Unlocking Insights in Health Policy Research: Introducing the READ Approach for Rigorous Document Analysis
Document analysis stands as one of the most commonly used and powerful methods in health policy research, essential for understanding policy content, processes, and discourse. Despite its critical role, specific guidance on how to effectively use this method to analyze health policy has been notably limited.
To address this gap, Sarah L Dalglish, Hina Khalid, and Shannon A McMahon present the READ approach: a systematic and practical guide for document analysis in health policy research. This approach draws on guidance from other disciplines and the authors’ own research experience, emphasizing the importance of critically reading documents, which are understood as “social facts” created and consumed in socially organized ways. Documents are not merely records of social life but integral parts of it, capable of becoming agents in their own right.
The READ approach provides a clear, step-by-step framework to enhance procedural rigour and maximize the value derived from documents. The four key steps are:
- 1. Ready your materials: This initial phase involves setting parameters for document inclusion based on the research question, defining the topic, dates of inclusion, and indicative search locations. It also highlights the importance of devising a consistent file-naming system. Researchers must consider the nature and approximate number of documents, noting that this phase is iterative and criteria may evolve. Types of documents can range from official policies and legal documents to “gray literature,” informal working documents, scholarly work, and media.
- 2. Extract data: Data extraction methods vary depending on the research question and document nature. Simple tools like Excel spreadsheets or thematic coding software (e.g., Atlas.ti, NVivo) can be used. The process requires close, thorough reading of documents, including annexes, to identify relevant information and capture emerging theories through ‘memos’.
- 3. Analyse data: This step involves iteratively refining findings as data collection and analysis progress. It encourages researchers to view the body of documents holistically, applying specific analysis methodologies such as policy analysis, thematic content analysis, or process tracing. The article provides overarching questions to consider when analyzing both individual documents and the overall corpus, addressing aspects like purpose, authorship, credibility, and how issues are discussed across documents.
- 4. Distil your findings: The final stage focuses on refining and presenting findings, often grouped by theoretical or analytic categories, or woven into a policy narrative that integrates insights from other methods. This step aims for “saturation,” ensuring a sufficient understanding of the phenomenon under study to confidently answer research questions and draw policy-relevant conclusions.
The article demonstrates the approach’s application through two case studies from Pakistan and Niger, illustrating its value in understanding policy content, processes, and discourse, and how it can significantly enrich other methods like in-depth interviews and observation. Document analysis, especially when combined with other methods for triangulation, offers unique insights that might otherwise be unattainable.
This systematic procedure is flexible and adaptable to various research questions, making it an indispensable tool for anyone conducting health policy research.
APA Reference for the article:
Dalglish, S. L., Khalid, H., & McMahon, S. A. (2020). Document analysis in health policy research: the READ approach. Health Policy and Planning, 35(10), 1424–1431. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czaa064
