ArticleBMC research notes2016
Analyzing longitudinal qualitative data: the application of trajectory and recurrent cross-sectional approaches.
Article in BMC research notes, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 134 papers.
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Who cites it
134 citing papers in PubMed.
- Trial
- Explaining the complex impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children with overweight and obesity: a comparative ecological analysis of parents' perceptions in three countries.BMC public health · 2022Trial
- Evaluation of a Digital COPD Education Program for Healthcare Professionals in Long-Term Care - A Mixed Methods Study.International journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease · 2022Trial
- Influence of a Multifaceted Nursing Practice Bundle to Support Hospitalised Adults With Cognitive Impairment: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study.Journal of clinical nursing · 2026Article
- Mothers' Perceptions of System-Related Burden Following Their Youth's Psychiatric Hospitalization: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study.Administration and policy in mental health · 2026Article
- Diabetes care through video consultations: Insights from people using insulin pump therapy and healthcare professionals-A longitudinal qualitative study.Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association · 2026Article
- Living with brain metastases-A longitudinal qualitative study of patient experiences from time of diagnosis.Neuro-oncology practice · 2026Article
- Mixed Methods Trajectory Analysis of Daily Educational and Social Experiences of Youth With Cancer From Diagnosis to Early Survivorship.Psycho-oncology · 2026Article
- Identifying the facilitators and barriers of a healthy transition for adult children when an older parent is transferred to a nursing home: a narrative approach.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- Perinatal Insights Into Parenting, Pathways, and Addiction (PIPPA): Protocol for a Longitudinal, Strengths-Based Study in Flanders, Belgium.JMIR research protocols · 2026Article
- Exploring factors influencing mother-infant interaction trajectories post-NICU discharge in low-birth-weight infants during COVID-19 in China: a longitudinal qualitative study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2026Article
- Association between body roundness index trajectories and the risk of cardiometabolic multimorbidity in Chinese middle-aged and older adults: Evidence from the China health and retirement longitudinal study.International journal of cardiology. Cardiovascular risk and prevention · 2026Article
- "It would have been easier for me to give up if I were alone": how a pilot individualized case management intervention influenced female sex workers' oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis use in eThekwini, South Africa.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Observational
- The Common yet Different Journey: Role Transition Among Hospital-Based Advanced Practice Nurses in Mainland China: A Grounded Theory Study.Journal of nursing management · 2026Article
- Article
- Unraveling dynamic factors in Dialectic Behavioural Treatment for Adolescents (DBT-A): A study protocol.PloS one · 2026Article
- Article
- The longitudinal qualitative research design in nursing, health, and social care research: philosophy, methodology, and methods.BMC medical research methodology · 2025Review
- Stigma and Time: A Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis of Co-occurring HIV and Tuberculosis Stigma in South Africa.AIDS and behavior · 2025Article
74 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundLongitudinal qualitative research methods can add depth and understanding to health care research, especially on topics such as chronic conditions, adherence and changing health policies. In this manuscript we describe when and how to undertake two different applied approaches to analyzing longitudinal qualitative data: a recurrent cross-sectional approach and a trajectory approach.
resultsA recurrent cross-sectional approach is most appropriate when the primary interest is comparing two time points, such as before and after a policy change, or when a cohort cannot be maintained, such as a study in which some participants are expected to die. In contrast, a trajectory approach is most appropriate when the purpose of the research is to understand individuals' experiences over time or to understand longitudinal healthcare processes.
conclusionsLongitudinal qualitative research has the potential to be a powerful approach to understanding the complexities of health care: from relationships between providers and patients, to the experience of chronic disease, to the impact of health policy. Such research will be strengthened by careful consideration of the research question at hand, followed by application of the appropriate analytic approach.
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