title: Planning focus group interviews with asylum seekers: Factors related to the researcher, interpreter and asylum seekers.
abstract: The aim of this article was to discuss factors related to the researcher, interpreter and asylum seekers when planning focus group interviews with asylum seekers. Focus group interview is one of the basic data collection methods in descriptive nursing and health research. It has been used in multicultural research, allowing an opportunity to participate without literacy and to have linguistic and cultural support from other participants. Asylum seekers form a specific, vulnerable group, and the growing number of asylum seekers increases the need for research related to them. A culturally, methodologically and ethically high-quality focus group interview is based on the researcher's special knowledge and skills, acknowledgement of asylum seekers as both individuals and part of cultural and communal groups, and careful planning of the interpreter's role during the interviews.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Niina
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-9941-1501
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Eklöf
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hupli
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.|Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leino-Kilpi
mesh_terms: D018864:Cultural Diversity; D017144:Focus Groups / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology*; D012107:Research Design; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
keywords: focus group; immigration; multicultural issues