Using Documents in Health Research

Documents, especially personal documents such as diaries and letters, provide a relatively neglected resource for health service researchers. They can be used to access data that are difficult to obtain in other ways. For example, such documents can tell us about individuals who died several centuries ago; people from marginalized and stigmatized groups who are often reluctant to participate in research; or activities, such as gay sex, that are otherwise concealed. In this respect, the overall aim of this chapter is to examine the ways in which documents have been and can be used for health research. This includes describing documentary research, identifying the type of resources it requires, and examining the research issues for which it is appropriate. The chapter will also, amongst other things, outline the strengths and weaknesses of documentary research and consider how documentary data can be coded, analyzed and presented.