[Group Discussions in Health Services Research - Part 1: Introduction and Deliberations on Selection of Method and Planning]. / Gruppendiskussionen in der Versorgungsforschung ­ Teil 1: Einführung und Überlegungen zur Methodenwahl und Planung.

Health services researchers focus on the players, structures and impact of health care in "real life". They investigate how social aspects, financing, organizational structures, technologies and personal attitudes affect the process and outcomes of health care. Qualitative research methods are used here, which address how people act according to their unique living conditions (outside the context of experimental studies). Different methods of debriefing groups are essential for qualitative health services research. In 2 subsequent articles, we aim to outline the diverse facets and possible range of implementation of the above-mentioned methods, in order to highlight the potential of debriefing groups in health services research (focus groups or group discussions) using these methods. In the current article, we would like to encourage researchers to reflect on relevant topics such as the selection of an appropriate method, the planning and undertaking of investigations including sampling methods, and questions regarding ethics and privacy. A follow-up article (in preparation) will deal with theoretical considerations of the term "group", as well as with the process of moderating discussions, methods of analyzing data and (qualitative) online research.

Symptomization and triggering processes: ovarian cancer patients' narratives on pre-diagnostic sensation experiences and the initiation of healthcare seeking.

Ovarian cancer is a malignant entity typically diagnosed in advanced stages, with concomitant poor prognosis. Delayed healthcare seeking is commonly explained by the 'vague' character of the disease's symptoms combined with a lack of awareness among patients. However, research on the social contexts of ovarian cancer patients' pre-diagnostic illness experiences and healthcare seeking is scarce. To explore these topics, we initiated a qualitative interview study guided by the principles of grounded theory and based on interviews with 42 ovarian cancer patients. The study was conducted in Germany from September 2011 to February 2013. Our analysis illustrates how, in the narratives, the interviewees struggled to balance specific bodily sensations with aspects of their life-worlds prior to consulting a biomedical professional. We propose a three-phase model to capture these experiences and demonstrate how the developments of pre-diagnostic sensations were catalysed by the dynamic and complex interplay of the sensations with a variety of individual and socio-cultural factors. To conceptualize these interplays, we introduce the analytical notion of a triggering process, and we elaborate on the different ways in which such a process conditioned the transformation of a sensation into a symptom and decisions to seek healthcare. We finally discuss our findings both in relation to current research on sensations, symptoms and healthcare seeking and in their relevance for understanding diagnostic delays in ovarian cancer.