Case study research and causal inference
Abstract Case study methodology is widely used in health research, but has had a marginal role in evaluative studies, given it is often assumed that case studies offer little for making causal inferences. We undertook a narrative review of examples of case study research from public health and healt...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-022-01790-8 |
| _version_ | 1811190486680993792 |
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| author | Judith Green Benjamin Hanckel Mark Petticrew Sara Paparini Sara Shaw |
| author_facet | Judith Green Benjamin Hanckel Mark Petticrew Sara Paparini Sara Shaw |
| author_sort | Judith Green |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Case study methodology is widely used in health research, but has had a marginal role in evaluative studies, given it is often assumed that case studies offer little for making causal inferences. We undertook a narrative review of examples of case study research from public health and health services evaluations, with a focus on interventions addressing health inequalities. We identified five types of contribution these case studies made to evidence for causal relationships. These contributions relate to: (1) evidence about system actors’ own theories of causality; (2) demonstrative examples of causal relationships; (3) evidence about causal mechanisms; (4) evidence about the conditions under which causal mechanisms operate; and (5) inference about causality in complex systems. Case studies can and do contribute to understanding causal relationships. More transparency in the reporting of case studies would enhance their discoverability, and aid the development of a robust and pluralistic evidence base for public health and health services interventions. To strengthen the contribution that case studies make to that evidence base, researchers could: draw on wider methods from the political and social sciences, in particular on methods for robust analysis; carefully consider what population their case is a case ‘of’; and explicate the rationale used for making causal inferences. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:50:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a718af28d1094ae09f97273daed499f2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2288 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:50:54Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Research Methodology |
| spelling | doaj.art-a718af28d1094ae09f97273daed499f22022-12-22T04:17:27ZengBMCBMC Medical Research Methodology1471-22882022-12-012211810.1186/s12874-022-01790-8Case study research and causal inferenceJudith Green0Benjamin Hanckel1Mark Petticrew2Sara Paparini3Sara Shaw4Wellcome Centre for Cultures & Environments of Health, University of ExeterInstitute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney UniversityDepartment of Public Health, Environments & Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineWolfson Institute of Population Health, Queen Mary University of LondonNuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of OxfordAbstract Case study methodology is widely used in health research, but has had a marginal role in evaluative studies, given it is often assumed that case studies offer little for making causal inferences. We undertook a narrative review of examples of case study research from public health and health services evaluations, with a focus on interventions addressing health inequalities. We identified five types of contribution these case studies made to evidence for causal relationships. These contributions relate to: (1) evidence about system actors’ own theories of causality; (2) demonstrative examples of causal relationships; (3) evidence about causal mechanisms; (4) evidence about the conditions under which causal mechanisms operate; and (5) inference about causality in complex systems. Case studies can and do contribute to understanding causal relationships. More transparency in the reporting of case studies would enhance their discoverability, and aid the development of a robust and pluralistic evidence base for public health and health services interventions. To strengthen the contribution that case studies make to that evidence base, researchers could: draw on wider methods from the political and social sciences, in particular on methods for robust analysis; carefully consider what population their case is a case ‘of’; and explicate the rationale used for making causal inferences.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-022-01790-8Case studyEvaluationCausal inferenceInequalityPublic healthHealth services research |
| spellingShingle | Judith Green Benjamin Hanckel Mark Petticrew Sara Paparini Sara Shaw Case study research and causal inference BMC Medical Research Methodology Case study Evaluation Causal inference Inequality Public health Health services research |
| title | Case study research and causal inference |
| title_full | Case study research and causal inference |
| title_fullStr | Case study research and causal inference |
| title_full_unstemmed | Case study research and causal inference |
| title_short | Case study research and causal inference |
| title_sort | case study research and causal inference |
| topic | Case study Evaluation Causal inference Inequality Public health Health services research |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-022-01790-8 |
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