The appropriate uses of qualitative methods in health economics

Ontology, epistemology and methodology are not subjects frequently discusse d in health economics, yet they are of great relevance to the question of h ow, or whether, to use qualitative methods as a means of examining certain issues. The paper discusses the nature of enquiry in health economics and t hen details the nature of qualitative methods and the constructivist philos ophy with which they are most commonly associated. The paper continues by e xamining different areas in the study of economics: neo-classical positive economics, alternative approaches to explanatory economics and normative we lfare economics. For each area the philosophical approach is outlined as ar e the areas of research interest. Appropriate roles for qualitative methods within these philosophical approaches are then suggested. The paper conclu des by warning that health economists should not use qualitative methods na ively. They must be aware of the potential difficulties: both of inadverten tly ending up outside the intended research philosophy and of conducting re search which is accepted by neither economists nor qualitative researchers. If, however, health economists are aware of ontological, epistemological a nd methodological issues, they can make an informed decision about the appr opriateness of qualitative methods in their research and thereby potentiall y enhance their ability to answer the questions in which they are intereste d. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.