Using video-recorded consultations for research in primary care: advantages and limitations.
BACKGROUND
Video-recording primary care consultations is an established technique for primary care research. Despite the widespread use of video-recording to help answer a variety of research questions, little is known about how this recording technique influences the findings of studies in which it is employed.


OBJECTIVE
This article investigates how video-recorded consultations have been used in research and discusses how this technique may influence both the internal and external validity of studies.


CONCLUSIONS
Using video-recorded consultations for research purposes may cause bias in the characteristics of doctors and patients who agree to participate in research. There is little evidence, however, that video-recording influences the behaviour of either GPs or patients. Recommendations are made for researchers who are considering using video-recorded consultations in their research.
Coleman
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Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Leicester, Leicester General Hospital, Gwendolen Road, Leicester LE5 4PW, UK.
D015982:Bias; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D019370:Observation / Q000379:methods*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000523:psychology; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012107:Research Design / Q000592:standards; D014743:Videotape Recording / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards