Focus Group Guide

[Form Not Approved]

OMB No. 0920-0572

Expiration Date 3/31/2018

Submission under

0920-0572 Health Message Testing System

Attachment 2: Focus Group Guide for Materials Testing

for the

Domestic Readiness Initiative for Zika Virus

Public reporting burden of this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour 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 D-74, Atlanta, Georgia 30333; Attn: OMB-PRA (0920-0572)

Focus Group Guide for Materials Testing

in the United States for the

Domestic Readiness Initiative for Zika Virus

Introduction

Welcome and thank you very much for agreeing to participate in this focus group. My name is ___________________, and my role is to guide the discussion. I’m not an expert in the topic we’ll be discussing, so I have no particular agenda or point of view. I did not develop any of the messages you will be seeing so I want to get your honest and frank opinions about them. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the questions I’m going to ask, please relax and enjoy the discussion.

The purpose of this discussion is to get your opinions on up to 2 ads for a Zika Prevention health education initiative in the United States. What we learn will also help us educate the community about the actions that can be taken to protect everyone, but especially pregnant women and their babies.

Before we get started, I’d like to point a few things out:

• We will be asking for your opinions only; not for personal information.

• Everything you have to say will be kept in a private manner.

• Also, please remember, you can choose not to answer a question at any time and that your participation in this project is completely voluntary.

• This discussion will be recorded.

There are also a few ground rules to mention before we begin:

• Respect the other participants’ opinions.

• Please maintain privacy—what is said here remains between the group.

• Use your first name only when introducing yourself (or a made-up name, if you prefer).

• Speak one at a time.

• You will notice that you’ve been given a number. Please state your name before speaking each time you talk. This will help us distinguish who is speaking in the recordings.

• Please turn off your cell phones or put the ringer on silent mode.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

1. Knowledge, Perceived Severity and Susceptibility [5 minutes]

1. What can you tell me about Zika? (HMTS 16c)

PROBE:

• How serious do you think Zika is?

• Do you think the Zika epidemic will be worse this year than last year?

• What are some of the reasons you think it is serious?

• What are some of the reasons you think it’s not serious?

2. What are some of the things that you have heard, that may put pregnant women at risk for Zika?

2. Impressions and Comprehension [10 minutes FOR EACH ROUND]

Now I want to ask you about some ideas for a health education initiative that might be used to provide information about Zika. We are still in the beginning stages of the health education initiative, so we want to get your opinions about 2 ads that show how to take action against Zika. Each ad will have a name, a tagline, and an image/picture. We want to know which one you prefer and why.

[SHOW AD CONCEPT 1 AND CONCEPT 2; repeat questions for each]

3. How would you sum up your first impression of this ad? (HMTS 7d)

PROBE:

• Does it speak to you as a ­pregnant woman/woman who could become pregnant/ male partner?

• What did you like about it?

• What didn’t you like about it?

• How could this ad be improved? (HMTS 33d)

4. What would you say is the main idea or ideas they are trying to convey here? (HMTS 5d)

5. Is there anything confusing, unclear or hard to understand? (HMTS 6d)

3. Photographs, Taglines, Logos and Icons [15 minutes]

Now I’d like to get your thoughts on the images and logos used in the ads.

6. [SHOW AD CONCEPT 1 AND CONCEPT 2, ALL AT ONCE]. How do you feel about the images used in these ads? (HMTS 5e)

PROBE:

• Which image do you prefer? Why? [MODERATOR : NOTE # WHO FAVORED PHOTOGRAPH FROM CONCEPT 1 AND CONCEPT 2]

• What makes it stand out? (HMTS 13e)

• How do you feel about the colors? What do you like/dislike about them? (HMTS 8e)

7. [SHOW AD CONCEPT 1, AND CONCEPT 2, AT ONCE]. How do you feel about the logos used in these ads? (HMTS 5e)

PROBE:

• How do you feel about the colors? What do you like/dislike about them? (HTMS 8e)

8. [SHOW AD CONCEPT 1 AND CONCEPT 2 ALL AT ONCE]. How do you feel about the icons used in these ads? (HMTS 5e)

PROBE:

• What do the icons say to you?

• Are the icons easy to understand?

• How do you feel about the colors? What do you like/dislike about them? (HMTS 8e)

4. Comparison [20 minutes]

Now, I’d like you to think about all of the ads I’ve just shown you, together.

9. Which of these ads would be most effective in motivating you or other pregnant women/women who could become pregnant/ male partners to protect themselves against Zika? (HMTS 23d – adapted)

[MODERATOR COUNT # WHO PREFERED EACH CONCEPT]

PROBE:

• What is it about that ad made you say that it was the most likely to motivate you?

• Which was least likely to motivate you? What is it about that ad that makes it the least likely to motivate you?

Looking at your favorite ad again, this is the current tagline [READ TAGLINE]. I have here alternative taglines

1. [IF CONCEPT 1 THE FAVORITE PLEASE SAY THE FOLLOWING TAGLINES]

   1. [TAGLINE 1]

   2. [TAGLINE 2]

   3. [TAGLINE 3]

2. [IF CONCEPT 2 ARE IS THE FAVORITE PLEASE SAY THE FOLLOWING TAGLINES]

   1. [TAGLINE 1]

   2. [TAGLINE 2]

   3. [TAGLINE 3]

10. Which tagline better communicates the message? [MODERATOR COUNT # WHO PREFERED TAGLINE]

11. Which tagline motivates you the most to take preventive measures against Zika?

IV. Closing

• Okay, we are pretty much out of time. Is there anything else I should know?

• I would like to thank you for coming here today and participating in this discussion. Your opinions are very helpful and will help us improve the concepts that we are developing for this health education initiative. Here is a factsheet that outlines ways to avoid Zika if you would like it.