4.2 THE 2004 KIDS QUALITATIVE STUDY
4.2.3 Fieldwork
Yin (1984) defines the case study research method as an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, using multiple sources of evidence. A modified extended case study method was chosen for the 2004 KIDS qualitative study. The term
‘modified’ was used because the period in the field and the period with each case study household was shorter than is most often the case using an ‘extended case method’. This approach is useful as it embraces engagement as the road to knowledge, and it engages using multiple dialogues which enable it to reach various explanations of empirical phenomena (Burawoy, 1998). The extended case study method was appropriate for this study because it enabled trust to be established between the field researchers and study participants, what field researchers believed to be truthful information to be obtained, and information to be verified, as described in section 4.3.4.
The household was the case study unit, with contextual/relational analysis undertaken with respect to each household. Fairly structured interview guides were used for each research theme.
Field researchers were trained in the use of the structured guides prior to the commencement of fieldwork.
Each field researcher lived in two research sites for two one-month periods, and travelled between the two sites at intervals. Field researchers took a few days off in the middle of each month of fieldwork, and returned to their homes. The field researchers found this to be essential time as the fieldwork itself was intense and continuous.
Over the two months in the field, field researchers conducted numerous and repeated visits to the three ‘care’ study households in each research site. Visits were structured around the activities of household members and the information that the field researchers had to collect. Field researchers spent whole days with some households, or undertook a number of shorter visits over many days.
In all, the field researchers were exposed to the study households a great deal over the two months that they lived in each study site.
During these visits, formal and informal interviews and discussions were conducted with different household members. Ethnographic techniques were used, including interviewing and observing and participating in activities related to the topics of the research, both at the household and community level. Specific methods used as part of the study were household trees, household events maps and mini-events maps of illness periods. The purpose of these methods was to build trust and rapport with households, and to observe and learn in a way that is not possible with more rapid research methods.
Household members were identified through a household tree, a method developed by Adato, Lund and Mhlongo (2007) as part of the SEPPI conducted in some KIDS households in 2001.
This approach, which took place at the beginning of fieldwork periods, involved drawings of households. The definition of households took into account everyone who contributed to or drew resources away from the household. Household events mapping, a method developed in the same study by the same researchers, involved a combination of interviewing and participatory, visual methods. The aim was to trace events over time, and these methods were intended to stimulate recall and involve different household members in this process. Events mapping of illness periods involved identifying key events in the illness periods, with a specific focus on access to
institutional support (Adato, Hunter, & van de Ruit, 2004; Adato, Kadiyala, Roopnaraine, Biermayr-Jenzano, & Norman, 2005).
In addition, the case studies included a time-use component. According to Budlender (2006, p.
52), in a successful time-use study training of fieldworkers is crucial, as well as good backup materials, and “a solid fieldwork supervision and support structure that allows fieldworkers who encounter difficulties or have queries to get rapid responses”. Backup materials refer to detailed instructional and training materials that should be developed for supervisors and interviewers (United Nations, 2005). Every attempt was made to see that the above was in place. In particular, because the stylized questions were administered by field researchers, they needed to have a good
understanding of the scope of the prescribed activities, and to be able to communicate this to informants (Budlender, 2006) and answer any questions raised by respondents (United Nations, 2005). As a result, field researcher training received a lot of attention, the structured guides were designed to be inclusive in terms of detail and the researcher was in frequent contact with field researchers to answer any queries posed by respondents and any uncertainties the field
researchers had.
Note-taking during interviews and elaboration on fieldnotes after household visits occurred in the field. While the information was obtained in isiZulu, this material was recorded in English. After every month in the field, field researchers spent two weeks in Durban typing up field notes. The researcher read through the study information once it was typed up and asked the field
researchers to find additional information that would fill in any gaps when they returned to the study site for the second month. No tape recording was used, therefore quotations included in this thesis are not word-for-word quotes but are based on interview notes. The quotations are as close an approximation of quotes as possible. Quotations or narratives are of the field researchers’
account of the statement, and are usually made in the third person.
To the extent that it was possible to meet with key informants in each cluster, key informant interviews were also completed. These were undertaken with two heads of clinics that served two of the rural study areas and with community caregivers in five of the six research sites. In one research site there were no community caregivers.
The interview material has been edited for clarity of reading, but without changing the meaning.
All names have been changed for the sake of confidentiality, and all material relating to identity has been placed in secure storage.
As already noted, ethical clearance for the 2004 KIDS was obtained from the UKZN’s Research Ethics Committee, and this covered the 2004 KIDS qualitative study as well. Field researchers were given instructions to ask no questions about HIV status because of ethical reasons and because of the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.
Field researchers were given the option of attending counselling sessions because of the challenging nature of the fieldwork. Specifically, the fact that they were working in relatively poor areas meant that high expectations were placed on field researchers by those living in the study areas. Across study sites the field researchers tended to be regarded as being able to assist local residents. This is illustrated in one of the field researcher’s observations:
... I am trying to say that even [though] they knew that I am a researcher … they did not want to accept that. I was perceived as a saviour, a social worker, a caregiver …
somebody who was there to solve all the people’s problems. Unfortunately, I was not that somebody but a data collector and that’s all. This was stressful sometimes. It’s not that I didn’t explain my role but things changed when I lived with them. I think a stranger is more approachable to people with problems. A stranger also brings a sense of hope to the community. (Field researcher, Rural 2 & Rural 4)
Another difficulty for field researchers related to the care component. Here the emotionally taxing nature of the work itself was difficult, and this was also a reason for field researchers to attend counselling sessions.
Finally, a number of grocery packs were given to each study household as an acknowledgement of their time and effort spent participating in the study. Items were chosen with the ill people’s nutrition in mind and after a discussion with the field researchers on suitable groceries for these study households.