Raudonis (1992) examines the use of vulnerable
populations in health care research such as those in
hospice and calls for sensitivity among qualitative researchers
to the "development of risks to participants
throughout the entire research process" (p. 240). The
risk/benefit ratio is unclear because benefits to the
participant of some research are often intangible and
unidentifiable or in some cases unexpressed. Persons
may wish to participate despite the objections of paternalistic
caregivers. Raudonis calls for the use of
process informed consent that can be adjusted as the
study develops over time (with each interview or participant
observation).