Outcome-oriented Focus Group

Attachment 13C

Form Approved

OMB No. 0920-xxxx

Exp. Date xx/xx/xxxx

MUH RESIDENT FOCUS GROUP GUIDE – OUTCOME-ORIENTED

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Focus Group Number:
Date:
Time:
Location:
Number of Participants:

Introduction

Thank you for agreeing to join us for our discussion today. My name is ____________ and I’ll be guiding you through this focus group.

A focus group is a small group discussion of a particular topic. The purpose of today’s group is to hear your opinions on what you think about the smoke-free policies in your apartment complexes. We’re bringing together people from several different complexes in the area to get a variety of opinions. I’m not an expert on smoke-free policies. I’m here to listen and learn from your thoughts.

Please be honest and open with your answers – there are no right or wrong answers. From past experience in groups like this, we know that some people like to talk a lot, and some people don’t say much. It’s important that we hear from all of you because you’ve had different experiences and we want to hear an accurate range of opinions. So, if you are talking a lot, I may interrupt you, and if you aren’t saying much, I may call on you. All of your answers will be maintained in a secure manner and your name will not be linked with your answers in any of our reports. We will be audio-recording this session to help us write our report. This recording will not be shared with anyone outside of the research team.

1. Warm-Up

   1. To start us off, please tell us your first name and the reason you are here today. I’ll start.

2. Housing Preferences

   1. Now let’s talk about how you decided to live in your apartment complex. What was most important to you when you were deciding where to live?

   2. What were your experiences with smoke-free policies in other apartment complexes?

   3. How did your apartment complex’s smoking policy influence your decision to live there?

3. Enforcement and Smoking Behavior After Implementation

Now I’d like to hear your opinions on how the smoke-free policy affects the apartment complex where you live.

3.1 Where do you see people smoking? How has this changed since the policy took effect?

3.2 Do you ever smell smoke in your building or in your own apartment? Does it bother you? What do you do when you smell smoke?

3.3 For those of you who have lived in your complex a while, what kind of other changes have you seen in the apartment complex since the policy started – such as greater cleanliness, less smoke in the halls , and more use of shared spaces like playgrounds, laundry rooms, etc.?

3.4. If you are a smoker, how has the smoke-free policy affected you?

3.4.1 What kinds of resources, such as pamphlets or places to call, did the apartment management give you to help you quit?

3.4.2 What kind of help did you wish they would give you, if any?

3.4.3 Tell about how your smoking habits have changed or not changed as a result of the policy.

3.4.4 How has living in a smoke-free building affected you?

3.4.5 How has it affected your health or sense of well-being?

3.4.6 How has it affected your relationship with your neighbors?

3.5 If you’re a non-smoker, how has living in a smoke-free building affected you?

3.5.1 How has it affected your health or sense of well-being?

3.5.2 How has it affected your relationship with your neighbors?

3.6 These next questions apply to everyone. How do you think you should be involved in making sure that residents and visitors don’t smoke in areas where smoking is banned?

3.6.1 What has your experience been in talking to somebody you know well about smoking in your unit? How hard or easy has it been to have this conversation?

3.6.2 What has your experience been in talking to someone you don’t know well who you saw smoking in a non-smoking area? If you said something, how hard or easy was it to have this conversation? Would you have it again?

3.6.3 What problems do you think smokers have following the policies??

3.6.3.1. How were these problems overcome, if they were?

3.6.3.2. Which problems could not be overcome?

4. Opinions About MUH Smoke-Free Policies

Now I’d like to ask all of you to tell me a bit about how you think the policy is working.

4.1 What do you think your housing manager should do to make sure that the policy is working?

4.1.1 What do you think about a “grandfather clause” that lets smoking residents who already lived here continue to smoke in non-smoking areas?

1. How would you like to be involved in seeing that this policy is carried out?

2. How would you like to see management involved in enforcing the smoke-free policy?

4.2. Think back on your experience with the smoke-free policy in your apartment complex.

4.2.1 What do you think some of the benefits are of your complex’s smoke-free policy? What do you think some of the drawbacks are?

4.2.2 Overall, how do you like living in a smoke-free apartment complex? What do you like most? What do you like least?

4.3 In general, what do you think are the most common problems encountered by people trying to get a smoke-free policy put in place in their apartment complex?

1. What do you think are the hardest problems to overcome?

4.3.2. Do you have any suggestions on ways to overcome these problems?

4.4. Would you recommend your complex to people because of the policy?

5. Close

Before we end, do you have any thoughts or ideas about your complex’s smoking policy that we haven’t already discussed?

Thanks very much for your input today