Developing appropriate research methodologies with black and minority ethnic communities. Part I: reflections on the research process

This paper outlines and reviews research methodologies developed in the Smethwick Heart Action Research Project in relation to their ability to ascer tain and document the needs and experiences of black and minority ethnic communities. One of the aims of the research was to document inequalities that existed in the health experiences of black and minority ethnic communities in Smethwick, and hence appropriate research methodologies were needed which were able to examine differences between ethnic groups, genders and socio-economic groups. A number of areas were explored in developing anti oppresssive and participatory research methodologies, in particular strategies for sampling black and minority ethnic populations, matching interviewers to respondents for language and ethnicity, and the effect of the 'race' of the interviewer. This first paper outlines the methodologies developed; the follow ing paper will discuss the findings of the research.