Qualitative health research. A critical review of recent work in Mexico

Objective. This paper critically examines recent work on qualitative health research (QHR) in Mexico. Material and Methods. A review was conducted of 128 articles published between 2000 and 2009. A literature search was done drawing together a verse of indexes, search engine, data bases and citations, as well as interviewing researchers. A frequency and content analysis was carried out. Results. QHR has expanded significantly, both nationally and internationally, and papers published in public health and social medicine journals. However, several factors impede its consolidation: the institutional, territorial and thematic concentration of studies, the dependency on grounded theory, the selective nature of the research topics and populations; and its marginal scientific impact. Conclusions. QHR has grown in Mexico, but its consolidation faces serious challenges. Several proposals are discussed that could strengthen the field.