Reporting of the Translation Process in Qualitative Health Research: A Neglected Importance

Abstract

Translation in qualitative research is an essential process to accurately convey participants’ meanings between languages, thus ensuring the trustworthiness of qualitative research. However, detailed reporting of this crucial process is not included in current reporting guidelines. We will illustrate the complexity of the translation process based on our experiences across research contexts in three countries. We also provide recommendations to preserve participants’ meanings and research trustworthiness. These experiences highlight the importance of accurately reporting the translation process in cross-language qualitative health research and emphasise the need for a clear and comprehensive reporting guideline.