Using qualitative evaluation in a feasibility study to improve and refine a complementary therapy intervention prior to subsequent research

Feasibility studies of complementary therapies are useful and important not only to test and evaluate the potential effectiveness of an intervention but also to refine and improve it prior to a subsequent study. A series of guided interviews were conducted with patients (n=19) undergoing stem cell/autologous bone marrow transplant (SC/ABMT) who were participating in a feasibility study of a mindfulness meditation (MM) intervention. Audiotapes of these interview sessions were transcribed and then used to create a project in the QRS NVivo© software program to manage the data from the interview questions. Responses about what the participants liked and disliked and their suggestions for improving the effectiveness of the MM intervention were identified and grouped. Subsequently, the MM intervention has been refined based on this information, and additional testing in a randomized, controlled trial is planned. The cost is high to implement complementary therapies and to rigorously test them. Preliminary work using qualitative evaluation methods can provide rich and detailed information that will save time and money in the long run.