Tailoring Traditional Interviewing Techniques for Qualitative Research with Seriously Ill Patients about the End-of-Life: A Primer

Abstract

Conducting qualitative interviews with seriously ill individuals about end-of-life issues is challenging for interviewers seeking to understand the problems, processes, and experiences individuals undergo when faced with death and dying. Although all qualitative interviewers face issues of building trust and obtaining answers to their research questions, these issues are exacerbated for interviewers of end-of-life issues due to the challenges of debilitated participants, sensitive subject matter, and heightened emotionalism. The purpose of this article is to offer field-tested techniques to tailor basic interviewing practices for discussions of end-of-life issues with seriously ill individuals. Use of tailored techniques facilitates the comfort of both interviewer and participant and enhances the probability of obtaining complete and accurate data, which in turn can improve the effectiveness of subsequent programs, policies, and clinical practice based on research findings.