Sample Focus Group Discussion Guide

U .S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) OMB Control # 0920-0932

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Expiration Date XX/XX/XXXX

FoCUS GROUP Discussion Guide: K-12 parents

Project Goal Evaluate current CDC CMTF materials for K-12 schools and conduct assessment to improve ongoing communication efforts related to H1N1 flu.

Specific Learning Objectives

• Determine awareness of CDC CMTF audience specific flu materials.

• Determine the best channels for health information dissemination to K-12 providers and parents.

• Determine flu messages that are perceived to be most important.

• Evaluate understanding utility, and implementation of CDC CMTF H1N1 materials for K-12 audiences.

• Identify unmet needs for flu information among K-12 providers and parents.

PRe- Group Reminders

Participants will arrive to the groups 20-30 minutes before they begin to ensure they are ready to participate and they have no problems dialing into the phone line or signing into the online group. A tech team will welcome all participants to the groups and remind them that their participation is voluntary and they are free to leave the group at any time.

Introduction

Hello everyone, this is (Rebecca, Jennifer, Kelli). Expect to see a lag time between the audio and the image you see on your computer screen. Can everyone hear me clearly? Can everyone see themselves and (#) other people on their computer screen?

As you know, we’re here to hear from you about a public health topic that affects K-12 schools. This discussion is sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help them learn more about your thoughts about H1N1 and seasonal flu and to get your reactions to some messages that they are developing to help schools prepare for outbreaks of these illnesses.

We will be here for 90 minutes. Before we get started make sure you have your water, have used the restroom, etc and are ready to join us for an uninterrupted 90 minutes. We want to give you our full attention. To make sure we don’t miss anything, our discussion today will be audio recorded and videotaped. We will not use these recordings for any other purpose than to help us write the report. The results of these discussions will not be presented in a way that would identify you. Some of my project team is also observing to help with the report. At the end of 90 minutes, you will be prompted to stop your cameras, and if you’d like to stay on the phone, you’ll have an opportunity to ask any questions of CDC representatives.

Some tips for getting the most out of the session. When you have something to say, jump right in, don’t wait to be called on. If your screen goes dark during the session, that’s just your screen saver working. Simply move your mouse to restore the screen.

• Please feel free to talk to each other, not just to me. Agree, disagree, and expand on what people say. That’s why we’re talking in a group: to get your reactions to each other’s ideas.

• There are no wrong answers

• Please speak one at a time

• Let me know if you have any trouble hearing

• We have 90 minutes and lot of material to cover, so I’ll be moving us through the topic areas. If I happen to move forward and you have something to say – that hasn’t already been said. Let me know.

Let’s quickly introduce everyone on the line, so we all know who is here. LET’S USE FIRST NAMES, THIS IS INFORMAL -- please tell me if that’s the first name you’d like us to call you or what is. Also, please tell us WHAT PART OF THE UNITED STATES YOU’RE IN AND WHAT GRADE(S) IS/ARE YOUR CHILD/CHILDREN IN. [CALL NAMES]

OK, let’s get started.

Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitudes

Universal Probe:

[THROUGHOUT GUIDE, MODERATOR SHOULD PROBE FOR INFORMATION ON VACCINES, specifically for participant attitudes for or against vaccination in schools and their rationale for these attitudes]

In the past 6 months, what if anything, have you heard, viewed or read about H1N1 flu related to schools?

• Probe:

  • School dismissals

  • Virus spreading in schools

  • Teachers getting sick

  • Students getting sick

  • H1N1 Vaccines in school

  • Other

• Prompt as needed:

  • Where did it come from?

  • What issue(s) struck you as most important from you point-of-view as a parent? [Probe as needed]

    • Prompt as needed;

      • Online – probe for specific websites

      • Health Department

      • Personal Communications

      • Department of Education

      • Letters from school

      • Other

In what ways -if any- have you actively searched for information on H1N1 flu and your child?

• Probe:

  • If yes, where did you search?

  • What sorts of information were you searching for?

What issues, if any in particular, come to mind when you think about H1N1 flu and your child (at school)?

• Probe:

  • Child getting sick

  • Having to close the school, needing to work

  • Keeping healthy and protecting my family

Desired information

What information concerning flu and your child – if any – did you need that you were unable to find?

Where would you expect or hope to find this information?

Behaviors and Implementation

What kind of information-if any-did you receive about H1N1 flu from your child’s school?

• Probe:

  • How did you receive this information?

  • What was your reaction?

  • Did you ask any questions of your school administrator? Your child’s teacher?

What – if anything – do you think schools should be doing in response to the flu?

• Probe as needed

• What do you think about schools giving vaccines?

Reactions to CDC CMTF Materials and Messages

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought you together today in part to explore your reactions as parents to some information they have developed for schools. We need your open and honest reactions; I did not write any of these so I won’t take any of your comments personally.

And remember – there are no wrong answers and we will be moving quickly in this final 45 minutes.

If you have more to say after I have moved on to another question; please type your comments or questions in the instant message box on your screen. If we have time, I will come back to address your questions. If we run out of time, any comments left in the box will be included as part of our discussion when we write the report.

(NOTE: THE ORDER IN WHICH MATERIALS ARE PRESENTED MAY CHANGE WITH EACH GROUP)

Please look at the screen where we are showing a document titled Action Steps for Parents (select one of the 3 Action Steps documents, rotate across groups). I’m going to read it aloud while you follow. Take a moment to click on my name down in the chat box so that you can send me private text messages while we’re going through this.

[After Reading prompt for the following along with top-of-mind rationales.]:

• Which of these – if any - is important to you?

• What if anything would make this better? Easier to understand? [Moderator will mark areas of confusion on the screen while participants talk about them.]

• How do these apply to your family?

• After reading this, do you have any unanswered questions? Anything you still wish you knew?

What – if anything – is missing? (resources) Now, let’s look at another Action Steps document (select another of the 3 Action Steps documents, rotate across groups). Again, I’m going to read it aloud while you follow along…

[After Reading Prompt for the following along with top-of-mind rationales.]:

• Which of these – if any - is important to you?

• What if anything would make this better? Easier to understand? [Moderator will mark areas of confusion on the screen while participants talk about them.]

• How do these apply to your school? / How would these work at your school?

• After reading this, do you have any unanswered questions? Anything you still wish you knew?

• What – if anything – is missing? (resources)

Ok, lastly I have a different kind of document to show you. [Show TEMPLATE LETTER on screen]. Again, I’m going to read it aloud while you follow along …

[After Reading Prompt for the following along with top-of-mind rationales.]:

• What if anything would make this better? Easier to understand? [Moderator will mark areas of confusion on the screen while participants talk about them.]

• How would you use this? Would this be easy/ difficult to use?

  • PROBE exhaustively for why?

• After reading this, do you have any unanswered questions?

• What – if anything – is missing? (resources)

[AFTER ALL MESSAGE CONCEPTS HAVE BEEN VIEWED]

Of the items we have discussed, which – if any – would you pass on to other parents?

What is the best format in which to get these materials to you?

• Probe:

  • E.g., Online, hard copies, downloadable

Wrap-Up

Thank participants, remind of payment, END. Now, stop your cameras, and stay on the phone if you have any questions for the representative from the CDC (or if CDC has misconceptions to clarify before participants leave).

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to CDC/ATSDR Reports Clearance Officer, 1600 Clifton Road NE, MS D-74, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA 0920-0932.