32. Methods of sociological investigation in medicine. Interview. Documents review.

Introduction

This topic covers the interview (its types, advantages and disadvantages, and the stages of the interview process) and the documents review (analysis of interview data and the documentary method). In the survey and interview methods the questionnaire is directed to the participant (respondent).

Interview

An interview may be defined as a conversation between the interviewers and interviewees with the purpose of eliciting certain information.

Types

According to the type of questionnaire:

• Structured interview (direct, formal, guided)
• The questions are predetermined and consist mostly of closed-response questions provided in a systematic order.
• The researcher gets answers to the questions only and does not add new ones.
• The roles of the interviewer and the interviewee are clearly defined.
• Unstructured interview (non-directive, informal, open-ended)
• There are no predetermined questions.
• Only particular themes to be explored are defined, without a specific order or specific question wording.
• Most of the questions are open-ended and the interviewer collects information by free discussion; subjects are asked to narrate in their own words their experiences, opinions and reactions.
• Semi-structured interview: the questionnaire consists mostly of semi-closed questions.

If the researcher simply wishes to collect some basic symptom data, an unstructured interview would be inefficient. If the researcher wants to study people's conception of their illness, an unstructured interview may be suitable.

According to the number of interviewees: personal; collective.

According to the number of meetings (frequency of conducting):

• Single-time interview.
• Panel (repetitive) interview: held periodically in order to note the gradual influence of some social or psychological process and study the change. The same questionnaire and subjects are used.

According to the method of conducting the interview: face-to-face interview (conducted in person); interview with distance means of communication.

Stages of the interview process

1. Selection of interviewees (random sampling).
2. Recruitment of interviewees.
3. Starting the interview: from general discussion of the problem to the specific questions.
4. Securing rapport with the interviewee.
5. Recall: the interviewer should give enough time to recollect and refresh the interviewee's memory; also used if the interviewee drifts away from the main topic.
6. Probe questions: used when the subject sidetracks some important aspects of the problem.
7. Encouragement of the interviewee.
8. Guiding the interview: when the subject digresses in his narration to less important topics.
9. Recording: should be reduced to a minimum, otherwise the flow of the conversation slows down and the interview may take the form of questions and answers; the researcher should jot down important points.