Family Practice Vol. 17, No. 1, 71-75
© Oxford University Press 2000
Methodologies |
The ‘doctor’ or the ‘girl from the University’? Considering the influence of professional roles on qualitative interviewing
Department of General Practice, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Helen Richards, Department of General Practice, University of Glasgow, 4 Lancaster Crescent, Glasgow G12 0RR, UK.
Abstract
Background. Qualitative research methods are now recognized as valuable tools for primary care. With the increasing emphasis on evidence-based medicine and critical appraisal of published work, it is important that qualitative researchers are transparent about their methods and discuss the impact of the research process on their data.
Objectives. To consider the impact of the professional background of researchers on in-depth interviewing in primary care.
Methods. We compare interactions between the interviewer and respondents in two qualitative interview studies of heart disease. Both samples consisted of 60 middle-aged men and women from a range of social backgrounds living in the West of Scotland. One study was conducted by a GP and the other by a sociologist.
Results. Some interview interactions were common to both researchers; for example, interviews were often regarded by respondents as therapeutic. However, some interactions seemed to be related to the researcher's professional background. The GP's perceived higher status led to obscuring of her personal characteristics. The sociologist was often perceived as a ‘young woman’ rather than defined by her professional role. Thus respondents' perceptions of the interviewer influenced the interview interactions.
Conclusions. Appraising qualitative research depends on the transparency with which the research process is described. Awareness of professional background is particularly important for university departments of primary care (which often include doctors, nurses and social scientists) and should be considered carefully in designing, carrying out and disseminating the results of qualitative studies.
Keywords. Heart disease, methodology, qualitative research, reflexivity..
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  C. Emslie, F. Whyte, A. Campbell, N. Mutrie, L. Lee, D. Ritchie, and N. Kearney 'I wouldn't have been interested in just sitting round a table talking about cancer'; exploring the experiences of women with breast cancer in a group exercise trial Health Educ. Res., December 1, 2007; 22(6): 827 - 838. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Hewitt Ethical Components of Researcher Researched Relationships in Qualitative Interviewing Qual Health Res, October 1, 2007; 17(8): 1149 - 1159. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. Peel, O. Parry, M. Douglas, and J. Lawton "It's No Skin off My Nose": Why People Take Part in Qualitative Research Qual Health Res, December 1, 2006; 16(10): 1335 - 1349. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 S Reventlow and C Tulinius The doctor as focus group moderator--shifting roles and negotiating positions in health research Fam. Pract., June 1, 2005; 22(3): 335 - 340. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. Lipman, M. J Murtagh, and R. Thomson How research-conscious GPs make decisions about anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation: a qualitative study Fam. Pract., June 1, 2004; 21(3): 290 - 298. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K.-D. B. Nielsen, L. Dyhr, T. Lauritzen, and K. Malterud "You can't prevent everything anyway": A qualitative study of beliefs and attitudes about refusing health screening in general practice Fam. Pract., February 1, 2004; 21(1): 28 - 32. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. Richards, M. Reid, and G. Watt Victim-blaming revisited: a qualitative study of beliefs about illness causation, and responses to chest pain Fam. Pract., December 1, 2003; 20(6): 711 - 716. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Aira, J. Kauhanen, P. Larivaara, and P. Rautio Factors influencing inquiry about patients' alcohol consumption by primary health care physicians: qualitative semi-structured interview study Fam. Pract., June 1, 2003; 20(3): 270 - 275. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. Emslie, K. Hunt, and G. Watt A chip off the old block? Lay understandings of inheritance among men and women in mid-life Public Understanding of Science, January 1, 2003; 12(1): 47 - 65. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 H. M. Richards, M. E. Reid, and G. C. M. Watt Socioeconomic variations in responses to chest pain: qualitative study BMJ, June 1, 2002; 324(7349): 1308 - 1308. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. A Chew-Graham, C. R May, and M. S Perry Qualitative research and the problem of judgement: lessons from interviewing fellow professionals Fam. Pract., June 1, 2002; 19(3): 285 - 289. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
H. M. Richards and L. J. Schwartz Ethics of qualitative research: are there special issues for health services research? Fam. Pract., April 1, 2002; 19(2): 135 - 139. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. Steven, J. Morrison, and N. Drummond Lay versus professional motivation for asthma treatment: a cross-sectional, qualitative study in a single Glasgow general practice Fam. Pract., April 1, 2002; 19(2): 172 - 177. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|