Managing qualitative research as insider-research in small rural communities

Carl Heslop; Sharyn Burns; Roanna Lobo

doi:10.22605/RRH4576

Commentary

Managing qualitative research as insider-research in small rural communities

AUTHORS

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Carl Heslop¹ MPH, Phd Candidate *

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Sharyn Burns² PhD, Associate Professor

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Roanna Lobo³ PhD, Senior Research Fellow

AFFILIATIONS

^{1, 2, 3} Collaboration for Evidence, Research and Impact in Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Bentley, WA 6845, Australia

ACCEPTED: 24 July 2018

early abstract:

Rural clinicians in small communities face the pressure of always being “on-duty”, and the ethical challenges of overlapping relationships with members of the community and duality of roles. The lead author of this commentary has experience as an insider researcher living within a small rural community, and has navigated the ethical challenges and community pressures of conducting qualitative research within an interconnected network. With appropriate measures and planning, insider research can be conducted rigorously, while maintaining ongoing relationships, confidentiality and anonymity.