What type of data is referred to as non-numerical and describes qualities or characteristics?

Qualitative data pertains to non-numerical information that describes qualities or characteristics. This type of data focuses on attributes, properties, and subjective assessments rather than measurements. For instance, qualitative data can include patient feedback about their experiences in a healthcare setting, descriptions of symptoms, or categorizations such as gender, race, and educational background.

In healthcare research, qualitative data plays a vital role in obtaining in-depth insights into patient experiences, care processes, and outcomes, contributing to a better understanding of complex phenomena that cannot be captured through numerical values alone. This kind of analysis often involves methodologies such as interviews, focus groups, and content analysis, emphasizing the importance of context and meaning behind the numbers.

The other types of data mentioned, such as quantitative, statistical, and descriptive, primarily focus on numerical or statistical representations and analyses, which do not capture the nuances or qualities of human experiences and characteristics in the same way as qualitative data does.