Innovative qualitative research methods in public health
1
Deakin Univeristy, Melbourne, Australia
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Public health challenges are shaped by social, commercial, and political conditions that influence how communities experience health and wellbeing [1]. There is increasing demand for methods that capture lived experiences and community perspectives, particularly where these perspectives are missing from policy and practice debates. Online qualitative surveys prioritise open ended responses and are increasingly used in public health research [2]. However, many researchers report uncertainty about how to design these surveys, demonstrate rigour, and manage large qualitative datasets. This workshop will provide practical guidance on using online qualitative surveys to explore complex public health issues.
METHODS:
Facilitators will guide participants through key stages of online qualitative survey development, including designing high-quality open-ended questions and developing prompts that support reflective and detailed responses. The session will also examine piloting processes, accessibility considerations and researcher reflexivity. Practical strategies will be shared for preparing and analysing large qualitative datasets, including transparent approaches to assessing response quality and maintaining analytic rigour.
RESULTS:
The workshop will demonstrate how online qualitative surveys can generate rich qualitative data and support participation from geographically dispersed populations. The method enables participants to describe complex experiences of health, policy, and social conditions in their own words. The workshop will be interactive, with attendees working through a survey example, with opportunities for discussion. Participants will also receive a workbook containing plain language summaries, survey development templates, tools for assessing response quality, further resources, and space to reflect on key decisions.
CONCLUSIONS:
Online qualitative surveys represent a flexible and rigorous method for public health research when designed and implemented carefully. This workshop will equip participants with practical tools to design, implement, analyse, and report online qualitative surveys. Building skills in this method can support more inclusive public health research and improve the integration of community perspectives into policy and practice.
Public health challenges are shaped by social, commercial, and political conditions that influence how communities experience health and wellbeing [1]. There is increasing demand for methods that capture lived experiences and community perspectives, particularly where these perspectives are missing from policy and practice debates. Online qualitative surveys prioritise open ended responses and are increasingly used in public health research [2]. However, many researchers report uncertainty about how to design these surveys, demonstrate rigour, and manage large qualitative datasets. This workshop will provide practical guidance on using online qualitative surveys to explore complex public health issues.
METHODS:
Facilitators will guide participants through key stages of online qualitative survey development, including designing high-quality open-ended questions and developing prompts that support reflective and detailed responses. The session will also examine piloting processes, accessibility considerations and researcher reflexivity. Practical strategies will be shared for preparing and analysing large qualitative datasets, including transparent approaches to assessing response quality and maintaining analytic rigour.
RESULTS:
The workshop will demonstrate how online qualitative surveys can generate rich qualitative data and support participation from geographically dispersed populations. The method enables participants to describe complex experiences of health, policy, and social conditions in their own words. The workshop will be interactive, with attendees working through a survey example, with opportunities for discussion. Participants will also receive a workbook containing plain language summaries, survey development templates, tools for assessing response quality, further resources, and space to reflect on key decisions.
CONCLUSIONS:
Online qualitative surveys represent a flexible and rigorous method for public health research when designed and implemented carefully. This workshop will equip participants with practical tools to design, implement, analyse, and report online qualitative surveys. Building skills in this method can support more inclusive public health research and improve the integration of community perspectives into policy and practice.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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