Is Evidence-Based Practice a Threat to the Progress of the Qualitative Community? Arguments From the Bottom of the Pyramid

Abstract

Although scholars have gone to great lengths to illustrate the value of qualitative research and ensure that it is well represented in all areas of academic life, there remains a gap of equality when compared with quantitative research, which is still viewed by many as superior, specifically in applied fields such as health. This has become particularly true as the evidence-based movement has continued to find its way into discussions around the legitimacy of qualitative research. In this article, we argue that the evidence-based movement, particularly in medicine and health, continues to pose challenges for us as a qualitative community—challenges that we will need to grapple with in the coming years.