The use of mixed methods research in intervention trials mostly centers around using quantitative data to assess primary outcomes and qualitative data primarily for exploratory purposes, to supplement, and/or explain quantitative findings. We describe a novel mixed methods procedure that generates an integrated outcome variable used to reexamine unexpected findings that resulted from an advance care planning interventional randomized controlled trial. The integrated outcome variable helped explain apparent anomalies in study data that resulted from analyzing quantitative or qualitative data independently. The methodology outlined in this article provides a useful mixed methodological contribution by illustrating steps that may be taken by researchers seeking a more meaningful way to integrate qualitative and quantitative data to form intervention variables in trials.

干预试验中混合方法研究的使用主要集中在使用定量数据评估主要结局和定性数据，主要是为了探索性目的，以补充和/或解释定量结果。我们描述了一种新的混合方法程序，该程序生成一个集成的结果变量，该变量用于重新检查由预先护理计划介入随机对照试验产生的意外发现。综合结果变量有助于解释研究数据中的明显异常，这些异常是由于独立分析定量或定性数据而产生的。