Go-Along Virtual INTERview (GVIv): A Novel Nurse-Led Qualitative Method for Exploring Neighborhood Lived Experience...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Environmental Health
• Qualitative Health Research

Background:

• Neighborhood environments significantly influence health and quality of life.
• Existing quantitative methods lack depth in capturing lived experiences of place.
• Nurse researchers are well-positioned to investigate environment-health relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a novel nursing-led Go-along Virtual INTERview (GVIv) approach.
• To explore how neighborhood environments shape lived experiences, particularly for individuals with opioid use disorders.
• To demonstrate GVIv's potential for informing equitable health policy and interventions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a nursing-led Go-along Virtual INTERview (GVIv) approach combining in-person and virtual semi-structured interviews.
• Employed digital street-view platforms to investigate neighborhood influences on health.
• Applied the Political Ecology Framework and community-engaged research principles.
• Focused on individuals with opioid use disorders in Chicago to contextualize narratives.

Main Results:

• The GVIv approach showed promise in eliciting rich, contextual data on place-based health influences.
• Demonstrated potential for shifting researcher-participant dynamics and enhancing safety.
• Indicated reduced resource expenditure compared to traditional methods.
• Highlighted the scalability and participant-centered nature of the GVIv method.

Conclusions:

• The Go-along Virtual INTERview (GVIv) is a valuable, participant-centered, and scalable method for nursing research.
• GVIv effectively examines how neighborhood environments shape lived health experiences.
• This approach can inform the design of equitable health policies and interventions.