable in informing subsequent data sources (e.g. qualitative interview schedules can be used to further test and refine theories from a documentary analysis). Considerations for researchers in applying documentary analysis include the value of keeping initial searches broad, to capture documents from a range of sources; the need for clarity about the prioritisation of data sources in the selection process; the benefit in establishing a standardised extraction form that incorporates the wider context within which the intervention functions; taking steps to ensure face validity and transferability during interpretation of data sources; the benefits of transforming information from the data extraction form into a visual journey map.

Citation

Price, H., Domoney, J., Ariss, S., Hughes, E., & Trevillion, K. (2021). Documentary Analysis within a Realist Evaluation: recommendations from a study of Sexual Assault Referral Centres. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 20, https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211047818

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Aug 8, 2021
Online Publication Date Oct 7, 2021
Publication Date 2021
Deposit Date Sep 15, 2021
Publicly Available Date Oct 7, 2021
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 20
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069211047818
Keywords Mixed Methods, Methods in Qualitative Inquiry, Case Study, Qualitative Evaluation, Community Based Research, Realist Phenomenology
Public URL http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/2802050

Files

Documentary Analysis Within A Realist Evaluation: Recommendations From A Study Of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (606 Kb)
PDF








Downloadable Citations