Doing qualitative research on suicide in a developing country: practical and ethical challenges
James Mugisha1, Birthe Loa Knizek, Eugene Kinyanda
1Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. jmmugi77@hotmail.com
Crisis
|March 5, 2011
Summary
Researchers faced significant cultural and logistical challenges when studying suicide attitudes among the Baganda in Uganda. Culturally sensitive methods are crucial for overcoming these obstacles in developing world suicide research.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Cultural Anthropology
- Global Mental Health
Background:
- Qualitative interview study on suicide attitudes among the Baganda in Uganda.
- Highlights novel challenges in suicide research within developing nations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore cultural attitudes and responses toward suicide within the Baganda community.
- To document and analyze the unique challenges encountered during the research process.
Main Methods:
- Grounded theory approach for data analysis.
- Conducted 28 focus group discussions and 30 key informant interviews.
Main Results:
- Identified community access challenges including cultural, legal, rapport, informed consent, and language barriers.
- Identified expectation challenges related to meeting immediate and strategic community needs.
Conclusions:
- Culturally sensitive data collection strategies can mitigate ethical challenges in suicide research.
- Innovative approaches can minimize practical difficulties in research conducted in developing countries.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Ethical Dilemmas II
Resolving an ethical dilemma in healthcare involves a systematic approach that considers every aspect of the issue, respecting both the patient's needs and values and the healthcare professional's ethical obligations. Here are potential steps to resolve an ethical dilemma:
01:56Ethics in Research
Today, scientists agree that good research is ethical in nature and is guided by a basic respect for human dignity and safety. However, this has not always been the case. Modern researchers must demonstrate that the research they perform is ethically sound.
02:16Surveys
Often, psychologists develop surveys as a means of gathering data. Surveys are lists of questions to be answered by research participants, and can be delivered as paper-and-pencil questionnaires, administered electronically, or conducted verbally. Generally, the survey itself can be completed in a short time, and the ease of administering a survey makes it easy to collect data from a large number of people.
01:22Case Studies
There are many research methods available to psychologists in their efforts to understand, describe, and explain behavior and the cognitive and biological processes that underlie it.
02:20Longitudinal Research
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
01:17Ethical Dilemmas I
Ethical dilemmas in nursing are of utmost importance, as they often arise from the tension between adhering to core ethical principles and the practical realities of healthcare delivery. These dilemmas require nurses to navigate complex situations where competing ethical considerations pull them in different directions.
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...