Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-pftt2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-13T02:38:14.809Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 10 - Using Evidence to Refine Middle Range Theory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2024

Chris Bonell
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
G. J. Melendez-Torres
Affiliation:
University of Exeter
Emily Warren
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Get access

Summary

This chapter reflects on how evidence from realist trials and systematic reviews might be of value, not only in drawing conclusions about specific interventions and their theories of change but also in testing and refining the middle range theories which inform these and other interventions. While evaluation evidence should be of most immediate use in informing decisions about the implementation of the specific interventions being evaluated, a broader and more enduring use for evaluation could be in suggesting refinements to middle range theory. Such refinements might then be used to inform and influence the next generation of complex health interventions. In order to be useful in assessing the validity of middle range theory, evaluations will need to assess interventions informed by a limited number of middle range theories comprising a limited number of well-defined constructs. There may be value in conducting proof of principle studies separately from more pragmatic evaluations in order to test and refine middle range theory.

Type
Chapter
Information
Realist Trials and Systematic Reviews
Rigorous, Useful Evidence to Inform Health Policy
, pp. 89 - 98
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×