Abstract
This reflective opinion article arises from our experience conducting interviews with refugee women attending ante-natal and post-natal services in an urban setting in Kenya in the context of COVID‑19. First, we explain the research context in light of the study objectives. We reflect on the methodological challenges we faced, including researcher’s positionality, and argue that conducting research within the refugee context during the pandemic is unique, therefore research design must reconsider inclusive methodologies tailored to the uniqueness of refugees’ experience in order to obtain useful data. Second, we discuss these challenges in light of our experiences and the implications for addressing the gaps we identified, with particular emphasis on the ways in which professionals working with refugee communities in the context of a pandemic can build trust and obtain meaningful and uncompromised data. Lastly, we provide recommendations for researchers conducting similar research.
Highlights
This reflective opinion article arises from our experience conducting interviews with refugee women attending ante-natal and post-natal services in an urban setting in Kenya in the context of COVID‐19
Over 80% of refugees globally are hosted in low- and middle-income countries, with over half hosted in sub-Saharan Africa region[3]
Unlike other refugees who live in protected settlements such as Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps, which are staffed by the United Nations, the refugees we interviewed lived among members of the host communities and did not have legal documentation
Summary
Oslo University Hospital, Any reports and responses or comments on the article can be found at the end of the article. We had spent time explaining the purpose of the study, the importance of voluntary informed consent and that we would record the interview, when participant C saw a researcher turning on an audio-recorder, she asked, ‘Are you recording me on WhatsApp [she immediately stopped talking]?’. The second week of data collection, having realised that most of our participants were of Muslim origin, the research team dressed in long clothes and burkas, and spent substantial time at the clinic each day with the aim of immersing with the potential participants and gain acceptance This approach helped the researchers to yield some useful data from all women, including their perceptions of COVID-19. It may be better to engage the local refugee women where possible to collect data among their communities rather than have outsiders do so
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
