30. The road less travelled: Reflections of a lone interviewer (163)

Mary Mc Menamin, Senior Research Nurse, Department of Nursing Research, Western Health and Social Care Trust, L.Derry, United Kingdom
Co authors:  Vivien Coates, & Adrian J. Moore
mary.mcmenamin@westerntrust.hscni.net

Abstract:

Background:

A large commissioned research project entitled “Socio-economic factors and outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes” will be presented to highlight areas of greatest challenge for a single researcher conducting one to one interviews. The study raised important methodological considerations facing a researcher attempting to independently interview across a disparate geographical population. This presentation will draw upon this experience of planning, co-ordinating and facilitating this study discussing important practical and ethical considerations for researchers, when interviewing patients from a broad-spectrum of socio-economic situations.

Design & methods:

The study was a cross-sectional survey of patients registered in a large acute hospital trust in Northern Ireland. A representative stratified random sample of patients (n=541) with T2DM was selected from this hospital diabetes register. 322 Males (57.5%) and 243 Females (42.5%) participated in this study. A structured questionnaire was administered in the patient’s home. All interviews were conducted by the same interviewer using Teleform®, which afforded an ideal medium to capture the data generated from the structured interviews onto the researcher’s laptop. Thereby considerably reducing the time spent upon transferring this data unto S.P.S.S. Issues q Administration q Seeking informed consent q Refusals and DNA’s q Interpersonal skills q Protracted length of interviews q Time management q Selection of attire q Animals.

Conclusions:

The books are full of wise advice about conducting interviews and such principles were followed as far as possible. However having spent two years involved in one to one interviews the author’s experiences testify that the reality can be much more complex than may at first be apparent. The challenge is to combine the theory with a pragmatic approach to the research. The experience gained has been a valuable part of the learning process of being involved with a large research study.

Source of Funding:  This project was commissioned by the R&D Office, Belfast under the New TSN call for research to examine the influence of social deprivation upon health

Amount in Funding:  100,001 - 500,000