What constitutes qualitative evidence? This book breaks new ground by providing urgently needed standards for qualitative inquiry and tackles the significant issues of what constitutes qualitative evidence. In particular, this book will address the place of qualitative evidence in the planning, delivery, and evaluation of health care. The authors first examine the status of qualitative research as evidence versus "opinion." They then examine such topics as: who decides what counts as evidence, the nature of outcomes, how to evaluate qualitative evidence, constructing evidence within the qualitative project, and research utilization and qualitative research. They conclude with perspectives on the issue of standards for qualitative investigation.