Qualitative content analysis actually combines both quantitative and qualitative
analyses. Thus, it provides a way of obtaining data to measure the frequency and
extent of messages following a serial progression of category construction, sampling,
data collection, and coding. In this sense it is used as a method to determine the
objective content of messages within written documents. But, as opposed to traditional
content analysis, in which the protocol is the instrument, the investigator is continually
central in QCA, although a protocol may be used. Thus, QCA is oriented to
documenting and understanding the communication of meaning and verifying
theoretical relationships, but it is the reflexive and highly interactive nature of the
investigator, concepts, data collection and analysis that is unique in this method.