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Attachment
1 – Focus Group Screener and Topic Guide
	- 
	Draft
	Focus
	Group Web-based Eligibility Screening Questions 
	
Welcome
Researchers
at the Blood Systems Research Institute and University of California
San Francisco's Center for AIDS Prevention Studies are conducting a
study about blood donation.
This
study explores men's views about blood donation policies that are
designed to screen out donors with a history of male-male sexual
contact. 
The
Principle Investigators for this study are Dr. Brian Custer, PhD, MPH
and Dr. Nicolas Sheon, PhD.
For more information about the
study, you may contact the study team.
email:
[email protected]
phone: (415) XXX-XXXX
If
you complete the screening questions and are found to be eligible, we
will contact you with information on how to participate in a focus
group. If you participate in the focus group, you will receive a $50
Amazon.com Gift Card. The screening questions will take five minutes
to complete.
ELIGIBILITY
You
may complete the screening questions only one time. In addition, only
a single member of a household is eligible to complete the screening
questions. 
PRIVACY
If
you click the "Next Page" button at the bottom of this page
to proceed with the eligibility screening process, specific
electronic information will be automatically collected from your web
browser and Internet connection. None of this information will be
used to personally identify you. The information is used only to
detect repeat visitors to this web page and how people were referred
to this web page. If you do not continue to the next page, none of
this information will be collected from you. This allows you to
decide if you want to share the information with the study
researchers. The information includes: 
	- 
	IP
	(internet Protocol) address:
	Your computer uses an IP address every time you connect to the
	Internet. It is a unique number that is used to identify computers
	on a network, so that data requested (such as web pages) can be sent
	to the computer.
- 
	General
	information
	about the web browser, type of device (Dell computer, iPad, etc.)
	and operating system you are using. This information is sent
	automatically by most web browsers when you visit any web site.
- 
	The
	"referrer,",
	which is information passed along by your web browser that
	references the web site you linked from to reach this survey.
1) Where did you
hear about this study? Please
be as specific as possible by telling us the name of an organization,
establishment, or location of a study flyer, the name of a web site,
or the type of person who referred you (such as a recruiter, or
friend, or co-worker), etc.*
2)
What sex were you assigned at birth?*
(
) Male
(
) Female
3)
What is your age?*
(
) under 18
(
) 18-24
(
) 25-34
(
) 35-54
(
) 55+
4a) Are you
of Hispanic/Latino/Spanish origin?
[ ] No
[ ] Yes
4b) How would
you describe your race? (If multi-racial, check all that apply.)*
[ ] White/Caucasian
[ ] Black/African
American
[ ] Asian
[ ] American
Indian/Alaska Native
[ ] Native Hawaiian
or Other Pacific Islander
[ ] Other (please
specify ____________________) 
5)
In what country do you live?* 
[A
pull down menu of country names is provided]
(
) United States of America
6)
In what state do you live?*
[A
pull down menu of states is provided]
6a)
What are the first three digits of your zip code?  __________
7) In what city do
you live?*
____________________________________________
8)
Have you ever donated whole blood or plasma at a blood bank in the
United States? (Check all that apply)*
[
] Blood
[
] Plasma
[
] Never donated blood or plasma
9)
How long ago did you last donate whole blood or plasma in the United
States?*
(
) 1-5 months ago
(
) 6-12 months ago
(
) 1-5 years ago
(
) Over 5 years ago
10)
Since 1977, have you ever had oral or anal sex with another man?*
(
) Yes
(
) No
11)
How recently have you had oral or anal sex with another man?*
(
) 1-5 months ago
(
) 6-12 months ago
(
) 1-5 years ago
(
) Over 5 years ago
12)
Have you ever been tested for or been told that you have any of the
following infections (Check all that apply):
	
	
	
	
	
		| 
			
 | 
			Never Tested | 
			Tested Positive | 
			Tested Negative | 
	
		| 
			Hepatitis B
			Virus (HBV) | 
			O | 
			O | 
			O | 
	
		| 
			Hepatitis C
			Virus (HCV) | 
			O | 
			O | 
			O | 
	
		| 
			Human
			Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) | 
			O | 
			O | 
			O | 
Congratulations!
Based on your answers, you are eligible to participate in our focus
group.
Email
We will not share
your contact information with anyone. It will be destroyed after the
focus group is complete.
16) Please enter
your email so we can send you the time and detailed directions to the
focus group.*
____________________________________________
17) Please provide
us with a phone number so that we can give you a reminder call a few
days before the focus group.*
____________________________________________
18) Best time to
call:*
(
) morning
(
) afternoon
(
) evening
(
) other: _________________
(
) anytime
19) Is it ok to
leave a message at this number?*
(
) Yes
(
) No
Thank
You!
Thank you for
taking the time to complete this eligibility survey.
We will contact you
in a few weeks to provide information on the focus group time,
location, directions and parking information.
If you have any
questions about the study, you may contact us at [email protected]
	- 
		Focus
		Group Guide 
	
	
	Blood
	Donation Rules Opinion Study (Blood DROPS)MSM Blood Donation Study
	Draft Focus Group Topic Guide
	
	
	
	Introduction
	
	
	
	Consent
	process will precede the focus group. Have participants read over
	and sign the consent forms answering any questions they may have.  
	
	
	
	
	Hi,
	I’m Nicolas Sheon. I work at the University of California, San
	Francisco. As you know, we’re doing some research to find out
	about views on the current blood donation policies that exclude
	people with certain risk factors from donating blood. The project is
	funded by the Food and Drug Administration and the National
	Institutes of Health.
	
	
	
	The
	goal of this focus group is to get more context and insight about
	people’s opinions regarding  blood donation policies.  We’d
	also like to hear about any experience you’ve had of giving
	blood in the US. 
	
	
	
	
	This
	focus group will last about 90 minutes. We will be video recording
	the discussion to make sure that I don’t miss anything you
	say, if that’s OK with you. After the interview, the recording
	will be given a code, transcribed and, after we have analyzed the
	information, destroyed. Everything we talk about will be kept
	entirely confidential. 	
	
	
	
	Before
	we start, I want to go over a few ground rules.  Please do not
	repeat any personal information that is shared here.  As they say,
	“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” There are no
	right answers or wrong answers.  In fact, we encourage you to
	disagree with each other, but please do so in a respectful way. 
	Please try not to speak while others are speaking or start side
	conversations. 
	
	
	
	
	Are
	there any questions about the research before we start?
	
	
	
	What
	have you heard about the policies on who is and isn’t allowed
	to give blood in the US?
	
	
	
	What
	risk factors exclude people from donating blood? Prompt: MSM; ever
	received money or drugs for sex the deferral is indefinite; paid
	anyone else for sex the deferral is 12 months, ever injected drugs
	for non-medical reasons. 
	
	
	Do
	you remember how you first found out about these policies?
	
	What
	do you think of them?
	
	How
	clear do you think these policies are? 
	
	
	Is
	the rationale for these policies clear to you?
	
	Do
	any of these policies apply to you?
	
	
	
	We’re
	particularly interested in hearing your views on the criteria for
	men who’ve had sex with men.
	
	
	
	The
	current policy says that any man who has ever had sex with another
	man since 1977, whether protected or unprotected, is not allowed to
	give blood.
	
	What
	do you think about this policy? Is it fair? Too strict? Not strict
	enough?
	
	What
	makes you say that? 
	
	What
	is your understanding of how “sex” is defined by staff
	who screen donors for eligibility at the blood centers? 
	
	
	Are
	there types of sexual contact that should count more than others? 
	
	
	How
	clear is the policy? Could it be better worded? 
	
	
	What
	would you say are the reasons for the policy? 
	
	
	
	
	Prompt:
	Do you see it as based on scientific evidence?  About blood safety?
	Public interests? Sensible for blood service to be cautious?
	Discriminatory? In what way? 
	
	
	
	
	
	From
	the Blood Bank’s point of view, the policy is designed as a
	population screening tool rather than as an individual assessment.
	How do you feel about this [as a strategy/argument]?
	
	
	
	Some
	people calling for the criteria to be revised argue that, as blood
	is tested anyway, any new infections will be picked up that way. How
	do you feel about this?
	
	
	
	
	How
	much do you see the policy as being about risk/sexual behavior?
	Orientation? 
	
	
	
	
	
	If
	we go back to thinking about the policy that excludes men who’ve
	had sex with men from giving blood, do you think it should be
	changed or kept the same?
	
	If
	should be changed: What do you think the criteria should be changed
	to? 
	
	
	
	
	
	What
	do you think eligibility should be based on?  Prompt: Time since you
	last had sex with a man? If so, how long? How many people you’ve
	had sex with? Whether sex was protected or not? Risky sex?  Should
	there be exceptions and for whom?  
	
	
	
	
	
	What
	did you base your answer on? Prompt: What you’ve heard/read in
	the media, from friends, or from health professionals?  What you’ve
	heard about the safety of the blood supply?  What you have heard
	other people say about research? 
	
	
	
	
	
	Some
	people argue that any potential risk to blood recipients outweighs
	the rights of individuals to donate blood.  Where do you think the
	priority should be placed in this debate on safety vs. rights? -
	potential risk to blood recipients? Individual right to donate
	blood?  What do you think would be ‘fair.’   Would it be
	more fair if the policy were based on how many people you have had
	unprotect sex with recently, whether men or women?
	
	
	
	
	If
	you needed to receive blood yourself, what would you want the policy
	to be? Why’s that?
	
	Would
	the changes you've suggested make you more or less likely to offer
	to give blood? Why’s that? Prompt: Become eligible? More/less
	likely to go along with the policy ? More about risk, less about
	discrimination? Clearer guidelines?
	
	
	
	
	What
	about your friends/partner(s)? Would it affect whether they’d
	offer to give blood? In what way? Prompt: Become eligible? More/less
	likely to go along with the policies? More about risk, less about
	discrimination? Clearer guidelines?
	
	
	
	
	Research
	is underway in the U.S. to see if we can determine whether a shorter
	“deferral” time would still keep the blood system safe. 
	  If U.S. researchers conclude that 
	
	
	
	
	
	If
	U.S. researchers conclude that there is very low risk of
	transmitting HIV from men who have not had sex with a man in the
	past 5 years, what would you think about changing the U.S. policy
	toward donation? Do you see yourself ever being eligible to donate
	under any of these policies?
	
	
	
	
	If
	U.S. researchers conclude that there is very low risk of
	transmitting HIV from men who have not had sex with a man in the
	past 12 months, what would you think about changing the US policy so
	that men could donate blood if they hadn’t had sex with a man
	in the last 12 months?  Do you see yourself ever being eligible to
	donate under any of these policies?
	
	
	
	
	Are
	there ways to improve the ways that blood center staff ask the
	screening questions?
	
	
	
	
	Are
	there ways to make the screening questions clearer?
	
	
	
	
	Would
	the type of person asking the questions lead you to answer
	differently?  For example, if the blood center staff were gay
	identified, female, male, more comfortable talking about sex, less
	judgmental, what other criteria?
	
	
	
	
	Would
	you prefer answering questions about your sexual behavior to a
	computer rather than with a live person? 
	
	
	
	
	
	Prompt:
	 Using a kiosk? Laptop? Tablet such as iPad? Online from home before
	coming to blood donation center? Voice activated helpline to find
	out more about why you are/ aren’t able to give blood?
	
	
	
	
	Would
	changes to the policies make you more/less likely to go along with
	the policies? 
	
	
	
	
	
	Would
	other MSM be more or less likely to follow the revised policies?
	
	
	
	How
	important to you are the policies around MSM’s eligibility for
	blood donation?
	
	
	
	We
	will be recruiting MSM to complete a short online survey about blood
	donation.  Can you recommend places where we could advertise the
	survey to MSM in this area? 
	
	
	
	
	Has
	participating in this discussion changed your views on blood
	donation?   (How?)
	
	
	
	Thank
	you very much for your time. Those are all my questions.  
	
	
	
	
	What
	else did you want to add before we finish?
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
	
 
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document | 
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 | 
| File Created | 2021-01-28 |