Opening a Door to a Private World: Using Auto/biographical Methodology to Explore Health Experience

This case presents an exploration of the challenges and implications of using the researcher-as-participant methodology of auto/biography, as a means of adding to the qualitative literature on patient health experiences. Based on doctoral work in which I explored my experience of living with premenopausal osteoporosis through reflective topical autobiography, this case highlights the decision-making process involved in choosing the most appropriate researcher-as-participant methodology to answer the research question. The application of the method and the ethical challenges associated with using such a personal process are explored and the unexpected issues that arose during the process are documented