Doing Alcohol Research Differently: Considerations During Research With Romany Gypsy and Traveller Communities - A Narrative Review With Methodological and Ethical Considerations

Wilkinson, S ORCID: 0000-0002-1564-5472, Wilkinson, C ORCID: 0000-0002-9313-6585, Williams, G, Hewitson, K, Gavin, M and Bowling, C (2026) Doing Alcohol Research Differently: Considerations During Research With Romany Gypsy and Traveller Communities - A Narrative Review With Methodological and Ethical Considerations. Qualitative Health Research. ISSN 1049-7323

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Abstract

Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities experience significant health inequalities, yet alcohol consumption within these communities remains under-researched. This paper offers a methodological and ethical contribution by reflecting on two qualitative studies of alcohol use in Romany Gypsy and Traveller communities in the United Kingdom: project 1 explores youth drinking, and project 2 examines intergenerational drinking narratives. Drawing on a collaborative partnership with Friends, Families and Travellers, we highlight the importance of equitable partnerships and the role of peer researchers in enabling access to seldom-heard communities, particularly when researching sensitive and potentially stigmatised topics. We demonstrate the value of culturally credible methods, including craft-elicitation and story-telling interviews, which align with community traditions, support participant agency, and generate nuanced, relational accounts that challenge stereotypical and pathologising narratives of alcohol use. Participatory data analysis further enabled participants to shape interpretation, repositioning them as active contributors to knowledge production, rather than passive subjects. We also critically reflect on ethical dimensions of the research process, including accessible approaches to informed consent, the complexities and unintended consequences of remuneration, and the importance of prioritising participant comfort, care, and flexibility in research design. We argue that researching alcohol with Romany Gypsy and Traveller communities requires methodological openness, cultural sensitivity, and adaptive, participant-led design. More broadly, the paper contributes practice-based insights that extend debates on participatory and ethical research, offering guidance for qualitative health researchers working with seldom-heard populations on sensitive topics.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Romany Gypsies; Travellers; alcohol consumption; ethical considerations; participatory research; 11 Medical and Health Sciences; 16 Studies in Human Society; 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences; Nursing; 42 Health sciences; 44 Human society
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform H Social Sciences > HT Communities. Classes. Races L Education > L Education (General)
Divisions:	Education
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Date of acceptance:	14 April 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	25 June 2026
Date Deposited:	25 Jun 2026 08:11
Last Modified:	25 Jun 2026 08:11
DOI or ID number:	10.1177/10497323261447802
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28893

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