Interpretive Phenomenology in Health Care Research

Interpretative phenomenological analysis aims to offer insights into how a person within a given context makes sense of a phenomenon usually these phenomena relate to experiences of some personal significance such as a major life event (acute or chronic illness, death of a loved one, change in economic status, etc.) or the development of an important relationship. Interpretive phenomenology augments the decontextualized stories those told without consideration of the wholeness of one s life told by rational-empirical research studies of human beings. It reveals knowledge embedded in caring, cultural and social practices, engaged skilled actions, embodied know-how, and concrete ways people cope with everyday life events such as health, illness, injury, birth, suffering, and dying. Interpretive Phenomenology for Health Care Research reveals in intimate, descriptive, and interpretive accounts what it means to be human and what is common to human lives. The book will help readers better understand the philosophy and methodology used to study the lived experiences of persons receiving health care.