The need for humanistic research in medicine

The need for humanities in medicine is often discussed these years. Results from qualitative studies are now published in many medical journals. This article describes some characteristics of qualitative research and presents its theoretical basis. To give a better understanding of the qualitative research process, it is here compared with the clinical process. This analogy is reasonable because the qualitative researcher just as the clinician performs data collection and data analysis during the same process. The most important aspect of qualitative research is not "to measure" but "to understand" something. And understanding is created through concepts that makes phenomena and events "conceivable". The conceptual work in qualitative research is of great importance. The relation between traditional medical research and medical humanities is such that we need both, because the one cannot solve the others' tasks, and vice versa. It is worth while remembering that an engagement in the one research area does not exclude respect for the other research areas' potential and value.