These are good qualitative research books:

1. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Approaches by Creswell

2. Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods by Quinn Patton

3. Qualitative Data Analysis by Miles and Huberman

As a general overview of qualitative research, I like "Designing Qualitative Research" by Rossman & Marshall, as well as "Introducing Qualitative Research: A Student's Guide" by Barbour -- who is a British medical sociologist.

As you probably already know, focus groups are very widely used in publications on health research (especially for more applied purposes), so it seems like the most likely other method that you want to know about is individual interviewing. In particular, the major distinction in qualitative methods is between interviewing and participant observation (ethnography), and it would be quite a leap from focus groups to observation.

I'm not aware of any books on individual interviewing that are either specifically sociological or oriented to medical topics, but my favorite source on this general topic is Rubin & Rubin, "Qualitative Interviewing: The Art of Hearing Data."

Thank you so much for your helpful responses. I'll take careful note of all your suggestions

Hi Beatriz

Here are links to my chapters on using  interviews and ethnography in the sociology of health and illness.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237237469_How_to_Use_Observation_in_a_Research_Project

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/253117832_Using_Interviews_in_a_Research_Project

Are these of some use?

Nick

Chapter Data Collection by Observation

Chapter Using Interviews in a Research Project

Thank you so much Nick, these links are really interesting and helpful

Hi Beatriz,

I like Denzin and Lincoln's Handbook of Qualitative Research, published by Sage. It's a bit old but excellent. You could also try The SAGE handbook of qualitative methods in health research, Bourgeault, Dingwall & De Vries.

Good luck!

Liz

I'd also recommend The SAGE handbook of qualitative methods in health research, Bourgeault, Dingwall & De Vries (eds.).  

Thank you Timothy. Liz  Newnham recommended the same text, so I am sure it is a very good reference book!

Hi

I have found the following to be very useful:

Pranee Liamputtong 2013 Qualitative Research Methods, Fourth Edition. Melbourne: OUP

All the best

Hi,

I would also agree with the suggestions of Bourgeault et al;  Creswell;  Miles and Huberman; Fox; Rubin & Rubin. Cheers!

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions!

Adele Clarke's "Situational analysis" is an interesting Development within the Grounded Theory tradition. 

Denzin and Lincoln's Handbook of Qualitative Research is the reference text to own for qualitative research.

Here are some other citations that might help, depending on your topic of interest.

Bury, Michael. Researching Patient-Professional Interactions. Journal of Health Services Research and

Policy 2004;9(Supplement 1):48–54. [PubMed: 15006228]

Charles, Cathy; DeMaio, Suzanne. Lay Participation in Health Care Decision-Making: A Conceptual

Framework. Journal of Health Politics, Policy, and Law 1993;18:881–904.

Lawton, Judith. Lay Experiences of Health and Illness: Past Research and Future Agendas. Sociology of

Health and Illness 2003;25:23–40. [PubMed: 14498928]

As the previous commentators replies evidence, the question is sufficiently broad as to invite all sorts of techniques and perspectives. There are ethnographies (often more anthopologic), decision making studies (more conceptual), and specifics focused to special interests within the sociology of medicine line of thought. For example, my work on perspectives on organ transplantation among different community members (The Limits of Principle), used a kind of Q-analysis to permit the discussion "spaces" to be identified.

 So while I like all the previous commentators' suggestons let me suggest that for a better, less general response you be clear on the area of medicine and sociology you wish to query and the general means of address (ethnographic, biographic, clinical) you might wish to consider.

Thanks for your interesting suggestions. I am interested in ART (Assisted Reproductive Techniques) patients' discourses, specifically how social factors have an influence on their experiences and perceptions, and how these perceptions interact as well with the way they face their treatment. I have already worked with women in treatment at the public healthcare system, using focus groups formed by certain variables in order to get a shared perspective depending on these variables. Now I would like to explore more in a methodological sense. Thank you again!

To add to the recommendations already provided by commentators, you may want to consider the following resources. All are accessible and highly readable. They each  provide general guidance and information about qualitative research with a focus on practical application:

Pope, C. & Mays, N. (2006). Qualitative Research in Health Care (3rd ed). BMJ Books.

This is the most recent update of a classic text. It is well-written and addresses a number of approaches to qualitative research, including "conversation analysis".  

Ritchie, J., Lewis, J., Nicholls, C.M., & Ormston, R. (2013). Qualitative Research Practice: A Guide for Social Science Students & Researchers (2nd ed). Sage.

This text is focused on the practical aspects of conducting qualitative research in social settings.

Cohen, D. & Crabtree, B. (July, 2006). "Qualitative Research Guidelines Project." http://www.qualres.org/index.html

This on-line resource provides useful guidance for designing, conducting, and evaluating.

Good luck!

Thank you so much Kristin. Very helpful references

Very helpful, Kathryn, thank you very much

Hi Beatriz,

You might want to take a look at grounded theory.  See the following:

As a starting point to see if this could of use to you and your objectives:

- McCreaddie, M., & Payne, S. (2010). Evolving grounded theory methodology: Towards a discursive approach. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 47(6), 781-793.

And a reference text that most library will have.

- Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing Grounded Theory: A Practical Guide Through Qualitative Analysis. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

or

-Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. (1997). Grounded Theory in Practice. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

Cheers

As a reference text - with a breadth and depth of information for qual research - The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research (Sage Handbooks) 2011, by Norman K. Denzin (Editor), Yvonna S. Lincoln (Editor)

Merci beaucoup Jean-Paul, thank you Nick. Those are essential references

Theoretical Frameworks in Qualitative Research  2nd edition

by Vincent Anfara and Norma Mertz

published by SAGE 2015

If you decide to go along the Grounded Theory path you may find it useful to know that there are newer editions of the books suggested by Jean-Paul now available. Charmaz had a 2nd edition published last year, and Corbin and Strauss has now been published in its 4th edition this year.

Thank you! I'll have a look at these new editions

Hello dear Beatriz

You can also have a look at : Phenomenological research methods. Sage; and Moustakas,C(1994). I found it very helpful.

Good Luck

Hi,

It looks like you've been inundated!  But I'll add mine anyway. I found this book, edited by Jane Richie, helpful because it is a practical guide with an explicit discussion of analysis. 

Richie, J. (2013) Qualitative research practice: A guide for social science students and researchers.

For one of the best discussions of the craft of conducting qualitative research in medicine, it has to be Clive Seale's classic: Quality in Qualitative Research, also an article.

BW,

Paul 

You're right Paul, people here are really generous!! Thank you so much for your references, I'll take them into account :)

Hi Beatriz, 

Seems that you have got a lot of what I would suggest. Thanks to others for the newer references. I get such joy from qualitative methodologies.

For grounded theory there is little to beat the original work of Glaser, Strauss, Corbin. As they wrote more so the methodology unfolded and was more comprehensible.

I would however suggest consider triangulation of methodologies as one methodology does not necessarily give a 360 degree view. (Denzin The research act: A theoretical introduction to sociological methods 1970) I see this was referred to above.

Some of the ethnographic methodologies work well combined with grounded theory. Just creating a taxonomy can be a great leap forward in what I call "prenumerate" areas of research!

others I found useful are

Enjoy the journey! Vicki

Thank you so much Victoria. Your suggestions seem really interesting, because they are really focused on my research interests. I am working in a nursing research with a sociological perspective. And thank you everyone for such interest in my question... It is great to share knowledge and help this way