Community Leader - Focus Group Guide

[Form Approved]

OMB No. 0920-0572

Expiration 3/31/2018

Submission under

0920-0572 Health Message Testing System

Attachment 4: Consumer Message Testing for Zika Response Project

Community Leaders Focus Group Guide

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Focus Group Guide for Message and Materials Testing in the United States for the

Domestic Readiness Initiative for Zika Virus

Community Leaders Focus Group Guide

Introduction [5 MINUTES]

Welcome and thank you for agreeing to participate in this focus group. My name is __________ and my role is to guide the discussion. I’m not an expert in the topic we’ll be discussion, so I have no particular agenda or point of view. I work for Abt Associates, a private research organization. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is sponsoring this health communication initiative. I did not develop any of the messages you will be seeing so I want to get your honest and frank opinions about them.

The purpose of this focus group is to hear your views and opinions on important health topics concerning Zika virus. We will also ask for your feedback on a few materials. Your insights are very important to us, and CDC will use your feedback to improve the materials you will see. Your time today is appreciated. We will have about one hour and fifteen minutes for our discussion.

Before we begin, I want to point a few things out.

• Most importantly, there are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions I’m going to ask, please relax and enjoy the discussion.

• We are recording this discussion to ensure that we capture all the information that is provided. I want to give you my full attention and not have to take a lot of notes. At the end of our discussion, I have to write a report and will refer to the recording when writing the report.

• Also, some of the people working on this project are observing or listening to this discussion so that they can hear your opinions directly and take notes so that your opinions are accurately captured. However, your identity and anything you personally say here will remain secure to the extent allowable by law. Only the facility knows your name, address, and phone number, and this information will not be given to anyone and no one will contact you after this focus group is over. Everything you have to say will be kept private and any identifying information will be removed from reports and other data. 

• Information learned from these discussions may be presented in documents or materials like reports, conference presentations or posters, or publications. The information may also be shared with other health departments and organizations working on Zika to help them be prepared or respond to Zika in their areas. Please know that the information you share will not be linked to your name or any other identifying information.

• There may be some sensitive questions asked during this discussion. If at any time you are uncomfortable with my questions, you can choose not to answer. Simply let me know that you prefer not to answer. Your participation in this project is completely voluntary.

• Be sure to only use first names during the discussion or use a made-up name, if you prefer. Please do not use your last name. Also, if you bring up a friend or other person you know as an example in our discussions, please do not use their last name either. So, whenever you mention a name, it should only be a first name and never a last name.

• Try not to use the name of the organization or group you have a leadership role with. If you do, the research team will replace it with a general description (i.e. “homeowner association” or “church”) in any report produced to eliminate identifying information.

Finally, a few requests before we begin:

• Please respect the other participants’ opinions.

• Please maintain privacy- what is said here remains here.

• Please speak one at a time.

• Please turn off your cell phone or put it in vibrate or silent mode.

At the end of the focus group, you will receive $50 as a token of our appreciation for participating. [At the end, there will be a few minutes to address questions you may have about Zika with the people observing this focus group.]

Do you have any questions before we begin?

I. Introductions [5 MINUTES]

Before we begin our discussion, let’s spend a little time getting to know one another. I’d like us to go around and have each of you introduce yourself by first name only, where you are from, and how you describe “your community.”

II. Zika Knowledge and Beliefs [5 MINUTES]

Now I am going to ask a few questions about Zika.

1. What you have seen or heard about Zika? What comes to mind when you think about Zika?

PROBE (no need to use them all):

• How is it spread? What do you know about sexual transmission of Zika?

• Is Zika in your area?

• What are the symptoms of Zika?

• What are the potential health effects of Zika virus during pregnancy?

2. Considering what you have heard about Zika, how concerned are you that you or someone in your community might get Zika?

PROBE:

• Can you tell us why you feel that way?

2. Do you think people in your community are concerned about getting Zika ?

• PROBE:What are the main reasons people in your community are or are not concerned about getting ZIKA?

2. What are the steps that a community can take to prevent Zika?

III. Sources of Information [5 MINUTES]

2. How do you get most of your information about Zika? How do you think most people in your community get most of their information about Zika?

PROBE:

• For media sources: TV, radio, billboards or Internet, social media (Probe for specific channels, social media sites, websites, local media channels vs. national channels, print or online, Internet search engines, news websites, government websites, etc.)

• Clinic or health center? Doctor? Nurse? Physician Assistant?

• Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC)?

• Local or state public health department?

• Family and friends? Schools? Work? Church, house of worship or other religious organization?

• Other sources?

2. Of the sources that you named, which would you say are the most trustworthy? (HMTS 89D)

2. Of the sources that you named, which would you say are the least trustworthy?

[NOTE TO MODERATOR: SKIP #8 IF CDC OR LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS ARE DISCUSSED UNDER QUESTIONS 6 OR 7]

2. How do you feel about [ADD SOURCE/S] as a source of information for Zika? (HMTS 90D)

PROBE:

• Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC)?

• Local or state public health department?

2. What information about Zika would be most useful to your community?

IV. Materials 45 minutes (up to 15 per material)

1.  Protect Your Family and Community- How Zika Spreads

(3 minutes to read)

2. How to protect against mosquito bites (5 minutes to read) 

3. Mosquito Control: Promote the Partnership in Your Community

(4 minutes to read)

Now I want to ask you about some ideas for a health education initiative that might be used to provide information about Zika. We are in the planning stages of the health education initiative, so we want to get your opinions about some fact sheets that provide information about Zika. The feedback you give us will help us to make any necessary changes. We will go through them one at a time. Keep in mind, we are not comparing the materials to each other.

For Material 1: Protect Your Family and Community- How Zika Spreads (3 minutes to read)

To start off, I’d like for you to look at this fact sheet. Take a few minutes to read this fact sheet. With the red marker please circle anything on the sheet, image or words, that were confusing or you did not understand. Mark as much or as little as you want. Do not put your name on the sheets. Don’t worry if you don’t make it through the whole material in the time given to read it. When you are done reading and marking the fact sheet, I will collect them from you.

[NOTE TO MODERATOR: DO NOT READ MATERIAL OUT LOUD TO PARTICIPANTS. LET PARTICIPANT READ EACH FACT SHEET BEFORE QUESTIONS ABOUT IT BEGIN. WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT THEY READ AND UNDERSTAND WHEN GIVEN THE MATERIAL.]

[Collect marked up fact sheets. Display larger version of material or hand out a clean version.]

2. What do you think about this material? (HMTS 7D)

PROBE:

• What did you like about it?

• What didn’t you like about it?

2. What do you think is the main idea that this fact sheet is trying to get across? (HMTS 1D)

PROBE:

• Was this a new idea or something that you’ve heard before? (HMTS 12D)

• Did you learn anything new? What? (HMTS 30E)

2. Who would you say this message is trying to reach? (HMTS 24D)

PROBE:

• Does it seem like this message is talking to you, and others like you, and others in your community? Or someone else?

• What in the message suggested it was talking to you and people like you or someone else?

2. How do you feel about the images used in the fact sheet? (HMTS 5E)

• PROBE:Are the images appealing to you, and others like you, and others in your community?

• IF APPEALING: What makes the images appealing?

• IF NOT APPEALING: Who would think these images are appealing?

[NOTE TO MODERATOR: After quick review of the marked-up sheets, highlight the most commonly circled items. And ask the questions below.]

2. A few of you circled or marked {XXXXX} as confusing or you did not understand it. Can you tell us what was confusing about it? What made you circle or mark it? (HMTS 36D)

PROBE:

• What would be a better way of saying/portraying this?

• What was confusing?

2. How would you use this information in your community?

• PROBE:Would you share this material? How would you share it?

• Who else in your community might share this?

For Material 2: How to protect against mosquito bites (5 minutes to read) 

I’d like for you to look at this fact sheet. Take a few minutes to read this fact sheet. With the red marker please circle anything on the sheet, images or words, that were confusing or you did not understand. Mark as much or as little as you want. Remember, don’t put your name on it. Don’t worry if you don’t make it through the whole material in the time given to read it.

[Collect marked up fact sheets. Display larger version of material or hand out a clean version.]

2. What do you think is the main idea that this fact sheet is trying to get across? (HMTS 1D)

PROBE:

• Was this a new idea or something that you’ve heard before? (HMTS 12D)

• Did you learn anything new? (HMTS 30E)

2. Who would you say this message is trying to reach? (HMTS 24D)

PROBE:

• Does it seem like this message is talking to you, and others like you, and others in your community? Or someone else?

• What in the message suggested it was talking to you and people like you or someone else?

2. Does the factsheet make you think or feel differently about protecting yourself/your community from Zika, or encouraging others to do so?

PROBE:

• What is it that motivates you to take action?

• What are the reasons this factsheet does not motivate you?

2. Do you think your community can do what this fact sheet suggests? What are the main reasons why or why not?

PROBE:

• What actions would your community be most likely and least likely to do? And why?

• What would they need in order to decide to take these actions?

• Would you recommend these actions to your community audiences, why or why not?

[NOTE TO MODERATOR: After quick review of the marked-up sheets, highlight the most commonly circled items. And ask the questions below.]

2. A few of you circled or marked {XXXXX} as confusing or you did not understand it.. Can you tell us what was confusing about it? What made you circle or mark it? (HMTS 36D

PROBE:

• What would be a better way of saying/portraying this? (HMTS 33D)

• What was confusing?

2. Do you believe the information in this [MATERIAL/CONCEPT/MESSAGE]? What makes the information believable or not believable?? (HMTS 15D)

2. How would you use this information in your community?

PROBE:

• Would you share this material? How would you share it?

• Who else in your community might share this?

For Material 3: Promote the Partnership (4 minutes to read) 

This is the last material we will look at today. Please take a few minutes to read the entire sheet. With the red marker please circle anything on the sheet, image or words, that were confusing or you did not understand. Mark as much or as little as you want. Remember, don’t put your name on it. Don’t worry if you don’t make it through the whole material in the time given to read it.

[Collect marked up fact sheets. Display larger version of material or hand out a clean version.]

2. Who would you say this message is trying to reach? (HMTS 24D)

PROBE:

• Does it seem like this message is talking to you, and others like you, and others in your community? Or someone else?

• If they say it is not for leaders, why not? How could it be changed to make it clear it is for leaders like them?

2. What do you think is the main idea that this fact sheet is trying to get across? (HMTS 1D)

PROBE:

• Was this a new idea or something that you’ve heard before? (HMTS 12D)

• Did you learn anything new? (HMTS 30E)

2. What is this factsheet asking you to do?

PROBE:

• Do you think you can do what this factsheet is asking you to do? Why or why not? (HMTS 39D)

2. What additional information or resources would you need to be able to encourage everyone in your community to do their part to prevent Zika? (HMTS 17D)

[NOTE TO MODERATOR: After quick review of the marked-up sheets, highlight the most commonly circled items. And ask the questions below.]

2. A few of you circled {XXXXX} as confusing as confusing or you did not understand it.. Can you tell us what was confusing about it? What made you circle or mark it? (HMTS 36D)

PROBE:

• What would be a better way of saying/portraying this?

• What was confusing?

2. As a community leader, where would you expect to see this information? From whom would you expect to receive this information?

V. Wrap-Up [5 minutes]

After all that we have talked about today, I have a few final questions.

2. Can you think of an idea or factsheet that we did not present that might help you motivate your community to do their part to prevent Zika? What is it? (HMTS 10F)

2. What questions do you have about Zika? What would you like to know more about?

2. Those are all of the questions I have, but before we end, do you have any closing thoughts or opinions you would like to share?

VI. Focus Group Closing [5 minutes]

I would like to thank you for coming here today and participating in this discussion. Your opinions are very helpful and will help us improve the materials that we are developing for this health education initiative. Here is a factsheet with information on Zika. For more information you can go to the website on the factsheet or you can call the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention toll-free line to ask questions in English or Spanish at: 800-CDC-INFO

Now the people who observed this focus group will take a few minutes to address any questions you may have about Zika virus.

THANK, GIVE INCENTIVE, AND OBTAIN RECEIPT

Community Leaders Focus Group Guide – p.15