Adapting the Pillar Integration Process for Theory Development: The Theoretical Model of Healthcare Factors Influencing Quality of Life in Cancer Survivorship

Abstract

Mixed methods research offers a unique opportunity to advance understanding of a phenomenon. However, practical guidance on the use of mixed methods to develop theoretical frameworks is limited. We present a novel adaptation of the Pillar Integration Process (PIP) to support development and refinement of a theoretical framework explaining the processes by which healthcare factors influence cancer survivors’ quality of life. Deductive integration of quantitative and qualitative data, guided by an a priori conceptual model, illuminates the nuances of the relationship between the concepts of interest, producing a theoretical framework, the Model of Healthcare factors influencing Quality of Life in Cancer Survivorship (MoHaQ-CS).