Methodological challenges when doing research that includes ethnic minorities: a scoping review

Abstract

Background: There are challenging methodological issues in obtaining valid and reliable results on which to base occupational therapy interventions for ethnic minorities. The aim of this scoping review is to describe the methodological problems within occupational therapy research, when ethnic minorities are included.

Method: A thorough literature search yielded 21 articles obtained from the scientific databases PubMed, Cinahl, Web of Science and PsychInfo. Analysis followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping reviews, applying content analysis.

Results: The results showed methodological issues concerning the entire research process from defining and recruiting samples, the conceptual understanding, lack of appropriate instruments, data collection using interpreters to analyzing data.

Conclusion: In order to avoid excluding the ethnic minorities from adequate occupational therapy research and interventions, development of methods for the entire research process is needed. It is a costly and time-consuming process, but the results will be valid and reliable, and therefore more applicable in clinical practice.

Keywords:

• Analysis
• data collection
• interpreter
• occupational therapy
• research strategies
• sampling

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Professor Gerd Ahlström for giving valuable advice on earlier drafts of the article.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Funding information

Lund University funded this study.