# Video recording as a data collection method in vulnerable populations - methodological and ethical considerations

## TL;DR

This paper discusses the ethical and methodological challenges of using video recordings in research involving vulnerable populations and offers guidance for future studies.

## Contribution

The paper highlights the interconnectedness of ethical and methodological considerations in video research and suggests the need for a standardized checklist.

## Key findings

- Video recordings offer unique insights into human interaction and relationships.
- Ethical challenges must be addressed throughout the research process.
- A standard or checklist is needed to ensure ethical quality in video research.

## Abstract

Video recording vulnerable situations in healthcare practice raises ethical challenges that require addressing throughout the research process. Such challenges are linked to protecting research participants and assessing when and how using video recordings is appropriate.

This article aims to present methodological and ethical considerations inherent in video recording vulnerable participants and to offer future researchers concrete guidance and inspiration as to how they might assess these aspects of their own planned video research.

As a group of researchers who have used video recordings to collect data of patients in vulnerable situations, we reflect upon our own methodological and ethical choices against the backdrop of other research studies and ethical guidelines.

Video recordings provide a unique opportunity to observe human interaction and to understand more about how we relate to each other. This article contributes to knowledge regarding empirically and ethically sound practice. We have demonstrated how methodological and ethical considerations are intertwined and should be treated as such.

There are no existing guidelines or tools specifically for conducting and reporting qualitative studies using video recording that link the ethical considerations to the methodological choices. This article could provide a point of departure for establishing a reflective tool.

•Video recording enables observing human interaction and relationship.•Addressing ethical challenges is essential when using video recording in research.•Methodological and ethical considerations in video research are intertwined.•Methodological and ethical reflection provides guidance and inspiration.•A standard or checklist that can ensure the ethical quality of video research is required.

Video recording enables observing human interaction and relationship.

Addressing ethical challenges is essential when using video recording in research.

Methodological and ethical considerations in video research are intertwined.

Methodological and ethical reflection provides guidance and inspiration.

A standard or checklist that can ensure the ethical quality of video research is required.