Form 0920-24CA Attachment 1 - CDC DVBD - AGS Data Collection - Focus Gr

Form Approved

OMB Control No.: 0920-1154

Expiration date: 03/31/2026

CDC Division of Vector-Borne Diseases

Focus Group Screener for Outdoor Enthusiasts on Alpha-Gal Syndrome

Updated: December 14, 2023

Hello. My name is ________ and I’m calling from _________, an independent communications firm.

You indicated that you are interested in participating in a focus group conversation on topics that may matter or be interesting to you. [DO NOT DISCLOSE THE EXACT TOPIC OF DISCUSSION BEFORE THE FOCUS GROUP.] The discussion will last approximately 90 minutes. The sole sponsor of this activity is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). To maintain participants’ confidentiality, the leader will use first names only during the discussion, and no part of your name be used in any transcripts or reports available to CDC. CDC is not interested in any of your personal information. At this stage, we will be asking you a few questions to ensure we are recruiting a variety of people only.

I have a few questions to start.

[IF TERMINATED DURING SCREENING PROCESS, READ:] I’m sorry, we already have enough individuals in that category. Thank you very much for your time.

INTERVIEWER INSTRUCTION: If an individual expresses concern at any point during the screening process, please note their concern and reassure them appropriately. Remind them that their answers and participation will be completely confidential.

Name: _______________________________________________________

Address (residence): _______________________________________________________

City, State, ZIP: _______________________________________________________

Phone: _______________________________________________________

Email: _______________________________________________________

Recruiter: _______________________________________________________

SEPARATE CONTACT SHEET FROM THE REST OF THE SCREENER AND SHRED AT THE END OF THE PROJECT.

Recruit Summary

Segment	Audience	FGs / Recruits
A	Hunters and fishers	1 / 8
B	Hikers and campers	1 / 8
C	Outdoor dog owners	1 / 8
D	Outdoor activities near home	1 / 8

Screening Questions

1. Are you…?

Female		RECRUIT A MIX; MINIMUM 3 FEMALE/MALE PER GROUP
Male
Transgender, non-binary, or another gender

1. What is your age? RECORD EXACT AGE; DO NOT READ LIST

Under 18		TERMINATE ALL
18-29		MINIMUM 3 PER GROUP
30-39
40-49		MINIMUM 3 PER GROUP
50-59
60 or older

3. In what city and state do you live? RECORD CITY & STATE, ALSO CODE TO TABLE

Northeast		MINIMUM 2 FROM EACH REGION PER GROUP
South
Midwest
West		TERMINATE

4. Have you participated in any of the following activities in the past 12 months? Choose all that apply.

Hunting		CONTINUE
Hiking or backpacking
Camping
None of the above

5. IF ANY OF PREVIOUS ARE SELECTED In the past 12 months, how many times have you participated in each of the activities you selected? Your best estimate is fine. RECORD FOR EACH ACTIVITY SELECTED

Once or twice		CONTINUE
Three or four times
Five to 10 times
More than 10 times

• HUNTERS GROUP:

  • Must have participated in hunting 5 or more times in the past 12 months.

  • Minimum 2 of who have hunted more than 10 times.

• HIKERS/CAMPERS GROUP:

  • Must have participated in (a) hiking or backpacking or (b) camping five or more times in the past 12 months.

  • Minimum 4 hikers or backpackers (can count toward both).

  • Minimum 3 campers (can count toward both).

  • Minimum 1 of each who have hiked/backpacked or camped more than 10 times.

IF NOT QUALIFIED FOR ABOVE GROUPS, ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

6. Do you own a dog?

Yes		CONTINUE
No

7. IF OWN A DOG For how long have you had dogs, including any you had before?

Less than 1 year		CONTINUE
1 to 2 years
2 or more years

8. IF HAD DOG 2 OR MORE YEARS Here are some outdoor activities some people do with their dogs. Do you do any of these with your dog? READ: Water activities or visits to rivers, lakes, or beaches; camping, hiking, or trail running; visiting woods, nature parks, or state or county parks; or similar natural activities.

Yes		PROBE AND RECORD WHICH ACTIVITIES, CONTINUE
No		CONTINUE

9. IF YES TO PREVIOUS DOG ACTIVITIES In the past month, how many times have you and your dog participated in any of the activities you mentioned? Your best estimate is fine.

Once		CONTINUE
Twice
Three or four times
Five to ten times
More than ten times

• OUTDOOR DOG OWNERS GROUP:

  • Must own a dog.

  • Must have had dogs for 2 or more years.

  • Must have participated in natural outdoor activities with dog at least 3-4 times in the past month.

IF NOT QUALIFIED FOR ABOVE GROUPS, ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

10. Have you participated in any of the following outdoor activities in the past 12 months? Choose all that apply.

Gardening at home or in the community		CONTINUE
Walks or runs on park paths, trails, or roads
Biking on park paths, trails, or roads
Birdwatching at parks, forests, fields, or bodies of water
Outdoor rock climbing
Horseback riding
Other activities outdoors (please specify)
None of the above

11. IF ANY OF PREVIOUS ARE SELECTED In the past 12 months, how many times have you participated in each of the activities you selected? Your best estimate is fine. RECORD FOR EACH ACTIVITY SELECTED

Gardening at home or in the community		CONTINUE
Walks or runs on park paths, trails, or roads
Biking on park paths, trails, or roads
Birdwatching at parks, forests, fields, or bodies of water
Outdoor rock climbing
Horseback riding
Other activities outdoors (please specify)

• OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES NEAR HOME GROUP:

  • Must have participated in any of the outdoor activities 24 times or more in the past 12 months; can include the combined total across activities.

  • Maximum 4 who only do gardening, walks/runs, or both.

  • KRC to review if “Other” is the only activity mentioned.

RESUME ASKING ALL

12. How familiar are you with each of the following topics? Are you very familiar, somewhat familiar, not too familiar, or not at all familiar? READ IN RANDOM ORDER, RECORD FOR EACH

Tick bites and tick-borne diseases		MAX 2 NOT AT ALL PER GROUP
Sun damage and heatstroke		CONTINUE. DUMMY TOPICS TO MASK SUBJECT.
Poison ivy and poison oak

13. How concerned are you about each of the following topics? Are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned? READ IN RANDOM ORDER, RECORD FOR EACH

Tick bites and tick-borne diseases		MAX 2 NOT AT ALL PER GROUP
Sun damage and heatstroke		CONTINUE. DUMMY TOPICS TO MASK SUBJECT.
Poison ivy and poison oak

14. Which of the following best describes the area where you live?

Urban		MAX 4 URBAN + SUBURBAN PER GROUP
Suburban
Small town		MAX 5 SMALL TOWN + RURAL PER GROUP
Rural

15. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

Yes		CONTINUE
No

16. What is your race? Choose all that apply.

American Indian or Alaska Native		CONTINUE
Asian
Black or African American
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
White
Another race

MINIMUM 2 WHO ARE HISPANIC, LATINO, SPANISH, OR NON-WHITE PER GROUP

17. Which of the following includes your total annual household income for the last year?

Less than $20,000		MINIMUM 3 PER GROUP
$20,000 to less than $30,000
$30,000 to less than $40,000
$40,000 to less than $50,000
$50,000 to less than $60,000
$60,000 to less than $70,000		MINIMUM 3 PER GROUP
$70,000 to less than $80,000
$80,000 to less than $90,000
$90,000 to less than $100,000
$100,000 or more

18. Do you, a spouse or partner, or a child work in any of the following fields?

Market research or communications		TERMINATE ALL
Health care or public health
Pharmaceuticals, health sciences, or medical device manufacturing
Federal or state government
None of the above		CONTINUE

19. How many times within the past three months have you participated in a focus group or one-on-one research interview? DON’T READ LIST

None		CONTINUE
1 or more		TERMINATE ALL

Finally, to ensure we understand the individuals who are answering these questions…

20. What is the highest level of education you have completed?

Less than high school graduate		MIN 2 PER GROUP
High school graduate or completed GED
Technical or vocational degree
Four-year college degree		MIN 2 PER GROUP
Postgraduate or professional degree

21. What best describes your current employment status?

Employed, full-time		MIN 4 PER GROUP
Employed, part-time
Student		CONTINUE
Homemaker
Retired
Unemployed

Invitation

Thank you for answering all of my questions. As I mentioned, we respect your privacy and understand this information is confidential, and we will not disclose this information to anyone outside of the project team. We asked these questions because we want to speak with a wide variety of people who can review important information and provide their feedback. Based on your answers to the questions, we would like to invite you to participate in a 90-minute focus group.

You will receive $75 as a token of appreciation for your participation, which will be provided to you after you complete the focus group.

All of your feedback will be confidential, never in association with your name. To make sure we capture your remarks accurately, we will audio and video record the discussion. The purpose of the recording is to make sure we report accurately, we will not include your name in the transcript. After approval of the final report, recordings will be deleted. Is this discussion something you are interested in and comfortable with?

Yes		SHARE DATE AND TIME OF FOCUS GROUP
No		TERMINATE ALL

Additionally, the focus group is virtual, meaning that you can participate from the comfort of your home or office. You will not need to come to a facility and can meet us from wherever you are, but you will need to be in front of a computer or tablet with internet access and camera so you can be on screen. You will also have to be in a quiet place. Someone will call you before the focus group to make sure all the technology needed for the discussion is working properly. Is this something you are interested in and comfortable with, and do you have access to a computer or tablet to fulfill these requirements?

Yes		CONTINUE
No		TERMINATE ALL

FOR SCHEDULED PARTICIPANTS:

The focus group will occur on DATE, at TIME. Before your scheduled discussion, we will send you confirmation with all the required logistical and technological information. If you wear reading glasses or use a hearing aid, please remember to have those with you at the focus group.

If you must cancel, please let us know immediately, so we can find someone to take your place. My name is ___________ and you can reach me at _____________.

SEPARATE FIRST PAGE (CONTACT SHEET) AND SHRED AT THE END OF THE PROJECT

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 5 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 H21-8, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; ATTN: PRA 0920-1154