Focused Ethnography in Health Sciences Research: A Review Article

Introduction: Focused ethnography is a distinct type of sociological ethnography which particularly is predominantly used in applied health studies. Considering Due to the application of focused ethnography in clinical research and lack of Persian sources for this research methodology, this study was conducted to provide a comprehensive thorough explanation of focused ethnography based on the available resources. Method: This paper is a traditional review of ۲۱ articles and ۱۷ books in relation toon focused ethnography which have been published between ۱۹۷۹ and ۲۰۱۵. These documents have beenwere retrieved from databases including ISI Web of Science, Science Direct, and PubMed as well as relevant books using keywords of qualitative research, ethnography, and focused ethnography. and Then, they have beenwere analyzedsed in terms of major themes and common concepts. In this review, English articles, which included certain English search terms in their title or keyword section, were evaluated. Results: Focused ethnography investigates the relationship between cultural beliefs and health behaviors and instead of exploring large cultural groups and ethnicities focusesd on the shared behaviours and experiences of small groups. In focused ethnographic methodsstudies, data are collected through semi-structured interviews and observation combined with field notes, cultural and /personal interactions, and the use of demographic data sheets. The analysis of the data started was conducted simultaneously with data collection. Conclusion: Generally, focused ethnography is a methodology to of building background knowledge in order to take the required measures to design therapeutic interventions in line with the culture of a society, and consequently, improveing public health.

Keywords:

Ethnography , Focused ethnography , Qualitative study , Health sciences research