Nursing research with refugee clients: a call for more qualitative approaches

Nursing research with refugee populations, who lack an understanding of the importance of research, presents unique challenges. These challenges include bureaucratic requirements for gaining permission for research, navigating through camps, identifying potential participants, gaining acceptance, building rapport and trust, maintaining privacy, and respecting participants' status in the camp. Few studies exist regarding Palestinian refugees, with no reported studies that address nursing or healthcare, especially in Jordan.

Quantitative research, which often requires participants who read and write, may be ineffective with long-term refugee populations. Additionally, many research tools are not culturally valid. Consequently, refugees, many of whom are illiterate, are largely unstudied.

Qualitative approaches, such as interviewing and observation, allow participants to describe their healthcare concerns, and their management of them. Rapport and trust can then enable the researcher to provide interventions and education.