Narrative inquiry: A relational research methodology suitable to explore narratives of health and illness

Abstract

This paper proposes the need for further qualitative research to gain valuable insight into individuals’ experiences of health and illness and the suitability of narrative inquiry as a methodology to investigate these experiences. It is essential to increase qualitative knowledge of individuals’ experiences of illness in order to improve and personalise their care. Narrative inquiry aims to understand knowledge gained from the individual’s narrative of their experiences. Narrative inquiry explores experiences through the dimensions of temporality, sociality and spatiality. The aspect between these dimensions provides an exploratory structure for narratives surrounding health and illness: temporality – when did the illness begin, how will it influence the future; sociality – cultural and personal influences on views of illness; spatiality – surroundings, such as hospitals, and their influence on the health–illness perspective. Narrative inquiry not only provides a deep understanding of the investigated phenomena, it is also provides a rich vibrant narrative presentation of findings for the reader and user of research.