PUBH 613 Week 6 Assignment

PUBH 613: Week 6 Assignment Developing a Focus Group Topic Guide Develop the general study design and topic guide questions for focus groups addressing one of the public health research topics below. You can make reasonable assumptions about the details of the target groups (e.g., age, residence, …… characteristics) for the purposes of the study design questions. 1. Preferences for reproductive and sexual healthcare services among sexually-active adolescents who live in an urban setting. 2. Perspectives of elementary school personnel regarding a school-based bullying-prevention program that the city Departments of Education and Health have developed and plan to implement. 3. Thoughts about occupational health exposures and safety risks among food delivery workers, including ideas about preventive and/or policy measures that can be taken. 4. Factors that may serve as barriers and facilitators to accessing health care among members of a specific ethnic/cultural/linguistic group. Study Design Elements 1) Research question or focus of the topic being addressed (this should be a more specific question or focus within one of the general topics above): What do elementary school personnel think about the effectiveness and challenges of a school-based bullying prevention program developed by the City’s Departments of Education and Health? 2) Target group characteristics (e.g., neighborhood, age, gender, job category, presence of specific disease or not, group membership, use certain services or not, etc.): The target group will be comprised of individuals with diverse roles within elementary schools, including teachers, principals, school safety personnel, nurses, counselors, cafeteria/maintenance, and administrative staff, situated in school districts with elevated incidences of bullying. 3) Stratification/Segmentation (i.e., key trait(s) used to determine participation and focus group stratification): - Will different focus groups be held with participants who have a specific characteristic? The selection and categorization of participants for the focus groups will primarily depend on their professional roles and the high probability of their involvement in observing and addressing bullying incidents, such as teachers, school nurses, counselors, and cafeteria/maintenance staff. We can conduct two focus groups: 1) High probability of observing and addressing a bullying event:  Teachers/ Principals  Safety personnel  Counselors 2) Low probability of observing and addressing a bullying event:  Administrative Staff  Cafeteria/maintenance  School nurses 4) Focus group structure (answer BOTH questions for full credit) - Is the topic very specific or more general? What does this suggest about the nature of the topic guide questions and the moderator’s involvement? Page 1 of 3

The topic of the study is specific, and given the collaboration between two city agencies, the focus group will involve a lead moderator and co-moderator one from each city agency working on the study. The moderators will play a significant role as the questions are designed to prompt comprehensive responses from the participants. 5) Target number of participants in each focus group (given that the general range of participants is 6-12): (answer both questions for full credit) - Is the topic of a sensitive nature? What does this suggest about the size of the group? The topic of implementing a school-based bullying-prevention program may involve sensitive subject matter. Bullying is a multifaceted and emotionally charged issue that can substantially impact students, their families, and the school community. Given this sensitivity and to facilitate open and honest discussions, it is best to have two small focus groups comprised of 6 participants for each occupation and a high or low probability of observing and addressing a bullying event. A more compact group size can create a more comfortable and confidential atmosphere, allowing participants to express their thoughts and experiences more openly. It is crucial to ensure that participants feel secure and at ease when sharing their views on this delicate topic. Additionally, it's worth noting that the participating staff may have varying levels of expertise and training related to bullying, depending on their access to education and training resources. Use this example below, that was created for a study on the occupational health risks of transportation workers, to help guide you in filling in the blank table below for your own focus group. The way you fill in the blank table below should be based on the way you answered Questions 3 and 5 above and, therefore, should not be similar to this table. THIS IS A COMPLETED EXAMPLE TO HELP GUIDE YOU TO FILL IN THE TABLE BELOW FOR QUESTION 6. Trait 1 (e.g. occupation) Trait 2 (e.g. gender) # groups # participants/group (the number you specified in question 5) Total # participants Bus drivers Male 2 7 2 * 7 = 14 Bus drivers Female 2 7 2 * 7 = 14 Train conductors Male 2 7 2 * 7 = 14 Train conductors Female 2 7 2 * 7 = 14 Grand Total 56 6) NOW CREATE YOUR OWN FOCUS GROUP STRUCTURE BASED ON THE WAY YOU ANSWERED QUESTIONS 3 and 5 ABOVE. USE YOUR LECTURE SLIDES/AUDIOS FOR ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE. Fill in the target number of focus groups and total number of participants . Trait 1 (e.g., occupational role) Trait 2 (Probability of observing and addressing a bullying event) # groups # participants/group (the number you specified in question 5) Total # participants Teachers/ Principals High 2 10 2*6 = 12 Safety personnel High 2 10 2*6 = 12 Counselors High 2 10 2*6 = 12 Administrative Staff Low 2 10 2*6 = 12 Cafeteria/maintenance Low 2 10 2*6 = 12 School nurses Low 2 10 2*6 = 12 Grand Total 72 Page 2 of 3