Sample Focus Group Moderator's Guide

2010-0042, 2434.72

FOCUS GROUP STUDIES OF AGRICULTURAL WORKERS

For RADIO PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Hispanic Communications Network (HCN), under contract with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is developing radio public safety announcements (PSAs) on pesticide safety for agricultural workers. The PSAs reinforce the key safety practices outlined in EPA’s revised Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS) regulation whose 2015 revisions went into effect in January 2017.

The WPS requires training to agricultural workers on how to protect themselves from illness and injury that can occur as a result of exposure to pesticides and pesticide residue. Each HCN 60-second Spanish language PSA reinforces the training with specific steps agricultural workers can take to avoid ingesting, inhaling or absorbing pesticides at the workplace and/or bringing residues home and inadvertently contaminating themselves and their families.

Agricultural workers across the U.S. come from many different cultural and educational backgrounds. Therefore, the focus group sessions are to help ensure that the information is presented in such a way that the messages are understood as intended and are culturally acceptable to the agricultural workers.

Screening Questions

¿Tienes más de 18 años? Sí No	Are you older than 18? Yes (Recruit) No (Do not recruit)
¿Eres un trabajador(a) que manipula, viene en contacto, o trabaja con superficies que han sido tratados con pesticidas? Sí No	Are you a worker who handles, comes in contact, or works with surfaces treated with pesticides? Yes (Recruit) No (Do not recruit)
¿Eres un trabajador(a) agrícola? Sí No	Are you an agricultural worker? Yes (Recruit) No (Do not recruit)
¿Escuchas radio en español más que 5 horas por semana?? Sí No	Do you listen to Spanish-language radio more than 5 hours each week? Yes (Recruit) No (Do not recruit)
Queremos colectar realimentaciones de nuestros PSAs educativos de radio para trabajadores agrícolas. Los comentarios que nos das nos ayudarán a crear los mensajes de radio que serán transmitidos en emisoras de radio en español en los Estados Unidos.	We want to collect feedback from our educational radio PSAs for agricultural workers. The feedback that you give us will help to create the radio messaging that will broadcast on Spanish-language radio stations throughout the United States.

MODERATOR'S GUIDE

1. PURPOSE:

Hispanic Communications Network’s (HCN) media outreach campaign, funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pesticides Programs (OPP) aims to help agricultural workers understand how to protect themselves from illness and injury that can occur as a result of exposure to pesticides and pesticide residue. Each 60-second Spanish public service announcement (PSA) provides specific steps agricultural workers can take to avoid ingesting, inhaling or absorbing pesticides at the workplace and/or how to keep from bringing residues home and inadvertently contaminating their families. The radio messages reinforce the key safety practices outlined in the EPA’s Agricultural Worker Protection Standard and bring attention to the regulatory changes that became effective in January 2017.

Focus group sessions will be conducted through facilitated interviews with Spanish-speaking adult agricultural workers to ascertain whether the messages are culturally relevant and easily understood.

GOAL:

The goal of this study is to determine if the radio messages are culturally appropriate and make sense to the target audience, Spanish-speaking adult agricultural workers.

SETTING:

The setting will vary depending on the location chosen. Moderators will choose the location(s) according to the availability of pesticide agricultural workers in their area. Interviews at (1) worksites will be held outside or in a nearby meeting room; (2) community centers will be held in a reserved meeting room; and (3) free health clinics will be held after the patient has seen the clinician. In the clinic, the moderator will forgo questions about personal health and if brought up, moderator must abide by patient confidentiality and privacy of health information.

PROCEDURE:

Moderators will ask participants to fill out a demographic and consent information form at the beginning of each interview. Moderators will read each section with/to participants to help participants with literacy challenges. All participants should feel comfortable and confident in filling out the form. In the event of a one-on-one interview, or if asked, moderators may fill out the form for the participant.

English:

Thank you for volunteering your time to be a participant in our study!

The purpose of this interview is find out if agricultural workers easily understand our radio messages. The messages will be broadcast on Spanish-language radio stations across the United States to agricultural workers and their families about keeping safe while working around pesticides. As an adult participant, who has identified as an agricultural worker where either you or someone else handles pesticides, your input is very valuable! The information we collect will help us create impactful radio public service announcements. Your perspective is important to us and will play a critical role in helping keep all agricultural workers safe, including you, your family, friends, and coworkers.

Thank you again for your participation, let’s get started!

Español:

¡Gracias por ofrecernos su tiempo para participar en nuestro estudio!

El propósito de esta entrevista es averiguar si los trabajadores agricolas comprenden facilimente nuestros segmentos de radio. Los mensajes de radio serán transmitidas en emisoras de radio en español en muchas partes do los Estados Unidos a los trabajadores agrícolas y sus familias sobre como trabajar con los pesticidas sin enfermarse. Como un participante adulto, que se ha identificado como un trabajador agrícola donde los pesticidas son manejados por usted mismo o alguien más en su trabajo, su opinión es muy valiosa! La información que recopilamos nos ayudará a crear mensajes de radio que son impactantes y relevantes. Su perspectiva es importante para nosotros y jugará un papel crítico para ayudar a mantener a salvo a todos los trabajadores agrícolas, inclusive a usted, su familia, amigos y compañeros.

¡Gracias de nuevo por su participación, vamos a empezar!

Next, participants will be asked to listen to six (6) 60-second radio spots. Interview questions will be the same for each radio spot.

Questions are to be asked in order as follows in English:

“Please listen to this 60-second radio message.”

After you have given them time ask the following questions:

1. What is your initial impression of this radio message?

2. What point(s) was the message trying to make?

3. Did you learn anything new?

4. Is there anything confusing in this radio message?

5. What would you change to make it better?

6. Do you find anything offensive about the radio message?

7. Can you personally identify with the people speaking in the radio message? Does it accurately represent you?

8. After listening to this radio message would you do anything differently? If so, what? If you wouldn’t change anything, why not?

9. Would you change the station if you heard this message? If so, why?

*Optional Discussion Questions:

Please respond to the following questions according to the messages you heard in the radio announcement.

• Where are some places that you may come in contact with pesticides at work?

• What are some ways pesticides may come in contact with your skin or body?

• When should you wash your hands at your workplace? Before what activities?

• What items of clothing should you wear to protect your body from pesticides or pesticide residues?

• What should be done with the clothes you wear to work each day?

• After showering with soap and water, and shampooing hair, is it okay to put the dirty clothes back on?

• How should your work clothes be washed?

• What should you do if pesticides are spilled or sprayed on your body?

• When should you seek immediate medical attention?

• What should you do if you have been poisoned, injured, or made ill by pesticides?

• How do you know to keep out of an area treated with pesticides?

Las preguntas deben ser hechas en orden como siguen en español:

"Por favor, escucha este mensaje de radio de 60 segundos".

Después de haberles dado tiempo, pregúntales las siguientes preguntas:

1. ¿Cuáles son tus impresiones iniciales de este mensaje de radio?

2. ¿Cuándo escuchas este anuncio de radio, qué te comunica?

3. ¿Aprendiste algo nuevo de este anuncio de radio?

4. ¿Hay algo confuso en este mensaje de radio?

5. ¿Qué podría hacerlo más claro / qué cambiarías?

6. ¿Encuentras algo ofensivo en el mensaje de radio?

7. ¿Puedes identificarte personalmente con las personas hablando? ¿Te representas correctamente?

8. ¿Qué te haría cambiar la estación de radio?

9. Después de escuchar este mensaje de radio, ¿cambia tus percepciones o comportamientos con respecto a la salud y la seguridad con el uso de pesticidas? ¿Entonces qué? Si , no, ¿por qué no?

*Preguntas Opcionales para Discusión:

• ¿Dónde hay algunos lugares donde usted puede entrar en contacto con pesticidas en el trabajo?

¿Cuáles son algunas maneras en que los pesticidas pueden entrar en contacto con su piel o cuerpo?

• ¿Cuándo debe lavarse las manos en su lugar de trabajo? ¿Antes de cuales actividades debe lavarse las manos?

• ¿Qué tipo de ropa se debe usar cuando se trabaja con pesticidas?

• ¿Qué se debe hacer con la ropa que usas para trabajar cada día?

• Después de ducharse con agua y jabón, y lavar el cabello, ¿está bien ponerse la ropa sucia de nuevo?

• ¿Cómo debe lavarse la ropa de trabajo?

• ¿Qué debe hacer si se derraman o rocían pesticidas en su cuerpo?

• ¿Cuándo debe buscar atención médica inmediata?

• ¿Qué debe hacer si ha sido envenenado, lesionado o enfermo por los pesticidas?

• ¿Cuándo sepa que debe mantenerse alejados de una las áreas tratadas con pesticidas?

PROCEDURE, CLOSING:

Once questions and discussion have been completed please thank participants for their input and their time.

English:
“I want to thank every one of you who took the time out of your night/day to be here. I think we had a very engaging discussion. Thank you all for your feedback and input. The information you shared with us is extremely valuable. You made a difference today for farm workers, pesticide handlers, and their families around the nation. If anyone has any questions, I will wait here to answer them. Thank you again, and have a safe trip home. Thank you.”

Español:

"Quiero agradecerle a todos los que tomaron el tiempo de su noche/día para estar aquí. Creo que tuvimos una discusión muy atractiva. Gracias a todos por sus comentarios y sugerencias. La información que compartieron con nosotros es extremadamente valiosa y crítica para avanzar en el proyecto. Si alguien tiene alguna pregunta esperare aquí unos minutos para contestarles. Gracias de nuevo, y que tengan una maravillosa y segura camino a casa. Gracias.”

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