American Indian/Alaska Native Campaign: Focus Group Study of Reactions to Strategic Concepts Designed to Prevent Youth Tobacco Use

OMB# 0910-0796 Exp. 6/30/2018

Tobacco Use Perceptions Among Native Youth

This research will inform the development of a media campaign aimed at prevention of tobacco use among American Indian and Alaska Native youth (aged 10–16 years old). Focus groups will be conducted to better understand Native youths’ perspectives on tobacco use. This focus group guide will be used for parents/caregivers of AI/AN youth and elders/service providers/community leaders in the community.

Parents/caregivers and elders/community leaders

Introduction (5 minutes)

Thank you for coming today. Your participation in this focus group is very important. My name is _____, and I am from ______ and this is _________ from _______. This discussion is called a focus group because we will be focusing our conversation on your thoughts about tobacco use among Native youth. When we say “youth,” we mean Native people between age 10 and 16 years old.

Your thoughts are very important to us, and we appreciate your time. We will have about two hours for this discussion.

Ground rules:

Before we begin, I would like to review a few ground rules:

• Your participation is voluntary. That means you are welcome to leave at any time if you are not comfortable.
  
  
  

• You can choose not to answer any questions that you don’t want to answer.
  
  
  

• Everything said here is private.
  
  
  

• We will take notes to help us record your opinions. These notes will not include your names. The notes will also be kept private, and only members of the research team will be able to access them.
  
  
  

• Please turn your cell phone off or to silent mode. The discussion will last no more than 2 hours.
  
  
  

• If you need to use the restroom during the discussion, please feel free to do so.
  
  
  

• There are no right or wrong answers. We want to know your opinions. Your views are very important to us.
  
  
  

• We ask that your comments be in general about “people” you know or things you have seen without using names. We ask that you do not share your personal experiences with tobacco. If you begin to share personal things the leader will interrupt and remind you to talk more generally.
  
  
  

• At the end of our session today, you will receive a $75 Visa gift card to thank you for participating.
  
  
  

• Do you have any questions before we begin?

Focus Group Questions (50 minutes):

Tobacco use

First, we will discuss tobacco use among youth in your community.

1. Where in the community do you see people (that is, adults and youth) using tobacco? (Prompts: for example, at community events? In their homes? At school? During ceremonies? Other places?)

2. For youth who use tobacco, where do they get it from? (Prompt: What people or places?)
   
   
   

3. Which people close to them use tobacco? (Prompt: Their family members? Friends?)

4. When do you think youth start using tobacco? (Prompt: What grade? Age?)

Culture and tobacco use

1. How do most people in your community view tobacco? (Prompt: How is it tolerated? Accepted or rejected?)

2. How do traditional people in your community view tobacco?

Tobacco prevention

Now, we will discuss how to help people to not use tobacco.

1. What do you think causes youth to use tobacco the first time? (Prompt: Other people in youths’ lives?)

2. How can we help youth to not start using tobacco in the first place? (Prompt: Events? Activities? Education? Advertising messages?)

Media tools, health information, and community engagement.

Last, we will discuss sources for health information and use of media.

1. Where do youth get health information? (Prompt: Other people in youths’ lives? Media?)
   
   
   

2. What do you think is the best type of media for reaching Native youth? (Prompt: for example, TV, radio, the Internet, texting?)

Break and Preparation for World Café (5 minutes). (Facilitators and note-takers will distribute flip chart paper, images, and campaign message concepts at three tables around the room.)

World Café (20 minutes)

When the group reconvenes, the facilitator will ask participants to choose one of the three tables, and that after about 6 minutes (when we tell them 6 minutes is up), they will move to another table, and so on. A NICWA/BWA facilitator or note-taker will be seated at each table, and will encourage participants to write or draw their reactions to the images and campaign ideas on the flip chart paper.

Script: “We are sharing some statements and images with you. We want your reactions and ideas. Please share your ideas by talking with each other and writing your own words or drawing your own pictures on the paper. I will be writing down your thoughts and sharing them with the next small group so they can build on your ideas.”

Go to Appendix K.

Break and Preparation for Reflection of Themes (10 minutes). (Facilitators and note-takers will identify major themes to “check” findings with participants to confirm.)

Reflection of Themes (25 minutes)

Now we will go over the themes that you discussed during the focus group earlier. We want you to let us know if these are correct or not.

Review themes with participants.

Closing (5 minutes)

Thank you for participating. Your thoughts are very important to us, and we appreciate you sharing.

Distribute gift cards for participating in focus group.