Qualitative Research on Food Safety Behaviors Among Dual Caregivers

Appendix E: To be used during phase 1 interviews

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

In-Depth Interviews

Interview Guide (Hispanic/Latino – Spanish Preference)

Research purpose: To complete interviews to collect information about caregivers’ current knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and preferred channels of communication about food safety.

NOTES TO REVIEWER:

This discussion guide is not a script and therefore will not be read verbatim. The interviewer will use these questions as a roadmap and probe as needed to maintain the natural flow of conversation.

Session Overview: Total time –– 60 minutes
Section A: Introduction to Study and Verbal Consent (5 minutes)	The interviewer will explain the purpose of the interview and allow participants to ask any questions.
Section B: Introductory Questions (5 minutes)	This section will be used to gather general information and make sure participants are comfortable speaking with the interviewer.
Section C: Knowledge and Behaviors (10 minutes)	This section will ask about current participant knowledge related to food safety.
Section D: Attitudes/Risk Perceptions (5 minutes)	This section will ask about participant attitudes toward food safety.
Section E: Self-Efficacy (5 minutes)	This section will ask about participant confidence in their ability to practice food safety behaviors.
Section F: Cultural Impact (5 minutes)	This section will ask about the influence of participant culture on food safety behaviors.
Section G: Subjective Norms/Information Sources (10 minutes)	This section will ask about how friends and family members of the participant view food safety. This section will also ask about preferred sources of food safety information.
Section H: Message Themes and Strategies (10 minutes)	The interviewer will ask for participant responses to preliminary campaign message themes.
Section I: Conclusion (5 minutes)	The interviewer will complete the sessions by asking the participant if they have any questions and thanking them for their time.

Section A: Introduction and Verbal Consent (5 minutes)

(WHEN A PARTICIPANT JOINS, ENSURE THAT THEIR WEBCAM, MICROPHONE, AND SPEAKERS ARE WORKING AND THAT THEY ARE ALONE IN THE ROOM. MAKE SURE THAT THEIR LIGHTING IS SUFFICIENT AND THAT YOU CAN SEE THEM CLEARLY.) 

Hello. Thanks for joining this online session. It is about general food safety attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors. I’d like to preview what will happen, so that you know what to expect. 
 

1. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds this study.    

2. My name is [FACILITATOR’S NAME]. I will lead this session. I work for Fors Marsh, a company that is helping USDA. But I don’t work at USDA. So what you say, positive or negative, won’t affect me.  

3. You will provide input, which is very important. It will help improve messages that focus on food safety behaviors.

4. The risks of joining this study are minimal. You may feel embarrassed while answering some questions.  

5. You will get no direct benefits. But you will help other individuals and society at-large. 

6. This session will be in Spanish. For the next 60 minutes, I will ask you questions about: 

   1. Your feelings about and behaviors related to food safety.

   2. How your culture plays a role in food safety.

   3. How you prefer to learn about food safety.

7. You choose whether to join the session. After the session starts, you can opt not to answer certain questions. You can leave the session at any time. This will bring no penalty to you, and you will lose no benefits.  

8. You will get a $75 incentive for your time. This will be delivered through email.  

9. Someone on the research team will: 

   1. Audio record the session.

   2. Listen and take notes during the session. 

   3. Use the notes to write a report.   

10. To keep your input private, the research team will: 

    1. Keep the notes and recording of the session in a password-protected computer folder.  

    2. Summarize the data from everyone in the report. It will not connect you with your answers. 

    3. Exclude personal information from notes taken. This includes your name.

11. If you have any questions about this study, contact Carolyn Lagoe at [email protected].

12. Do you agree to take part in this online session? (If participant says no, end the session).

  

13. Do you agree to be audio-recorded? (If participant says no, do not record the session but instead just take notes).

14. Thank you. I ask that you follow some ground rules throughout our discussion: 

    1. Turn off the ringer on your cell phone. 

    2. Talk loud enough to be heard. 

    3. Please give your honest opinion. 

Section B. Introductory Questions (5 minutes)

Starting off, I would like to talk about your cooking habits.

1. When you prepare food at home, who are you typically cooking for?

2. How often do you cook for your family?

3. When you prepare food at home, which of your family members, if any, help you?

4. What role does food play in your family?

Section C: Knowledge and Behaviors (10 minutes)

Now let’s talk about what you have seen or heard about food safety. This is not a test. Rather, I know that people hear different things. I’d like to learn about what you have come across.

1. How have you learned about food safety in the past?  

2. When you hear the term “food safety”, what behaviors come to mind? 

3. How does practicing safe food handling benefit you?

4. How does practicing safe food handling benefit your family?

Section D: Attitudes/Risk Perceptions (5 minutes)

Now let’s talk more about your feelings about and experiences with food safety.

1. What concerns, if any, do you have about food safety when preparing meals at home?

   1. [PROBE] Would you, and for what reasons, would you consider these concerns to be minor or serious?

2. What are some things that might happen if you do not practice food safety when preparing meals? 

Section E: Self-Efficacy (5 minutes)

1. Which recommended food safety behaviors do you find hard to follow consistently?

   1. [PROBE] What makes them hard to follow?

2. What skills would you like to learn to be able to practice safer food preparation? 

3. What questions about food safety do you have?

Section F: Cultural Impact (5 minutes)

Now we are going to talk about the impact your culture has had on your food preparation and food safety practices.

1. How have your personal experiences and upbringing shaped your approach to cooking and food safety?

2. In what ways do your ethnic or cultural background influence your approach to food preparation and cooking?

3. Have your food preparation and food safety practices changed since you started living in the US?

4. Have you experienced any challenges related to food safety in the United States that you did not deal with in your country of origin?

1. [PROBE] If so, how and why?

Section G: Subjective Norms/Information Sources (10 minutes)

Ok great. So now we’re going to shift gears a little bit to talk more in depth about where and how you prefer to learn about food safety information.

1. Who would you consider to be a credible source of information about food safety?

2. How do you learn best?

   1. [PROBE] What types of formats and approaches should be used to present educational food safety information in the future? 

   2. [PROBE] What types of information, formats, and approaches are easiest to read, use, and understand?

   3. [PROBE] Why are these formats and approaches easiest to read, use, and/or understand?

3. Which television channels, if any, would you rely on the most for information about food safety?

4. Do you watch food preparation videos online? If so, where?

5. Are there any social media sources or influencers you would trust to give you tips on food safety?

6. Which radio channels or programs, if any, would you rely on the most for information about safety?*

7. What friends or family would you talk to about food safety?

8. How would you most prefer to receive food safety information? Would you prefer to learn through a website, information delivered through mail, online videos, in person discussions or through other approaches?

Section H: Campaign Concept Information and Reaction (10 minutes)

The USDA is planning to develop a campaign focused on promoting food safety behaviors among members of the public who provide support to children and/or young adults and older adults.

At this point in time, we have come up with initial ideas for the theme of this campaign. We would like to get your feedback on this proposed theme.

Please feel comfortable being as honest as possible. We want to make sure we create a campaign that is useful for the public. Therefore, your feedback both positive and negative is important for us to know.

1. What are your initial reactions to this approach?

2. What does this approach (or material) communicate to you?

3. What about this approach might grab your attention?

4. In what ways might this approach be relevant to you?

5. What, if anything, is hard to understand?

6. In what ways, if any, is this approach relatable?

7. For what reasons, if any, do you find this approach difficult to relate to?

8. What do you like?

9. What do you dislike?

10. What are some additional ways that USDA could give you tips to safely prepare foods at home?

11. Would a campaign like this encourage you to practice the recommended food safety behaviors? What about it might be particularly persuasive?

Section I: Conclusion (5 minutes)

This has been a very helpful session. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to talk with me and share your perspectives and experiences. Before we wrap up, is there anything else that you would like to share or that we might have missed?

Ok, thank you again for your time. You will be receiving your compensation via email. If you have any additional questions in the future, please reach out to Carolyn Lagoe at [email protected]. Have a wonderful day!