Table 5 Strategies to achieve rigor across the process evaluation

Credibility

Time sampling

Data collection

Information will be collected about program delivery and implementation, and how it varies by site, geography and season, across four years of time.

Engagement in the field

Data collection

Site visits & regular engagement through educational initiatives with PHNs, NFP provincial coordinator, supervisors and managers by researchers. Data will also be collected across a prolonged period of time.

Reflexivity

For duration of study

Reflexivity will be achieved by the lead researcher and research coordinator maintaining reflexive journals to document and assess the influence of their experiences and perceptions on the qualitative research process.

Triangulation (data source & type, investigator triangulation)

Data collection & analysis

Data source (PHN, supervisors, coordinator) and type (interviews, focus groups, documents, fidelity data) triangulation will be implemented to cross-check data and to confirm points of convergence or divergence across the dataset. Investigator triangulation will occur as we have created a research team with extensive experience in qualitative research and with a diversity of experiences.

Member checking

Data collection & analysis

As key themes and issues emerge, they will be discussed and confirmed in interviews/focus groups with subsequent participants.

Peer examination

Data collection & analysis

This process involves the researchers discussing insights and problems with peers and colleagues. This process will occur in two ways: 1) amongst the members of the BCHCP PE research team and with members of the broader BCHCP scientific evaluation team; and 2) with members of the BCHCP Steering Committee.

Interviewing process

Data collection

Credibility will be promoted during the interviews and focus groups by reframing questions and participants’ responses, seeking validation of answers, and developing interview guides that are internally consistent [24].

Researcher credibility

Data collection

The primary interviewers are familiar with the phenomenon under study (home visitation, NFP, program implementation and delivery), have developed strong investigative skills from conducting qualitative research for more than 10 years, and the ability to examine and assess the data from a multidisciplinary perspective [24].

Dependability

Triangulation

Data collection

By collecting multiple types of data (interviews, focus groups, observations recorded in field notes, documents) from multiple sources (PHNs, supervisors, coordinator) dependability of the data is promoted.

Step-wise replication

Data analysis

Members of the research team will independently code a sample of transcripts for the purpose of early identification of key codes. Researchers will meet to establish consensus around code labels and code definitions.

Peer examination

Protocol development

As qualitative research is characterized as an emergent design, as decisions are made regarding sampling and data collection, they will be reviewed and discussed in collaboration with the Process Evaluation team of investigators, and as appropriate, with the BCHCP Steering Committee (or appropriate Health Authority partners).

Dense description of research methods

Sampling, data collection, data analysis

All methodological decisions and actions taken will be documented in the study audit trail.

Confirmability

Maintain audit trail

An audit trail will be maintained by the research coordinator to document all study decisions (and their rationale) and all sampling, data collection and analysis procedures implemented.

Triangulation

Data collection

As detailed above

Reflexivity

For duration of study

As detailed above