Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25948132›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being2015

Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a useful methodological framework for the Delphi technique.

Diana Guzys, Virginia Dickson-Swift, Amanda Kenny, Guinever Threlkeld

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
16citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Opioid conversion in adults with cancer: MASCC-ASCO-AAHPM-HPNA-NICSO guideline.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Guideline
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. From powerlessness to recognition the meaning of palliative care clinicians' experience of suffering.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2020
    Article
  13. Priorities for collaborative research using very preterm birth cohorts.Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition · 2020
    Article
  14. Delphi Technique in Health Sciences: A Map.Frontiers in public health · 2020
    Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Diana GuzysLa Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia; d.guzys@latrobe.edu.au.
Virginia Dickson-SwiftLa Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia.
Amanda KennyLa Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia.
Guinever ThrelkeldLa Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Albury-Wodonga, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In this article we aim to demonstrate how Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics may provide a sound methodological framework for researchers using the Delphi Technique (Delphi) in studies exploring health and well-being. Reporting of the use of Delphi in health and well-being research is increasing, but less attention has been given to covering its methodological underpinnings. In Delphi, a structured anonymous conversation between participants is facilitated, via an iterative survey process. Participants are specifically selected for their knowledge and experience with the topic of interest. The purpose of structuring conversation in this manner is to cultivate collective opinion and highlight areas of disagreement, using a process that minimizes the influence of group dynamics. The underlying premise is that the opinion of a collective is more useful than that of an individual. In designing our study into health literacy, Delphi aligned well with our research focus and would enable us to capture collective views. However, we were interested in the methodology that would inform our study. As researchers, we believe that methodology provides the framework and principles for a study and is integral to research integrity. In assessing the suitability of Delphi for our research purpose, we found little information about underpinning methodology. The absence of a universally recognized or consistent methodology associated with Delphi was highlighted through a scoping review we undertook to assist us in our methodological thinking. This led us to consider alternative methodologies, which might be congruent with the key principles of Delphi. We identified Gadamerian philosophical hermeneutics as a methodology that could provide a supportive framework and principles. We suggest that this methodology may be useful in health and well-being studies utilizing the Delphi method.

Indexed as

Delphi TechniqueHealthHermeneuticsPhilosophyResearch DesignData CollectionHumanscollective opiniondemocratic group methoddialogueHealth and well-being methods

Identifiers

PMID25948132
PMCPMC4422843

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.