Publishing qualitative research in medical journals

Qualitative research makes an important contribution to research in the medical sciences. It has a particular role in providing understanding with respect to decisions and behaviours of patients and professionals, in exploring factors affecting the implementation of new interventions, and in developing theory in fields such as illness behaviour, clinical decision making, illness prevention, and health promotion. Qualitative research articles account for almost a quarter of submissions to the BJGP, with a similar acceptance rate for publication. About a quarter of the 40 most highly cited articles published in the BJGP in recent years employ qualitative methods.