Video elicitation interviews: A viable method for health services research?

Conference:

SAPC ASM 2016 - Dublin

Talk Code:

EP3B.04

Presenter:

Jennifer Newbould

Co-authors:

Llanwarne N (1), Burt J(1), Davey, A(2) , Campbell J(2) and Roland M(1)

Author institutions:

(1) University of Cambridge, (2) University of Exeter

Problem

Video-elicitation interviewing is a technique which involves the use of traditional interview methods in conjunction with video-recorded material which guides the interview schedule. In primary care research the use of video-elicitation interviews with patients, through the viewing of a recently recorded consultation with their GP, offers the opportunity for the participant to re-live the consultation experience thus serving as a resource for recall and reflection (Henry and Fetters, 2012). Video elicitation interviewing is a methodology rarely used in health services research. We explore the rewards and challenges of the use of video elicitation interviews.

Approach

We draw on our experience of 52 video elicitation interviews conducted as part of the IMPROVE project on patient experience. Consultations between GPs and patients were video recorded and patients were asked to complete a patient experience questionnaire after the consultation. Video elicitation interviews were conducted within four weeks of the consultation. In each interview, the video of the consultation was shown to the participant and used as a prompt, enabling further in-depth discussion.

Findings

Use of the video elicitation approach generated data that would likely have remained hidden through the use of a conventional interview approach. In particular it enabled researchers to probe the reasons patients had completed the questionnaire in the way that they had. The video acted as a trigger to prompt more deeply into the patient’s consultation experience and provided the researchers with greater insight into the consultation being discussed. We observed particular impact on the nature of the data generated and on the overall interview dynamic. The approach also posed challenges which we will discuss in more detail. These include issues of recruitment and the resource and time required to recruit participants into a study of this nature. The conduct of the interview was more complex than a conventional qualitative interview, with additional efforts made to build up rapport with the participant. Some participants struggled with the experience of participating in a video elicitation interview. The nature of the data collected leads to challenges of data analysis which will be discussed.

Consequences

Our experience suggests video elicitation interviews can be a method yielding rich data, however researchers should be mindful of several challenges. We discuss the potential merits of this method for wider use in health services research.

Reference

Henry S.G and Fetters M.D (2012) Video elicitation interviews: a qualitative research method for investigating physician-patient interactions. The Annals of Family Medicine, 10, 118-125.

Submitted by:

Jennifer Newbould

Funding acknowledgement:

This work was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Programme Grants for Applied Research (NIHR PGfAR) Programme (RP-PG-0608-10050). The views expressed are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.