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Moderator’s Guide for Focus Groups
Session Overview: Total time — 90 minutes
Section A: Welcome and Opening Remarks (10 min)
The moderator will explain the purpose of the session, present ground rules, and begin with warm up questions.
Section B: Beliefs, Attitudes, and Perceptions About Vision and Eye Health (15 min)
In this section, we’ll collect insights about the importance of health and vision to this age group. We’ll also learn about eye health attitudes and perceptions of risk and susceptibility, as well as self-efficacy.
Section C: Experiences and Knowledge of Eye Health and Preventive Behaviors (10 min)
In this section, we want to explore knowledge related to overall health and eye health — including risk factors, experiences with eye health providers, and understanding of prevention behaviors.
Section D: Factors that Influence Engagement in Preventive Behaviors (25 min)
In this section, we will identify barriers, facilitators, and motivators for preventing eye injury and disease.
Section E: Messages, Products, and Dissemination Strategies (25 min)
In this section, we will gather reactions to different eye health messages and identify preferences about dissemination methods and products.
Section F: Closing and Thank You (5 min)
The moderator will thank participants for their involvement and provide a final opportunity for questions or comments.
Note: This moderator’s guide is not a script, so it will not be read verbatim. The moderator will use the following questions as a roadmap and will probe as needed to maintain the natural flow of conversation.
Welcome/Opening Remarks (10 min)
Thank you for joining me today. My name is [MODERATOR] and we also have [OBSERVER] observing and taking notes for this session. I work for CommunicateHealth, an independent research and communication company. I am conducting this session on behalf of the National Institutes of Health or NIH.
The purpose of our discussion today is to discuss health issues and what you can do to be healthy, as well as get your feedback on some health messages.
A few things to keep in mind as we start our discussion:
Your participation is voluntary
This means you have the right to stop at any time. You do not have to answer every question, but I would like to hear from everyone, so I might call on you at some point.
There are no wrong answers
I’m interested in your perspective and opinions. There is nothing I am expecting you to say.
I didn’t create the materials I’m going to show you today — so, love it or hate it, it’s all the same to me. I welcome all kinds of feedback.
We are not trying to come to consensus
It’s okay for there to be disagreement and in fact I welcome different points of view. Please share what is true for you.
Speak up, speak clearly, and share the space
I am recording this session for note-taking purposes. I will have to write a report later and the recording will help me remember what was said here today.
Please speak one at a time and as loud and clear as possible.
I’d like the group to work for “equal air time” where no one talks too much or too little.
What happens in this room, stays here
I am interested in what you say but not who said it. That means your name will not be linked to anything you say in my report, and I will only share the report with people working on this project.
Out of respect for each other, I ask that you also keep what was said here today private and not share with others who are not in the room.
Can we all agree to these ground rules? [Seek verbal confirmation from participants]
A few other logistics…
This discussion will last approximately 90 minutes and we will wrap up at [TIME AM/PM]. We have a lot to cover — so I may occasionally interrupt to keep us moving.
Please put your cell phone on do not disturb mode, if you haven’t already.
If you need to step out for any reason, please feel free to do so one at a time.
Now, this is the only time we will go around the room one by one.
[Moderator can use written bullets for cues to participants. Introduces themselves last.]
I would like for each of you to tell me 3 things:
Your first name
How long you have lived in the area
What’s one of the things you most enjoy doing this time of year?
[Moderator may provide a response to these questions as part of rapport building.]
Thank you for sharing.
[The moderator will begin audio recording.]
Beliefs, Attitudes, and Perceptions About Vision and Eye Health (15 min)
I’d like go ahead by hearing what you think about things people can do to be healthy.
General Health Attitudes
What are some of the things people can do to be healthy? What are some examples?
How does [X] help people to be healthy?
Now, I’m going to give each of you a worksheet. I’d like for you to take a minute to write or draw in 3 parts of your body that you are most concerned about being healthy.
OK, I’d like for you to tell what you put on your sheet. [Moderator writes responses on white/flip board]
What are the 3 parts of your body that you are most concerned about being healthy?
Tell me more about [X] – what are some of the reasons [X] is part of your body that you most want to be healthy?
Vision and Eye Health Attitudes
And what about your eyes – how important is it for your eyes to be healthy compared to other parts of your body?
PROBE on importance
What about the importance of your eyes being healthy compared to these body parts: your ears? Your teeth and gums? Your skin?
PROBE on rationale for prioritization
How does your vision relate to your overall health?
I’d like to hear more about what you think about your eyes and vision.
In your own words, what do you think the phrase "healthy vision" means?
And what’s the opposite of “healthy vision”?
What are some examples?
PROBE for diseases/conditions, blindness, injuries
Perceived Risk and Severity
How likely do you think it is that you will experience trouble with your vision?
PROBE for likelihood of diseases/conditions vs injuries: Do you think you’d be more likely to have vision troubles because of an accident or because of an eye condition?
PROBE on near term vs long term
If your vision wasn’t healthy, what impact would that have on your life, if any?
PROBE for examples
PROBE for likelihood of severe impact: How likely is it that your day-to-day life would be very different because of trouble with your vision?
Self-efficacy
How much control would you say you have over your vision?
If needed: To what degree is healthy vision something you can control?
PROBE on level of control
Experiences and Knowledge of Eye Health and Preventive Behaviors (10 min)
Alright, let’s keep focusing on the eye. I’d like to get a sense of what you know or what you’re heard about eye health — and don’t worry, this is not a test or quiz!
Eye and eye health knowledge
What have you seen, read, or heard about the eye?
If needed: What about vision – what have seen, read, or heard about vision?
PROBE for source: Where did you learn this information?
And what about vision – what have you seen, read, or heard about eye health?
What are some of the things that can impact your eyes or vision?
Probe for positive and negative impact
Knowledge of preventive behaviors
More generally, what are some things people can do to protect their vision?
PROBE for preventing injuries and preventing diseases/conditions
In what situations, if any, do people need to be extra careful to protect their eyes?
PROBE for work, sports, and hobbies
Now let’s talk about any experiences you’ve had with eye health providers, like an optometrist or ophthalmologist – for the first few questions, I’d like to see a show of hands.
Experiences with Eye Health Professionals
By a show of hands, how many of you have seen an eye doctor for an eye exam in the last 5 years? [Moderator counts hands.]
How many of you have had your eyes dilated at an eye exam? [Moderator counts hands.]
If needed: Getting your eyes dilated is when the eye doctor places special eye drops in your eyes to widen the pupil so that your doctor can get a good look at the back of the eyes.
And how many of you wear contacts or glasses for any reason, like reading or driving? [Moderator counts hands for each.]
How many of you have seen an eye doctor before because of trouble with your eyes or your vision? [Moderator counts hands.]
And one final show of hands: how many of you saw an eye doctor because of an accident, where your eye got hurt or something got into your eye?
Factors that Influence Engagement in Preventive Behaviors (25 min)
Next, I’m going to show you some information about keeping your eyes healthy. Let me start by reading this page aloud. [Moderator reads page aloud if time permits.]
Please take a moment to read through the information yourselves. As you read, please do the following:
Circle the 3 items you would be most likely to do.
Cross out the 3 items you would be least likely to do.
[Moderator shows prompts on flip/white board for reference.]
I’m going to walk through some of the items on the page to find out more about what you think. [Moderator begins with “Have a comprehensive dilated eye exam” – approximately 3 minutes per behavior.]
Motivators, Barriers, and Facilitators
What would motivate you to do [X]?
PROBE: What would make [X] something you’re most likely to do?
What are some things that might make [X] difficult to do?
PROBE: What would make this something you’re least likely to do?
PROBE: What might make it easier for you to do [X]?
[Moderator repeats the questions for each of the other 6 eye-specific preventive behaviors, rotating the order.]
To wrap up this section, take a moment to look at this information again.
What information was new to you today?
Was there anything you learned about today that is motivating for you in some way?
PROBE for specific examples/behaviors
Messages, Products, and Dissemination Strategies (25 min)
And now I’m going to show you a few different materials about eye health and I’d like for you to tell me what you think. [Moderator will show first material.]
Content Reactions
What, if anything, do you like about this?
And what, if anything, do you not like?
Look and Feel
What do you see, if anything, that grabs your attention or is particularly memorable?
If needed, clarify focus on visual elements.
PROBE on relevance, connection with any people shown, etc.
[If NEI materials] What are your impressions of the [people/scene/etc.]?
Key Messages and Tone
What words or phrases are thought-provoking or make you feel something?
[If NEI materials] In your own words, what is the main idea or most important message here?
[If NEI materials] What, if anything, is confusing or unclear?
What information, if any, is new to you here?
[If NEI materials] What would you want to know more about after seeing this?
Comprehension and Motivation
[If NEI materials] What would you be thinking or saying to yourself when you saw this?
What, if anything, would you do after seeing this?
Relatability and Target Audience
Who do you think this is for?
What elements led you to believe this was intended for [the perceived audience]?
PROBE on appeal for people ages 25-35
Channels
Where would you expect to see this?
PROBE for channels, including web and social media
What are some other ways they might they reach you about the same idea?
[Moderator repeats process for each of up to 2 other different eye health materials, for a total of up to 3 – about 4-5 minutes per material.]
Next, I would like to discuss how you get health information.
Health Information Preferences
First, think about health information in general – where do you typically get information on how to keep healthy?
PROBE for all channels of communication, including web, social media, friends and family, eye doctors and other eye health professionals, other doctors, etc.
What are some reasons you typically use these sources?
And what about for eye health information – how likely would you be to seek out information about eye health?
As appropriate: What are some reasons you would not be likely to seek out eye health information?
If you were to look for eye health information, where would you would go to get that information?
PROBE for comparison to sources of general health information
Who would you expect to be providing information about eye health?
Now let’s do a quick exercise. I’m going to give you a list of potential tools and materials that people might use to get information about eye health. [Moderator hands out list.]
Please take a moment to look at this list and I’d like for you to:
Circle the 2-3 items that would be most useful for you.
Cross out the 2-3 items that would be least useful for you.
[Moderator shows prompts on flip/white board for reference.]
Health Information Tools
OK, which ones did you pick at the most useful?
What would you expect from [X]?
What about [X] would be most helpful for you?
How might you use [X] to help you with your eye health?
And which tools or products did you pick as the least useful?
What about [X] doesn’t work for you?
What would make [X] more useful in helping you with your eye health?
What tools or products aren’t on this list that would be good ways for you to get information about eye health?
How would [X] help you with your eye health?
Thank You and Closing (5 min)
Thank you for your time.
What else, if anything, do you want to say before we finish?
It was great to meet you and we really appreciate your feedback.
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