Engaging hard-to-reach populations in research on health in pregnancy: the value of Boal’s simultaneous dramaturgy

ABSTRACT

Background: Migrant populations are among the hardest to reach for research purposes.

Methods: An interdisciplinary research team piloted a modified version of Boal's simultaneous dramaturgy with Roma mothers in Belfast.

Results: The technique, based on scripted performances, translations, and discussions, proved effective for engaging with this hard-to-reach population, despite low levels of literacy, high language barriers, and cultural separateness. The approach uncovered attitudes to pregnancy which reinforce health inequalities, and present significant challenges for improving the health of marginalized populations.

Conclusions: This pilot underlines the importance of building trust through holistic approaches to working with hard-to-reach populations through the creative arts.

KEYWORDS:

• Health in pregnancy
• hard-to-reach populations
• Roma mothers
• Boal
• simultaneous dramaturgy

Acknowledgments

We would like to sincerely thank those who participated in this pilot study. We are also grateful to the Romanian Roma Community Centre in Belfast for their support with the event reported here.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The funding was provided by the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland, Global Challenge Research Fund award.