Challenging Barriers to Participation in Qualitative Research: Involving Disabled Refugees

Abstract

In this article, the authors discuss the need to consider the potential barriers faced by both interviewers and respondents who wish to participate in qualitative research. Drawing on their experience of enabling disabled refugees to interview other disabled refugees, they discuss their conceptual basis for challenging barriers, and the practical measures they took to address the health, impairment and linguistic needs of both interviewers and respondents participating in the ‘Disabled Refugees in Britain’ research project. They conclude by encouraging other researchers to identify and challenge the barriers faced by all potential participants in qualitative research.