![[ Visit Client Website ]](images/banner.gif)
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to explore the methodological difficulties encountered in working with hidden and hard to reach populations
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to understand the development of a philosophical methodological triangulation strategy with a multi-method approach to measure the lived experience.
Design: An exploratory study design was initially conducted to discover and describe what was going on in the prostitute's natural environment. Snowball sampling was selected in this case to enlarge this specific target group, as it was a useful technique for increasing the sample size.
Methods: An interpretive ethnographic approach with a mixed-method approach was utilised using prolonged observation and informal conversations over a one-year period in the natural settings of street-based prostitution in Belfast. This was further developed by the introduction of methodological triangulation and a hermeneutic phenomenological approach drawing on the work of Gadamer (1975) to help provide further structure and guidance with the data analysis. As a result of this analysis questionnaires were devised and introduced to validate the findings.
Findings/conclusion: The findings that emerged from the triangulation of data is a pattern of convergence, as all three different sources collected through different methods confirm an overall interpretation of five themes: (i) Childhood incidents; (ii) violence; (iii) Health issues; (iv) High risk behavior and; (v) Self Identity. The picture that emerged from the lived experience of these women was an horrific lifetime continuum of physical, psychological and sexual abuses resulting in low self-esteem and chronic ill health. A risk versus survival’ model emerged from the findings that should heightened public awareness to the women's’ horrific lifestyles, risk behaviors, health and social care needs.