The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has just released a new publication entitled Ethical Aspects of Qualitative Research in Health Research. The following is the report's synopsis from NHMRC's release announcement:
The use of qualitative methods in health services research has been of major interest to health service researchers and institutional ethics committees (IECs) over recent years.
Increasingly, health services research relies on an interdisciplinary approach drawing upon research designs and specific methods from the social sciences. Many IECs are finding that they are facing, with greater frequency, the task of assessing the ethical aspects of social science research.
A publication raising awareness of the ethical issues surrounding the use of qualitative methodologies in health research is now available.
The paper aims to assist IECs in developing an understanding and awareness of the issues that surround qualitative research and of the ethical aspects of qualitative methods, and to stimulate further consideration by IECs in assessing proposals.
The publication (Cat. No. 96 4898 4) is sold at a price of $6.95 which covers the costs of printing and distribution through the Australian Government Publishing Service. Secure your copy now.
Australian Government Publishing Service
GPO Box 84
Canberra ACT 2601
Phone: 132 447 (FREECALL)
Fax: (06) 295 4888 (for credit card and account holders only)
The table of contents of Ethical Aspects of Qualitative Research in Health Research:
Introduction
Executive Summary
Glossary of terms
Contribution of the social sciences to health research
Theory, ideology and method
The nature of qualitative research
Qualitative methods and their use in health research
Informed consent
Incentives and inducements in research
Collaboration in research
Reporting results
Use of written and documentary information
Sampling in qualitative research
Covert and deceptive research
Ethics Committee's response to covert and deceptive research
Views of covert research
Examples of covert and deceptive research
Issues of potential harm to participants of qualitative research
Inequality between researcher and the participant(s)
Unanticipated consequences
Confidentiality
Reporting results
Storage of data
References cited
Qualitative research methods bibliography
Reference list of guidelines for IECs
Ethical Aspects of Qualitative Research in Health Research was prepared by the Qualitative Research Working Group. Working Group members are Dr. Sandy Gifford, Chairperson; Associate Professor Fran Baum; and Professor Sol Encel.
This page is maintained by Ron Chenail (ron@nsu.acast.nova.edu).
Revised: December 3, 1997