The life history interview method: applications to intervention development.
There is an urgent need to develop and test health promotion strategies that both address health disparities and elucidate the full impact of social, cultural, economic, institutional, and political elements on people's lives. Qualitative research methods, such as life history interviewing, are well suited to exploring these factors. Qualitative methods are also helpful for preparing field staff to implement a social contextual approach to health promotion. This article reports results and application of findings of life history interviews conducted as part of intervention planning for the Harvard Cancer Prevention Program Project, "Cancer Prevention in Working-Class, Multi-Ethnic Populations." The salient themes that emerged from interviews with a multi-ethnic, purposive sample are centered on six construct domains: immigration and social status, social support, stress, food, physical activity, and occupational health. Insights gained from thematic analysis of the interviews were integrated throughout intervention and materials development processes.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Adult Oncology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Roberta_Goldman@dfci.harvard.edu
Roberta
R
Goldman
Mary Kay
MK
Hunt
Jennifer Dacey
JD
Allen
Sonia
S
Hauser
Karen
K
Emmons
Marcio
M
Maeda
Glorian
G
Sorensen
D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008016:Life Change Events; D016272:Occupational Health; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States