When people matter: The ethics of qualitative research in the health and social sciences

When research involves people, ethics are fundamental. In the health and social sciences, when qualitative methodologies are used, in addition to ensuring an ethical process approved by the ethics review board, it is also necessary to guarantee an ethical practice capable of responding adequately to the complex questions and dilemmas which arise as the study progresses. This theoretical article analyses some of the most sensitive issues involved in qualitative research and discusses the following questions: (a) How should ethics be approached when working with vulnerable groups? (b) Is informed consent enough? (c) Should we rethink anonymity? (d) What is the difference between confidentiality and anonymity? (e) What exactly do we mean by relational ethics? (f) How can we avoid hurting people, yet remain honest? In the conclusions, we discuss some basic aspects for ensuring ethical studies. This paper, therefore, may be of interest to all health and social researchers concerned about ensuring that their studies comply with ethical principles which recognise, protect and respect participants’ rights.