Abstract
Background The rise of online recruitment and data collection in qualitative research has led to an increase in imposter participants. Imposter participants are dishonest individuals who fake or exaggerate their identities to participate in studies, usually for financial gain. This issue poses significant challenges to research integrity, ethics, and resource allocation.
Aim To raise awareness and address the ethical, diversity and inclusivity considerations related to imposter participation in qualitative research.
Method Our cross-organisational steering group, comprising 17 individuals with diverse experiences in qualitative health studies, employed an educational action research approach to address this issue.
Results Online recruitment methods, while efficient, increase vulnerability to imposter participation. Monetary compensation, while necessary for some populations such as underserved communities, may attract imposter participation. Screening processes must balance verification methods with participant autonomy and anonymity. Data collection methods need adaptation to deter imposters while remaining inclusive to genuine participants. Imposter participation significantly impacts researcher well-being and data trustworthiness. Recommendations include a critical evaluation of recruitment and data collection methods, involving patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) groups; increased researcher support and training on handling imposter participants; and greater awareness and guidance from Research Ethics Committees on appropriate mitigation strategies.
Conclusion Our findings highlight the need for a proactive, collaborative approach to enhance the trustworthiness of qualitative health research while maintaining inclusivity. Future work should focus on the effectiveness of mitigating techniques and their impact on participation from underserved communities.
