Harnessing expertise: involving peer interviewers in qualitative research with hard-to-reach populations

Sampling hard to reach populations.

Studies on 'hidden populations', such as homeless people, prostitutes and drug addicts, raise a number of specific methodological questions usually absent from research involving known populations and less sensitive subjects. This paper examines the advantages and limitations of nonrandom methods of data collection such as snowball sampling. It reviews the currently available literature on samp...

Cancer Screening in Hard-to-Reach Populations

Using peer advocates to improve access to services among hard-to-reach populations with hepatitis C: a qualitative study of client and provider relationships

BACKGROUND Peer support programmes use individuals with specific experiences to improve engagement and outcomes among new clients. However, the skills and techniques used to achieve this engagement have not been mapped. This potentially restricts the development and replication of successful peer advocate models of care. This study explored how a group of peer advocates with experience of homel...

Management of Hiv Care in Hard-to-reach Patient Populations*

People who inject drugs face stigmatization by society in general, and also by healthcare workers. This creates incentives for individuals with addiction to conceal their drug use, which can interfere with optimal medical care. There are several common misconceptions about individuals who use injection drugs, including the belief that they do not care about their health. The reality is that sub...

Determinants of influenza vaccination in hard-to-reach urban populations.

OBJECTIVE Influenza vaccination rates among disadvantaged minority and hard-to-reach populations are lower than in other groups. We assessed the barriers to influenza vaccination in disadvantaged urban areas. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study, using venue-based sampling, collecting data on residents of eight neighborhoods throughout East Harlem and the Bronx, New York City. RESUL...