Active Duty/ Veteran Women Focus Group Supplemental B

OMB Control Number: 0990-0281

ODPHP Generic Information Collection Request: Prevention Communication and Formative Research

Active Duty and Veteran Women

Women’s Health Research

Supporting Statement — Section B

March 28, 2019

Submitted to:

Sherrette Funn

Office of the Chief Information Officer

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Submitted by:

Candace Marshall

Health Communications Specialist

Office on Women’s Health

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Section B — Data Collection Procedures

1. Respondent Universe and Sampling Methods

We will conduct 16 focus groups among active duty and veteran women:

• Active duty women (4 groups of 8 participants each, n = 32)

• Veteran women (12 groups of 8 participants each, n = 96)

The focus groups will have the following objectives:

• Understand veteran and active duty women’s experiences, facilitators for, and barriers to receiving health care from providers outside of VHA/MHS.

• Determine the health information, online tools, and resources that are most needed to support the physical and mental health of active duty and veteran women.

2. Procedures for the Collection of Information

Recruitment

All focus group participants will meet the following eligibility criteria (further defined in the focus group screener):

• Classify as active duty or veteran women

• Between the ages 18–64

  • Active duty women ages 41–64 are included to ensure representation from careered women in the military.

• Seek health care outside of VHA/MHS

• Mix of education levels

• Mix of income levels

We will work with focus group facilities in each of the proposed locations to recruit for groups based on the segments below. Focus group facility staff will contact active duty and veteran women from their databases to look for respondents who meet the eligibility criteria. A recruitment screener will be administered to ensure that those contacted through databases meet eligibility criteria. (See Attachment B Screening Instrument)

Audience Segment	Age	No. of Groups	Location
Active Duty Women	18–40	1	San Diego, CA
		1	San Antonio, TX
	41–64	1	Virginia Beach, VA
		1	San Diego, CA
Veteran Women	18–40	2	San Antonio, TX
		2	Virginia Beach, VA
		2	San Diego, CA
	41–64	2	San Antonio, TX
		2	Virginia Beach, VA
		2	San Diego, CA

Participants will be offered an honorarium of $75 for completing a 90-minute focus group to reimburse them for their time.

Logistics

Each focus group session will include 8–10 participants. During the focus groups, a moderator will use a guide to lead the participants through a discussion, and contract staff will observe and take notes on the participants’ comments and suggestions. The session will also be video and audio recorded.

Analysis and Reporting

Audio from the focus groups will be recorded and submitted to GMR for transcription. Transcripts will be labeled by participant category and date of the interview and will not contain any personally identifiable information. The recordings will be destroyed after the report is made final.

We will use the transcripts from the focus groups to code and analyze the data using Dedoose qualitative analysis software. Analysis of the groups will focus on specific themes that emerge most frequently from the focus groups. The final report will include an executive summary, overview, methodology, detailed findings with verbatim quotations, and recommendations.

The results of the research will be used for internal purposes only as research to inform the development of communication and educational tools for health professionals to improve care and treatment for active duty and veteran women. No names or other personal information will be reported in the summaries. We will share the data with the VA and DoD as this data collection will be a pilot and will inform the planning of a larger data collection in the future. The future data collections will also involve collaborations with HRSA’s Bureau of Primary Care and the Office of the Surgeon General.

3. Methods to Maximize Response Rates and Deal with Nonresponse

To maximize response rates, we will work with local focus group facilities in each of the proposed locations to recruit for groups who have experience working with active duty/veteran communities. Focus group facility staff will contact active duty and veteran women from their databases to look for respondents who meet the eligibility criteria.

4. Test of Procedures or Methods to be Undertaken

OWH, VA and DoD staff with subject matter expertise in active duty and veteran women’s health have reviewed and approved the documents in this packet.

5. Individuals Consulted on Statistical Aspects and Individuals Collecting and/or Analyzing Data

Roshni Devchand, MPH, MCHES is Vice President, Strategic Planning, Research, & Evaluation at Hagar Sharp, OWH’s communication and research contractor. Roshni has more than 10 years of experience in formative, evaluative, and usability research. Trish Taylor, Ph.D. is Executive Vice President of Health for Hagar Sharp and has over 20 years of formative research focused on communications and usability testing for health providers. Together, Roshni and Trish are overseeing all research protocol development, data collection, and data analysis with support from additional contract staff.

In addition, the following research leads and fellows from the Department of Veterans Affairs will provide guidance in the collection and analysis of data.

• Joan Combellick, PhD, Research Fellow, Comprehensive Women’s Health, Women’s Health Services, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

• Galina A. Portnoy, PhD, Research Fellow, Comprehensive Women’s Health, Women’s Health Services, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

• Mary Driscoll, PhD, Behavioral Researcher, Comprehensive Women’s Health, Women’s Health Services, VA Connecticut Health System