At what risk? A research note on interviewer burden

Background: We report on our methodological experiences during an investigation of how institutional racism functions in healthcare. We found tension between balancing methodological rigor with the unanticipated consequence of interviewer burden.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and qualitatively analyzed using thematic content analysis. Interviewers also participated in weekly debriefing sessions and reported experiences with patients.

Results: Interviewers repeatedly experienced negative encounters with white patients during interviews. Themes included privilege to avoid racism, denial of racism, non-verbal discomfort, falsely claiming Native identities, and intimidation. These experiences were most pronounced with Black interviewers.

Discussion: Interviewer burden may need to be a consideration taken up in a variety of research contexts.