Menu Labeling Campaign Focus Groups

OMB No: 0910-0497 Expiration Date: 09/30/2017

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Menu Labeling Education Focus Groups

Appendix I

Participant Screener

The target audience for the menu labeling campaign is middle-income mothers who have children between the ages of 3 to 10 years.

Recruiting Goals

• Eight focus groups will be conducted. Two groups will be conducted in Greenbelt, MD; two in San Antonio, Texas; two in Cleveland, Ohio; and two in Los Angeles, CA.

• Some groups will be segmented by race/ethnicity depending on location, as follows:

Greenbelt, MD	San Antonio, Texas	Cleveland, Ohio	Los Angeles, CA
African American	Hispanic	African American	Hispanic
mixed demographics	Caucasian	Caucasian	mixed demographics

• The groups will include women of ages 18 to 55.

• Each participant must have at least one child between the ages of 3 to 10 years living with them in the same household.

• The groups will be conducted with middle-income women (e.g., women living in households with a size-adjusted income that is approximately two-thirds of to double the U.S. median household income, ranging from $41,869 to $125,608 in 2014¹).

• The groups will consist of participants who frequent fast-food chain restaurants at least once a week and who have purchased a lunch or dinner meal for their children at such restaurants at least once in the past week. In each group, we will attempt to recruit some participants who also eat at sit-down chain restaurants, but will not eliminate participants who do not.

• Participants will have a high school diploma or higher.

• All participants must be able to read, understand, and speak English.

• Participants cannot have participated in a focus group or a similar study in the past six months. Participation in phone surveys is allowed.

• Sufficient recruits will be invited in order to achieve a target of 8-10 participants per group.

• Each participant will receive a $75 token of appreciation for participating in the focus group.

Study Protocol

• Each group will last approximately 90 minutes (including time needed for signing in before the group starts and signing out after the group ends).

• Groups will be audio- and video-taped and also video-streamed via a password-protected website. Participant written consent will be obtained before the group discussion starts.

• The identity of the participants will remain secure under the Privacy Act and to the extent provided by law.

• Groups will be observed by a research team including staff from FDA, CDC, USDA, and academia.

• Participants do not have to answer any questions that they do not want to, but are encouraged to participate.

PARTICIPANT SCREENER SCRIPT

Hello Ms. __________________________________, my name is __________________ and I'm calling about a research study sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in your area. We are looking for women, who have children, to take part in upcoming focus group discussions about restaurants, fast food, and the eating habits of young children.

Are you interested in participating?

• Yes  continue

• No  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

Would you mind answering a few questions? This will only take a few minutes of your time.

• Yes  continue

• No  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

Q1. The focus group will be conducted in English. Are you comfortable understanding and speaking English? [NOTE: we will be recruiting Hispanic individuals but the groups will be conducted in English.]

• Yes  continue

• No  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

Q2. Do you or someone from your immediate family work for any of the following:

• A Market Research Firm  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• Nutritionist or Dietician  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• Food Industry, Restaurant or Food Retailer  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• A Public Health Organization  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• State or local food agency,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, or

U.S. Food and Drug Administration  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

Q3. Have you participated in a focus group within the past 6 months? [Interviewer: participation in telephone surveys is allowed. If explanation is needed: A focus group is a when a small group of individuals come together to talk about a certain topic. ]

• Yes  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• No

Q4. Do you have a child/children living with you in your household?

• Yes

• No  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

Q5. What are the ages of your children (those living with you in your household)?

• 0 – 2 years old [record number] ________

• 3 – 5 years old [record number] ________

• 6 – 8 years old [record number] ________

• 9 – 10 years old [record number] ________

• 11 and over [record number] ________

[Continue only if respondent has at least one child ages 3 to 10, otherwise thank respondent politely.]

Q6. Do you ever buy any lunch or dinner meals for your child/children at fast-food chain restaurants, such as McDonald’s, Popeye’s, Subway, or Panera Bread? [Interviewer: include eat-in and take-out from restaurants without table service. NOTE: Examples of restaurants may be modified depending on location of focus groups.]

• Yes

• No, never or almost never  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• Other response [Specify]__________

Q7. On an average week, about how many times you buy lunch or dinner meals for your child/children at fast-food chain restaurants, such as McDonald’s, Popeye’s, Subway, or Panera Bread? [NOTE: Examples of restaurants may be modified depending on location of focus groups.]

• Less than once per week  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• Once per week

• Twice per week

• Three times per week

• Four or more times per week

• Other response [Specify]__________

Q8. When was the last time you bought a meal for your child/children at a fast-food chain restaurant?

__________________

[Do not recruit if respondent is not able to recall at least an approximate time of the last visit. Participants must have purchased a lunch or dinner meal for their children at such restaurants in the past 7 to 10 days.]

Q8a. And what was the name of that restaurant?

__________________

[Do not recruit if respondent is not able to provide any name.]

Now, I want to ask you about sit-down chain restaurants that have table service, such as Ruby Tuesday, TGI Fridays, IHOP, Cheesecake Factory, etc. [NOTE: Examples of restaurants may be modified depending on location of focus groups.]

Q9. On an average month, about how many times, if any, you go with your child/children to a sit-down chain restaurant? [NOTE: Will aim to recruit some participants who eat at sit-down chain restaurants each month, but not eliminate participants who do so less frequently.]

• Never or almost never

• Less than once a month

• Once a month

• More than once a month

• Other response [Specify]__________

Q10. What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than high school  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• High school graduate or GED  recruit

• Technical/vocational school  recruit

• Community college  recruit

• Some college (1-3 years towards Bachelor’s degree)  recruit

• College (Bachelor’s degree)  recruit

• Advanced degree (postgraduate degree)  recruit

Q11. Are you of Hispanic or Latino origin?

• Yes

• No [eliminate/thank respondent politely if recruiting for a Hispanic group, otherwise continue.]

• Prefer not to answer [eliminate/thank respondent politely if recruiting for a Hispanic group, otherwise continue.]

Q11a. What is your race? I am going to read several categories of race. You may choose one or more categories. Are you…?

• White

• Black or African American

• Asian

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Prefer not to answer

[If recruiting for an African American group: eliminate/thank respondents who do not meet inclusion criterion or report “Prefer not to answer”; otherwise continue.]

Q12. I am going to read some age categories, could you please tell me in which category your age falls?

• Under 18 years old  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• 18-30

• 31-40

• 41-50

• 51-55

• 56 and over  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

Q13. I am going to read some income categories; could you classify your annual household income to one of these categories?

• Less than $35,000  eliminate [thank respondent politely]

• $35,000 to less than $45,000

• $45,000 to less than $55,000

• $55,000 to less than $80,000

• $80,000 and over

Q14. How many people live in your household? ______________ [See calculator at http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/09/are-you-in-the-american-middle-class/ to verify whether size-adjusted income is likely to be approximately within the range of $41,869 to $125,608. This can only be approximated due to response options in Q13.]

Q15. Are you employed?

• Yes, full-time

• Yes, part-time

• Self-employed

• Stay-at-home mom

Thank you for answering these questions. We would like to invite you to participate in a focus group to discuss issues relating to food and eating habits with about 8 other participants. The discussion will last approximately 90 minutes. The discussion will be video- and audio-taped, and also observed by members of a research team. Your participation and everything you say during the discussion will remain confidential and your personal identifying information will not be included in any reports. At the conclusion of the focus group, you will receive $75 as a token of appreciation for your participation. Are you interested in participating in this focus group?

• Yes

• No  [Thank the person for his/her time]

I’m glad that you will be able to join us! The focus group will take place on (Day), (Date), at [X:00 or X:00 p.m.] at [site location].

Will you be available to participate at this time?

• Yes

• No  [Thank the person for his/her time]

I would like to send you a confirmation email or letter containing directions to the facility. In order to do so, could you please tell me the best way to reach you (e.g., email and/or a phone number)?

Name:______________________________________

Address (if needed to reach participant): ___________________________________________________

City:_______________________ State:_________ Zip:_____________

or

Email (if needed to reach participant):_________________________________

Phone (if needed to reach participant):_______________________

Date of focus group:__________________ Time:________________

We are only inviting a few people, so it is very important that you notify us as soon as possible if for some reason you are unable to attend. Please call [recruiter] at [telephone number] if this should happen. We look forward to seeing you on [date] at [time]. If you use reading glasses, please bring them with you to the focus group.

1 See http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/12/09/are-you-in-the-american-middle-class/

10

Participant Screener