Explanatory case studies: Implications and applications for clinical research

Explanatory case study methodology has been used to research complex systems in the fields of business, public policy and urban planning, to name a few. While it has been suggested by some that this might be a useful way to progress complex research issues in health science research, to date, there has been little evidence of this happening. The purpose of this paper is to review the explanatory case study method and present a framework for understanding how it differs from other case study methods. A review of the literature is undertaken to ascertain to what extent this method is currently being used in health science research. Finally, a model for guiding the implementation of the explanatory case study method is proposed in order to promote quality, rigour and applicability of this approach within clinical settings.