Applying Innovative Qualitative Methods to Understand the Perspective of Vulnerable and Diverse Populations

Abstract The application of a variety of innovative qualitative research methods and analysis as well as the possibilities it offers for the selected population to share their personal experience is the main focus of this symposium. We present the relationships between design, methodological approaches and themes of interest for the people who participate in research. The presenters used designs such as ethnographic field research or phenomenological designs. The used photos taken and analyzed by the participants; using photo-voice and tabletop exercise. All speakers will present their designs and methods linked to a specific research theme. Using examples of recent and highly innovative research practices which meaningfully challenge taken-for-granted assumptions in social science and care research, to open new ground for other ways of thinking about doing research in these fields. Goal for the discussion is a critical reflection of the designs and methods used and to provide take away messages


SOCIAL SECURITY ACCESS CHALLENGES FOR CHINESE FARMERS MIGRATING TO URBAN SETTINGS
In 2018, China had 564 million rural people, accounting for 40% of the total population. However in 2018, the total number of rural workers immigrating to urban areas related to economic need reached 288 million. This represents an increase of 46 million since 2011. The Chinese government piloted a new rural insurance as an answer to pushing urbanization forward to support rural immigrants. Consequently since 2009, the number of urban and rural residents participating in the basic old-age insurance has been kept above 500 million, making it the largest basic oldage insurance system, covering the largest number of persons in the world. Due to this insurance, an estimated 515 million people were lifted out of poverty, of which 27.41 million were older adults. Challenges for the Chinese government include transforming the Chinese situation of absolute poverty to relative poverty, and improving the living standard of older adults. Older adults living in rural communities often encounter health disparities related to chronic conditions and access to care. In an effort to address these disparities, a communitybased program focused on health promotion and education was implemented with community dwelling, rural, African American older adults. We partnered with a local church to provide education regarding health promotion, chronic disease self-management, and support for senior group members (n=32). Program materials were accessed online in order to facilitate sustainability and potential program expansion. Key findings from a qualitative content analysis indicated the majority of participants reported improved engagement in chronic disease management and health promotion activities (i.e., following a healthy diet, monitoring blood pressure, taking medications as prescribed), incorporating health behaviors to prevent the development of co-morbid conditions, and increased client-provider communication. Implications for further research will be discussed and key elements of program implementation such as a continued partnership will be explored.

ADVOCACY THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS: DATA, DEMOGRAPHICS, AND DECISIONS
Briana Sisofo, 1 and Anne Asman, 2 1. University of Utah, Park City, Utah, United States, 2. University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States The Summit County Aging Alliance (SCAA) in Park City, Utah is representative of state government, county and city government(s), private citizens, land developers, Senior Center attendees, national and local associations, non-profit support organizations, home health agencies, colleges and universities, recreation centers, hospital administrators and area associations on aging. The focus of the Alliance has been to provide a forum for critical listening and discussion. Data from a survey to determine the 'real' needs and vision of the older adult community provided perspective from more than 100 older adults representing diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. This work is now providing a benchmark from which both the city and county governments in Summit County are creating their strategic plans, and the Alliance has become the official voice of the community's older adults.

APPLYING INNOVATIVE QUALITATIVE METHODS TO UNDERSTAND THE PERSPECTIVE OF VULNERABLE AND DIVERSE POPULATIONS Chair: Martina Roes Discussant: Chaya Koren
The application of a variety of innovative qualitative research methods and analysis as well as the possibilities it offers for the selected population to share their personal experience is the main focus of this symposium. We present the relationships between design, methodological approaches and themes of interest for the people who participate in research. The presenters used designs such as ethnographic field research or phenomenological designs. The used photos taken and analyzed by the participants; using photo-voice and tabletop exercise. All speakers will present their designs and methods linked to a specific research theme. Using examples of recent and highly innovative research practices which meaningfully challenge taken-for-granted assumptions in social science and care research, to open new ground for other ways of thinking about doing research in these fields. Goal for the discussion is a critical reflection of the designs and methods used and to provide take away messages Qualitative methods are proving to be important tools for studying the multi-faceted experience of living with aging, with a focus on the arts. Ethnographic methods are productive ways to discover and examine music in everyday life. Systematically studying the normal and often taken-forgranted ways aging adults experience music, in the full range of settings where they can be found, can abide by the first rule of translational science research: to design and conduct research in order to facilitate the efficient and timely development and application of clinical and caring interventions. This presentation will review a series of ethnographic studies of music experiences in residential facilities, dementia respite groups, family, and hospice. We will suggest ways to apply findings from these studies to enlighten volunteer hospice workers' protocols for care.

USE OF PHOTO ELICITATION WITHIN PHENOMENOLOGY: DEPICTING LIVED EXPERIENCE OF OLDER LEARNERS IN AN AFU Andrea Zakrajsek, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States
While the use of photographs is an emerging data generation method within phenomenology (Plunkett, Leipert & Ray, 2013;Shulze, 2007), research that incorporates photo elicitation to inform the understanding of the lived experience is limited. This presentation will describe the use of photo elicitation within a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experience of older learners in higher education. After an initial interview, six participants aged 50 years and older shared photographs that that they chose to depict experiences of being student at a regional comprehensive university in the Midwest. Photographs served as mode for participant reflection of their experiences and guided a second interview. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (Smith et al., 2009) with photographs and verbatim transcripts ensued and resulting findings included: complicated sense of belonging and community development and access. Implications for use and analysis of photographs within qualitative research will be discussed. Project 1: Community Health Advocates participated in a photovoice project that evolved into an invited installation at the Alabama Contemporary Art Center, giving statewide exposure to health issues in communities in South Alabama that had been identified as those with the highest health disparities. The context of the project was a multigenerational approach to community health advocacy. Project 2: This project focused on employing CBPR methods in Cambodian and Laotian immigrant communities in South Alabama to discover barriers to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery and to better understand the intersections of culture, spirituality, and social justice along the path to community empowerment and resiliency. Community engagement in the development of emergency plans is typically at the organization-to-organization level. This paper analyzes multi-generational, multi-disciplinary, multi-method approaches using qualitative data to build effective strategies for advocacy through community engagement in research.

APPROACHES FOR MODELING OF INTENSIVE LONGITUDINAL DATA TO UNDERSTAND COGNITIVE AGING
Chair: Karra Harrington Co-Chair: Nelson Roque Discussant: Jacqueline Mogle Understanding age-related change in cognition and identification of pathological changes requires sensitive and valid measurement of cognitive performance across time. Technological advances, such as ambulatory assessment of cognition using smartphones, have enabled intensive longitudinal methods where data is collected with many measurements over time. Our research group has developed novel ambulatory assessments that provide reliable, sensitive, and ecologically valid measurement of cognition across multiple timescales; from momentary changes to change across years. This symposium will present a spectrum of approaches to analysis of intensive longitudinal data that can inform models of cognitive aging. All three presentations will draw on data from measurement burst studies that apply our ambulatory cognitive assessment methods in community-based samples (i.e., systematically recruited in the Bronx, New York). For each measurement burst, participants undergo assessment consisting of brief surveys and cognitive tests via smartphone, up to 7 times per day across 14 days. Oravecz et al. will discuss the application of a Bayesian multilevel implementation of the double exponential model to account for retest effects while quantifying change in peak cognitive performance across time. Kang et al., will demonstrate a growth curve modeling approach for assessing the effects of between-person variables (i.e., loneliness) on change in cognition across measurement bursts. Harrington et al., will demonstrate a model-based cluster analysis approach, leveraging ambulatory assessments of subjective and objective cognitive function to unpack latent groups as a function of age and loneliness. Measurement, Statistics, and Research Design Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.