National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Focus Groups

Form Approved

OMB No. 0920-XXXX

Exp. Date xx/xx/XXXX

National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program

Focus Group Moderator’s Guide

Public reporting of this collection of information is estimated to average 90 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing date sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completeing 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 Rouad, MS D-74, Atlanta, GA 30333, ATTN: PRA (0920-xxxx).

WELCOME (@ 5 minutes)

Hello. My name is <<MODERATOR NAME>> and I am here from RTI, a research organization contracted by CDC to gather information that will inform improvements to the CCCB Evaluation Toolkit and evaluation technical assistance. I want to thank you for volunteering to participate in this discussion. My role today is to guide our discussion and to encourage everyone to share their thoughts and ideas.

As noted in the consent statement we provided, the group discussion will take about an hour and a half. Your participation is voluntary and you can end your participation at any time. [Notetaker name] from RTI will be taking notes during our conversation. The discussion will also be audio recorded—the recording will only be used by RTI to clean or fill gaps in the notes. The recording will be stored on RTI’s secure project drive and will not be shared with CDC. Your name will not be included in the focus group notes, and we ask that each of you hold our discussion here today in confidence. We will be preparing a topline summary report based on the responses that you share with us today and will be happy to share a copy of this report with each of you. Again, your names will not be included in this report.

Do you have any questions for me before I ask you to introduce yourselves?

INTRODUCTIONS (@ 10 minutes)

We’re going to go around the table for brief introductions. Please share your name and the state you represent. Also, please share a little about your evaluation background with the group. For example, would you describe yourself as a novice evaluator, someone with intermediate evaluation skills, or an expert evaluator with extensive evaluation experience?

MAIN QUESTIONS (@ 75 minutes)

General Discussion about Evaluation (@25 minutes)

Let’s talk a bit about your programs’ evaluation efforts.

1. Does your program have a current, written evaluation plan?

Probes:

• Has a copy of the plan been uploaded in the management information system (MIS) or provided to CDC in some other manner?

• Please describe key resources or tools your state used to guide the development of the evaluation plan.

• Is the plan being implemented, or has it become a “shelf document”?

• If your program does not have a current, written evaluation plan, what resources are needed to support the development of a plan?

2. How would you describe the level of evaluation being conducted by your program (e.g., little evaluation is being conducted, or extensive evaluation efforts are underway for multiple facets of your program)?

3. Please share with the group whether you have evaluated your CCC program, plan, and/or partnership?

Probes:

• Did you work with an evaluation consultant or contractor?

• What type(s) of evaluation is being conducted (process—focused on program implementation and immediate outputs, outcomes, or process and outcomes)?

• What kind of methods did you use to evaluate these elements of your program (e.g., surveys, pre/post- tests or assessments, monitoring health data over time)?

• How are evaluation results being shared?

• How are evaluation results being used (e.g., inform program improvements and/or practice)

4. What factors have facilitated program evaluation efforts?

5. What factors have challenged program evaluation efforts?

Now that I have a better sense of your programs’ evaluation efforts, let’s spend some time discussing the CCCB Evaluation Toolkit.

USERS FOCUS GROUP- Discussion of CCCB Evaluation Toolkit (@25 minutes)

As you may be aware, CDC has developed a Toolkit, or “how to” guide for planning and implementing evaluation activities in cancer prevention and control programs. I have copies of this resource for each of you to flip through, if you’d like, during our discussion.

6. How familiar are each of you with this Toolkit?

Probes:

• How did you learn about it?

• How did you access it?

• Have you used it?

7. Please share a little about your experiences with it?

Probes:

• What prompted your use of the Toolkit?

• How would you rate the user-friendliness of the Toolkit?

• How useful has this Toolkit been for your program?

8. Could you share examples of how you used specific components of the Toolkit?

9. How might CDC improve the Toolkit?

Probes:

• Do you have any suggestions for improving the content of the Toolkit; is there anything you think should be included in the Toolkit that is not currently there?

• Do you have any suggestions for improving the usability of the Toolkit?

• Do you have any suggestions for improving the design of the Toolkit?

• Are there any related trainings or TA that CDC could provide in conjunction with the toolkit?

NON-USERS FOCUS GROUP- Discussion of CCCB Evaluation Toolkit (@25 minutes)

As you may be aware, CDC has developed a Toolkit, or “how to” guide for planning and implementing evaluation activities in cancer prevention and control programs. I have copies of this resource for each of you to flip through, if you’d like, during our discussion.

10. How familiar are each of you with this Toolkit?

Probes:

• How did you learn about it?

• How did you access it?

11. Please share a little about why you have not used the tool.

12. Please describe other key resources or tools your state may have used to help guide CCC evaluation development, implementation, analysis, and/or dissemination.

Probes:

• How have you used these tools/resources within your coalition?

• Who developed or created these tools/resources?

• What do you like most/least about these tools/resources?

• How useful have these tools/resources been for your coalition?

13. What might promote your use of the Toolkit?

Probes:

• Specific content or topic areas?

• CDC actions?

SUMMARY AND WRAP UP (@ 5 minutes)

Before we wrap up, and as you think about the questions I have asked and the things you have heard from others, is there anything else that you want to mention in regard to the CCCB Evaluation Toolkit, or evaluation technical assistance in general?

Thank you for joining the discussion.

TOTAL TIME: 90 minutes