Involving interpreters in research studies

It is important to include non English speakers in health services research to ensure not only the generalisability of findings but also to address health inequalities and promote social justice. One approach is to use interpreters but there is little guidance for working with an interpreter in interviews. Involving an interpreter presents challenges in the planning and conduct of research interviews which can be minimised by an awareness of various theoretical and practical implications and of potential pitfalls. Drawing both on our experiences of involving interpreters in research and on the literature, we raise some issues that researchers need to consider.