Table 4. Common mixed methods study designs in climate health research52
Method Description Example
Convergent parallel design Collects quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously and compares them. Researchers assess heat stress in outdoor workers by combining temperature readings and hospital admissions (quantitative) with worker interviews about heat adaptation (qualitative).
Sequential explanatory design Quantitative data collection first, followed by qualitative methods to explain findings. A study analysing air pollution and asthma rates in urban areas may first examine hospital records before conducting focus groups to understand community barriers to health care access.
Sequential exploratory design Begins with qualitative methods, then follows up with quantitative analysis. A study exploring Indigenous knowledge of climate adaptation might first conduct ethnographic research, then survey a broader population to assess how widely such strategies are adopted.