Promoting the Participation of “Hard-to-Reach” Migrant Populations in Qualitative Public Health Research during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Chile

Journal
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
ISSN
1660-4601
Date Issued
2023
Author(s)
Alice Blukacz
María Inés Álvarez
Paula Madrid
Isabel Rada
Type
Resource Types::text::journal::journal article
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85147875525
DOI
URL
URL Institutional Repository
Abstract
<jats:p>The COVID-19 pandemic has further deepened socioeconomic and health inequities worldwide, especially among populations experiencing social vulnerability, such as international migrants. Sustained lockdowns and social distancing have raised challenges to conducting public health research with hard-to-reach populations. This study aims at exploring strategies to recruit “hard-to-reach” international migrants for qualitative public health research during the pandemic in Chile, based on the authors’ experience. A retrospective qualitative evaluation process was carried out on the recruitment processes of three qualitative research projects focused on international migrants in Chile. All projects were implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, demanding complementary and flexible strategies: (i) social media; (ii) snowball sampling; (iii) referrals from social workers and pro-migrant and migrant-led organizations; (iv) vaccination centers and healthcare centers; and (v) community-based recruitment. The strategies are qualitatively evaluated around seven emerging qualitative categories: (i) feasibility during lockdown periods; (ii) speed of recruitment; (iii) geographical coverage; (iv) sample diversity; (v) proportion of successful interviews; (vi) ethical considerations; and (vii) cost. Engaging hard-to-reach international migrants in public health research during the pandemic required constantly adapting recruitment strategies. Furthermore, relying on strategies that were not only Internet-based promoted the participation of populations with limited access to the Internet and low-digital literacy.</jats:p>
Cite this document
Blukacz, A., Cabieses, B., Obach, A., Calderón, A. C., Álvarez, M. I., Madrid, P., & Rada, I. (2023). Promoting the participation of “hard-to-reach” migrant populations in qualitative public health research during the covid-19 pandemic in chile. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(3), 1956. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031956
Project(s)
Subjects
chile

; 

covid-19 pandemic

; 

hard-to-reach populations

; 

international migrants

; 

public health research

; 

qualitative research

; 

chile

; 

communicable disease control

; 

covid-19

; 

humans

; 

pandemics

; 

public health

; 

qualitative research

; 

retrospective studies

; 

transients and migrants

; 

chile

; 

covid-19

; 

immigrant population

; 

international migration

; 

migrants experience

; 

pandemic

; 

public health

; 

qualitative analysis

; 

article

; 

chile

; 

community

; 

coronavirus disease 2019

; 

cost benefit analysis

; 

feasibility study

; 

female

; 

geography

; 

health center

; 

human

; 

internet

; 

internet literacy

; 

interview

; 

lockdown

; 

male

; 

migrant

; 

organization

; 

pandemic

; 

personal experience

; 

public health

; 

qualitative analysis

; 

qualitative research

; 

retrospective study

; 

snowball sample

; 

social media

; 

social participation

; 

social worker

; 

vaccination

; 

communicable disease control

; 

epidemiology

; 

migration

; 

pandemic

; 

public health

; 

qualitative research