Focus Group Moderator guide
Form Approved
OMB No. 0920-0800
Exp. Date 1/31/2012
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: CDC/ATSDR Reports Clearance Officer; 1600 Clifton Road, MS D-74, Atlanta, GA 30333, ATTN: PRA (0920-0800)
Introduction To Group Processes And Procedures (10 Minutes) 2
Participant Introductions And Warm-Up Exercise (5 Minutes) 3
Pre-discussion Information Sheet Part I (10 minutes) 3
Discussion Questions (70 Minutes) 3
Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors: Salient Beliefs (10 minutes) 3
Print Materials: Materials and Message Testing (40 minutes) 4
Post-Discussion Information Sheet Part 2 ( 20 minutes) 5
Note: The entire time for continuous focus group data collection, including the Pre- and Post-Discussion Information Sheets, is estimated to average 2 hours per response.
[Moderator: Before participants enter room, write on flip chart visible to all participants:]
“Topic of Discussion: Thoughts about messages, print materials and radio advertisements to raise awareness about breast cancer and mammography among African American women.”
Focus group ground rules.
INTRODUCTION TO GROUP PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES (10 minutes)
Thank you for taking the time to be here. My name is ___________ and I work for ICF International a research and consulting firm. As you may remember when you were recruited, we are conducting this focus group on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to learn about your thoughts about messages, print materials and radio advertisements designed to educate women about breast cancer and increase breast cancer screening among African American women. First, I want to take a few minutes to tell you about my role and what to expect from our discussion and then I’ll give everyone the chance to introduce herself.
My role is simply to facilitate the discussion, make sure we stay on topic, and keep us within our time limit. I am not here to push any particular agenda or point of view, but rather to hear your frank and honest opinions. There are no right or wrong answers. We all have our own likes and dislikes, our own thoughts and feelings.
I want to remind everyone that the discussion here will be maintained in a secure manner. Please use only your first name. We will not report your comments by name, and we ask that you respect each other’s privacy in the same way. We do not expect you to tell us anything that you would be uncomfortable sharing with the group. But we do hope that you will be honest with your responses to the questions I ask.
Before we begin, I need to give you the informed consent form. Let’s read it together and then I’ll ask you to sign it. Most importantly, I want to make sure that you understand your participation in this study is completely voluntary. That means you can choose not to answer questions you if you want or you can leave at any time.
[Moderator: Review, collect informed consent form, and answer any questions.]
I’m going to ask a series of questions, but mainly I want to hear from you. As I mentioned, my role is simply to guide the discussion. Sometimes we may really get going on one question, and I’ll have to move you onto the next question so that we may cover everything. Please do not take it personally! We just need to hear from everyone about several topics.
There are also a few ground rules that I would like us to adopt for our discussion:
You have been asked here to offer your views and opinions.
Everyone’s input is important. We will encourage everyone to participate.
Respect the privacy of your fellow group members.
Avoid side conversations.
Let one person speak at a time.
I may need to cut a discussion short to get through the whole discussion.
Please turn off all cell phones!
There are no right or wrong answers.
All answers will be maintained in a secure manner, so feel free to speak your mind.
Respect one another at all times.
It’s okay to disagree.
Most importantly, please try to speak up, speak clearly, and one at a time. We are audiotaping the discussion so that we can have an accurate record of the discussion. Do you have any questions before we get started?
PARTICIPANT INTRODUCTIONS AND WARM-UP EXERCISE (5 minutes)
So we can get to know each other a little, let’s go around the room and introduce ourselves. Please say your first name only and your favorite type of music.
Pre-discussion Information Sheet (Pre-DIS) Part I (10 minutes)
Moderator to administer part 1 of the PDIS
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (70 minutes)
Breast Cancer Knowledge: Salient Beliefs (10 minutes)
What comes to your mind when I say “breast cancer?”
Moderator: Record all answers on another NEW flip chart list.
Probe: Why did you say that?
Probe: What concerns, thoughts, or feelings come to your mind?
What have you heard about breast cancer?
How would you find out if you had breast cancer?
Where do you get your information on breast cancer?
Probe: Friends, family, other people, organizations?
Probe: Internet, books, magazines? (What types?)
Probe: If you searched the Internet, what would you look for? How would you look for information about breast cancer?
Do you think that women like you are at risk for getting breast cancer? Why or why not?
Probe: Do you think that African-American women are at risk for getting breast cancer?
Probe: Do you think that older or younger African-American women are more at risk of getting breast cancer?
What can women do protect themselves from getting breast cancer?
What can women do to increase their chances of surviving breast cancer?
Breast Cancer Screening Behaviors: Salient Beliefs (10 minutes)
Moderator: Now we’d like to talk about breast cancer screening.
So what comes to your mind when I say breast cancer screening?
Probe: What do you know about screening?
Probe: Tell me what is involved in screening?
When do you think a woman should get screened for breast cancer?
Probe: How often? What age?
Probe: When she is sick?
Probe: When she feels a lump in her breast?
Probe: If her mom or close female relative has cancer?
Moderator: If participants bring up “mammograms” get the participants to explain what a mammogram is.
Do you know what early detection means?
Probe: Is it important? Why or why not?
Do you think that breast cancer screening increases the chance of finding breast cancer early? Why or why not?
Do you think that breast cancer screening increases a woman’s chance of surviving breast cancer? Why or why not?
What do you know about the [NAME OF LOCAL BCCP]?
What are your thoughts about no- or low -cost breast cancer screening (mammograms)?
Probe: Do you think women worry that the quality of no- or low- cost screening might not be very good?
Probe: Do you trust that no- or low- cost screening services are as good quality as services that cost money or require insurance coverage?
What more would you like to know about the screening services in your area?
Probe: Do you have any concerns about screening services? If so, what are they?
Probe: Are there places where you think women would be more likely to go to get screened? Are there places where you think women would be less likely to go to get screened?
Print Materials: Materials and Message Testing (40 minutes)
Moderator: “Now I’d like us to discuss some conceptual messages and print materials. I have four print materials that I will show you. We will discuss each material and the messages in the materials. Remember that you are the experts and your opinions are important to us. We’re interested in providing materials and information that is as useful as possible, so I really want your honest and frank responses to what we present you.”
Show one material at a time and ask the following questions for each.
What do you think about this image?
Probe: What does it make you think about?
Probe: What do you like about the image? Why?
Probe: What do you dislike about the image? Why?
What do you think about this phrase?
Probe: What does it make you think about?
Probe: What do you like about this phrase? Why?
Probe: What do you dislike about the phrase? Why?
What do you think the phrase means?
Probe: What is the main idea it is trying to communicate?
Is there anything confusing about the phrase? Please explain.
Do you believe what the phrase is telling you? Why/Why not?
Probe: Who do you think this phrase is meant for?
[Moderator: We are trying to gather information about what group of people they think the phrase is meant for, e.g. African Americans, young people, etc]
What would be a better way to say what is meant by this phrase?
Probe: What else (or other types of information) would you want to hear in this phrase?
Would this phrase appeal to women like you?
[Moderator: After asking the questions above for each material (poster), say “Now let’s take a look at all materials together…”]
Which of the phrases in the materials appeals to you the most? Why?
Which of the phrases in the materials appeals to you the least? Why?
RADIO MESSAGES: RADIO MESSAGE TESTING (10 minutes + 20 minutes for the Post-Discussion Information Sheet)
INSTRUCTIONS TO MODERATOR: Refer to the Post-discussion Information Sheet (Post-DIS) “PART 2: Radio Message Testing” to play radio spots and ask Post-DIS questions. After you play each spot and ask the 5 questions in the Post-DIS then ask the 6 questions below.
You will play one radio spot at a time and ask the 5 questions on the Post-DIS and then the 6 questions below after playing each radio spot.
So overall what do you think about this advertisement?
Probe: Would you stop and listen to it if you heard it? Why or why not?
Probe: What do you like about this ad? (e.g., voices, music, tone, etc.)
Probe: What do you dislike about the ad? (e.g., voices, music, tone, etc.)
What do you think is the main message of the advertisement?
Probe: What (if anything) is confusing about the message?
Probe: What is most clear about the message?
Do you believe what this advertisement is saying? Why or why not?
Probe: Who do you think this ad is meant for?
Probe: What about this ad can you relate to?
[Moderator: We are trying to gather information about what group of people they think the ad is meant for, e.g. African Americans, young people, etc.]
What is the most striking thing about this advertisement?
Probe: What do you think about the: (a) tone, (b) voices (c) music (d) length
How could the advertisement be improved?
Probe: What might be a better way to say what this ad is trying to say?
Probe: What would you change in this? Please explain why.
Probe: What else would you want to hear in this ad? Why?
After listening to this advertisement would you be motivated to do anything? Please explain.
[Moderator: If necessary, play all radio messages again and continue to question 24.]
Moderator: “As a closing activity, I just want to briefly go around the room and ask each one of you…”
Out of the radio advertisements that we just listened to, which do you like the most? Explain why.
Probe: Which one was most informative? Why?
Probe: Which one was most motivating? Why?
Well, that’s the last of my questions. Do you have any questions?
False Close -- Moderator: “You’ve heard lots of stuff in the news about health care reform and we want to know what you guys think about it. Does this era of health care reform, impact whether you utilize services of the local health department?
Probe: Where would you go get screened?
[Moderator: “On the table behind me, you’ll see that we have brought some educational materials about breast cancer, mammography and clinical breast exams. Please feel free to help yourselves to any of this information.]
“Thank you again for taking the time to participate in this discussion. We sincerely appreciate and value your input!”
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