Table 2.

Strategies to acquire reliability in the study to explore challenges in providing care to patients with chronic diseases during disasters focusing on diabetics and chronic respiratory disease patients in Iran

Reliability Criterion	Description
Credibility	-The PI being immersed in data as well as findings of observations. -Allocating an adequate time of over 3 years for the gathering and interpretation of research data. -Attending consecutively the research environment in earthquake zones of Ahar, Haris, Varzaghan in East Azerbaijan province and in earthquake rural zones of Sare-pol Zahab in Kermanshah province. Over 10 village and healthcare centers. -Use of peer check technique by other research team members through the interactions of colleagues, questioning and answering and views. -Use of member check by participants in the study through re-interviewing 3 participants of experts group and 4 participants of patients group to support research findings. -Use of 2 experts out of the research team to examine questions and validate them (Expert Check). -Asking participants of any possible questions, ambiguities and misunderstandings during the interviews. -Gather data from different individuals involved, including diabetics and chronic respiratory disease patients involved in the crisis, experts and policymakers. -Use of numerous techniques to collect data besides interview, producing data through observation and search for contradictory evidences.
Confirmability	-Avoiding biases and remaining impartial in different subjects throughout the research process, writing memos and reports with verbatim quotations in the study. -Availability of all research documents including manuscripts.
Transferability	-Presenting exact details of participants in terms of their age, sex, education level, occupation, type of disease. -Presenting adequate information of the investigator, literature review, study process, type of participants, subject area.
Dependability	-Providing other researches with accurate information of the research process. -Use of accurate quotations of participants. -Audio recording, taking notes and recording other entries.