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Qualitative Health Research
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Enhancing Generalizability: Moving From an Intimate to a Political Voice

Danielle Groleau

McGill University and Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Québec, Canada

Phyllis Zelkowitz

McGill University and Sir Mortimer B. Davis Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Québec, Canada

Ivone Evangelista Cabral

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Weak external validity of qualitative data has been a subject of debate outside and within the field of qualitative health research. Though some narratives have the power to reveal universal existential issues and inform theoretical development, each story remains unique and cannot be generalized. If the goal of qualitative researchers is to have narrative knowledge effect social change, we are faced with a pervasive problem. Our main objective with this article is methodological; that is, to argue and illustrate that a sequential—consensual qualitative design can yield data with adequate external validity to influence clinicians and public health programming. We seek to contribute to the debate on the generalizability of qualitative research in the health field and provide a methodological template for this type of qualitative design so researchers can apply it to future projects to transfer and translate popular knowledge in a way that can influence social change.

Key Words: anthropology • medical • breast-feeding • empowerment • focus group • knowledge transfer

Qualitative Health Research, Vol. 19, No. 3, 416-426 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1049732308329851
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