Unobtrusive Methods in Qualitative Health Research: Studying High-Risk Populations and Other Groups

Unobtrusive methods to data collection refer to collecting information about research participants that does not involve directly eliciting information from them. Unobtrusive methods are particularly useful for collecting data in a way that eliminates the confounding effects of social desirability and working with high-risk and hard-to-reach populations. This is especially the case in health research. The three dominant types of unobtrusive methods are trace data, observational data, and documentary records. This chapter explores the significance of using documentary methods to collect and analyze data about high-risk groups in health research. Specifically, the chapter provides a case study of a critical discourse analysis the authors conducted on new media representations of the “ice epidemic” in rural and regional Australia, showing how documentary records were able to collect data on conflicting accounts from health professionals and politicians that would be difficult to capture using reactive or direct means. The chapter is concluded by suggesting how other unobtrusive methods could be used to enhance health research, as well as the addition of methods that are more reactive in focus.