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Chapter 4 - (In)Equitable Shifts

Mapping a Pivot to Digital Diary and Remote Research Methods with Queer Youth in the Times of Covid-19

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2024

By
Rodney Stehr ,
Danya Fast  and
Rod Knight
Edited by
Paul M.W. Hackett ,
Christopher M. Hayre ,
Dave Muller ,
Marcia Scherer  and
Ava Gordley-Smith
Paul M.W. Hackett
Affiliation:
Emerson College, Boston
Christopher M. Hayre
Affiliation:
The University of Canberra
Dave Muller
Affiliation:
Suffolk University, Massachusetts
Marcia Scherer
Affiliation:
University of Rochester Medical Center, New York
Ava Gordley-Smith
Affiliation:
University of Suffolk
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Summary

This chapter documents our experiences of pivoting research on sexual and gender minority youth towards an online protocol using digital methods. Digital diaries presented an opportunity to conduct virtual longitudinal qualitative research on how youth describe their experiences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic in Vancouver, Canada. Our digital diary process, supplemented with remote interviews, allowed us to capture shifting health-related patterns and trends, establish capacity to identify and explore unanticipated areas of inquiry, and evaluate participants’ impressions of the method itself. While going digital allowed us to overcome some immediate constraints to participation, it also introduced new uncertainties, including equity concerns and issues around consistent, secure and safe digital access for research participants. We describe how features of young people’s lives remain important factors associated with their ability to participate in digital and remote research. We offer solutions to the challenges and conclude that to counteract the inequities arising from the shift to digital methods, we need flexible, adaptive and population-tailored digital and remote approaches to data collection.

Keywords

digitaldiariesCovid-19youthaccessibilitybarriers
Type
Chapter
Information
The Future of Qualitative Research in Healthcare
The Role and Management of Digital Methods
 , pp. 37 - 51
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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References

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