“Lives at risk” study: Philosophical and ethical implications of using narrative inquiry in health services research

Abstract

Narratives ascribe meaning to individual experience and life events through a process of storytelling. Storytelling provides a context for understanding illness and health by mirroring life back to the self while at the same time disseminating personal inner thoughts of the storyteller out to the wider world. This chapter will examine the contribution, meaning, and value of narrative inquiry within a health services research context. In so doing, it considers one specific case study, the “Lives at Risk” study, discussing some of the philosophical and ethical implications of narrative inquiry as it relates to this case.