A COVID-19-era rapid review: using Zoom and Skype for qualitative group research
Background and objectives: How do qualitative researchers collect meaningful and representative data, and engage in action research, when constrained by cost, distance or unforeseen events? In our work investigating health and older-person services in Tasmania, we had to confront this question in th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Sax Institute
2022-06-01
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| Series: | Public Health Research & Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/june-2022-volume-32-issue-2/using-zoom-and-skype-in-qualitative-group-research/ |
| _version_ | 1811242057850683392 |
|---|---|
| author | Joshua Boland Susan Banks Robin Krabbe Suanne Lawrence Therese Murray Terese Henning Miriam Vandenberg |
| author_facet | Joshua Boland Susan Banks Robin Krabbe Suanne Lawrence Therese Murray Terese Henning Miriam Vandenberg |
| author_sort | Joshua Boland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background and objectives: How do qualitative researchers collect meaningful and representative data, and engage in action research, when constrained by cost, distance or unforeseen events? In our work investigating health and older-person services in Tasmania, we had to confront this question in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, redesigning our methodological approach to support participant engagement in qualitative group research to meet unpredictable pandemic isolation and ethics requirements.
Study type: Rapid review.
Methods: We searched three academic databases, limited to the past 5 years, cross-referencing to identify strategies to support online qualitative group research and assess the suitability of videoconferencing (specifically through Zoom and Skype) as a tool for participant engagement in qualitative group research.
Results: After removing duplicates found across the three databases, 866 articles were screened by title and abstract. After manually searching citations deemed to add to our understanding of online qualitative methods, 66 articles were included in this rapid review. The review found that the strengths of videoconferencing include its cost effectiveness and ability to reach disparate populations, but that several concerns must be addressed to capture its benefits: rapport, technical issues, planning, privacy and equity.
Conclusion: In response to the methodological challenge of engaging with participants without using routine face-to-face qualitative methods, our rapid review identified several advantages of using videoconferencing applications, such as Zoom or Skype, to facilitate research. However, to enhance data quality and the research experience for participants, consideration must be given to technical issues, planning, privacy and rapport. Underpinning these elements is consideration of equity of access. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:46:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09ee3599951048bea45759b76aff79dd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2204-2091 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:46:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | Sax Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Research & Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-09ee3599951048bea45759b76aff79dd2022-12-22T03:30:40ZengSax InstitutePublic Health Research & Practice2204-20912022-06-0132210.17061/phrp31232112A COVID-19-era rapid review: using Zoom and Skype for qualitative group researchJoshua Boland0Susan Banks1Robin Krabbe2Suanne Lawrence3Therese Murray4Terese Henning5Miriam Vandenberg6Preventing Elder Abuse Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, AustraliaPreventing Elder Abuse Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia; The Anticipatory Care Action Learning Project, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia The Anticipatory Care Action Learning Project, University of Tasmania, Hobart, AustraliaPreventing Elder Abuse Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, AustraliaThe Anticipatory Care Action Learning Project, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia Preventing Elder Abuse Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, AustraliaThe Anticipatory Care Action Learning Project, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia Background and objectives: How do qualitative researchers collect meaningful and representative data, and engage in action research, when constrained by cost, distance or unforeseen events? In our work investigating health and older-person services in Tasmania, we had to confront this question in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, redesigning our methodological approach to support participant engagement in qualitative group research to meet unpredictable pandemic isolation and ethics requirements. Study type: Rapid review. Methods: We searched three academic databases, limited to the past 5 years, cross-referencing to identify strategies to support online qualitative group research and assess the suitability of videoconferencing (specifically through Zoom and Skype) as a tool for participant engagement in qualitative group research. Results: After removing duplicates found across the three databases, 866 articles were screened by title and abstract. After manually searching citations deemed to add to our understanding of online qualitative methods, 66 articles were included in this rapid review. The review found that the strengths of videoconferencing include its cost effectiveness and ability to reach disparate populations, but that several concerns must be addressed to capture its benefits: rapport, technical issues, planning, privacy and equity. Conclusion: In response to the methodological challenge of engaging with participants without using routine face-to-face qualitative methods, our rapid review identified several advantages of using videoconferencing applications, such as Zoom or Skype, to facilitate research. However, to enhance data quality and the research experience for participants, consideration must be given to technical issues, planning, privacy and rapport. Underpinning these elements is consideration of equity of access.https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/june-2022-volume-32-issue-2/using-zoom-and-skype-in-qualitative-group-research/covid-19zoomskypequalitative group research |
| spellingShingle | Joshua Boland Susan Banks Robin Krabbe Suanne Lawrence Therese Murray Terese Henning Miriam Vandenberg A COVID-19-era rapid review: using Zoom and Skype for qualitative group research Public Health Research & Practice covid-19 zoom skype qualitative group research |
| title | A COVID-19-era rapid review: using Zoom and Skype for qualitative group research |
| title_full | A COVID-19-era rapid review: using Zoom and Skype for qualitative group research |
| title_fullStr | A COVID-19-era rapid review: using Zoom and Skype for qualitative group research |
| title_full_unstemmed | A COVID-19-era rapid review: using Zoom and Skype for qualitative group research |
| title_short | A COVID-19-era rapid review: using Zoom and Skype for qualitative group research |
| title_sort | covid 19 era rapid review using zoom and skype for qualitative group research |
| topic | covid-19 zoom skype qualitative group research |
| url | https://www.phrp.com.au/issues/june-2022-volume-32-issue-2/using-zoom-and-skype-in-qualitative-group-research/ |
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