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Case studies - focus groups in qualitative research
A CD-ROM search of allied health literature over the last five years revealed a plethora of studies where focus group interviews were used as part or all of the data gathering methodology. It revealed that this technique can be used in a variety of contexts spanning many professional areas.
Anderson, N.L.R. (1994). Resolutions and risk-taking in juvenile detention. Clinical Nursing Research, 3(4), 297-315.
Twenty teenagers participated in this study during interviews and focus group discussions.
Bach, C.A., & McDaniel, R.W. (1993). Quality of life in quadriplegic adults: A focus group study. Rehabilitation Nursing, 18(6), 364-367, 374, 427-428.
A focus group technique was used to determine subjects' opinions about what constitutes an acceptable quality of life. Three focus groups with a total of 14 subjects met to discuss the topic.
Beck, K.H., & Bargman, C.J. (1993). Investigating Hispanic adolescent involvement with alcohol: A focus group interview approach. Health Education Research, 8(2), 151-158.
Focus group interviews were conducted with Hispanic teenagers to explore their patterns of alcohol consumption, influences on drinking and possible intervention strategies.
Borges, R., Mullen, P.D., Meertens, R., Rijken, M., Eussen, G., Plagge, I., Visser, A.P., & Blijham, G.H. (1993). The information seeking behaviour of cancer outpatients: A description of the situation. Patient Education and Counselling, 22(1), 35-46.
The intention to seek information, the realisation of the intention and the reasons for not realising it are measured with several qualitative and quantitative methods: written questionnaires, audio records and focus group interviews.
Brown, G.D. (1993). Accounting for power: Nurse teachers' and students' perceptions of power in their relationship. Nurse Education Today, 13(2), 111-120.
Interviews and focus group discussions were used to examine how nurse teachers and students perceive power to operate within their relationship.
Dellasega, C., & Mastrian, K. (1995). The process and consequences of institutionalising an elder. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 17(2), 123-140.
A qualitative study using in-depth interviews were conducted with 7 individuals who had recently placed an older relative in a long-term care facility.
Deming, M., Doyle, K., & Woods, S. (1993). A comprehensive assessment plan for professional preparation programs in health education at Eastern Illinios University. Journal of School Health, 63(5), 210-213.
Strategies used in a comprehensive assessment plan for the Health Studies Department at Eastern Illinios University include focus group interviews, Departmental Advisory Council review and assessment by internship preceptors.
Ellis, B.H. (1991). Nurses' communicative relationships and the prediction of organisational commitment, burnout and retention in acute care settings. Michigan: Michigan State University.
Focus group interviews with nurses, as well as extant theory and research from organisational communication and nursing, provided the basis for the hypotheses.
Fox, A.L. (1993). Use of focus groups in program planning: The Tridec experience. Beta Release, 17(4), 13-19.
This paper outlines the process used by a diabetes education centre to plan and conduct focus group interviews to evaluate the extent to which clients' needs are being met.
Knight, S.M., Glascoff, M.A., & Rikard, G.L. (1993). A view from behind the wheel: College students as designated drivers. Health Values, 17(4), 21-27.
This qualitative study used focus group interviews to explore designated driving from the perspective of underage college students.
Lindsay, G.M. (1993). Vision becomes a reality: Crafting a paediatric oncology nursing curriculum. Canadian Oncology Nursing Journal, 3(3), 123-124.
Focus group interviews with nurses (in clinical, research and academic roles), parents of children with cancer and other providers were convened.
Nyamanthi, A., & Shuler, P. (1990). Focus group interview: A research technique for informed nursing practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 15(11), 1281-1288.
The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative research technique which used focus group interviews to promote the development of a programme devised to reduce risk behaviours in minority populations.
Packer, T., Race, K.E.H., & Hotch, D.F. (1994). Focus groups: A tool for consumer-based program evaluation in rehabilitation agency settings. Journal of Rehabilitation, 60(3), 30-33.
A series of focus groups were conducted in a vocational training and rehabilitation setting. A total of 70 clients participated in 8 focus groups intended to identify clients' perceptions of the agency's program service strengths and weaknesses.
Stanton, B.F., Aronson, R., Borgatti, S., Galbraith, J., & Feigelman, S. (1993). Urban adolescent high-risk sexual behaviour: Corroboration of focus group discussions through pile-sorting. AIDS Education and Prevention, 5(2), 162-174.
Focus group discussions among 57 urban youths aged 10-14 were employed to explore factors placing urban adolescents at risk for engaging in HIV risk behaviours.
Stevens, P.E. (1994). Lesbians' health-related experiences of care and non-care. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 16(6), 639-359.
This feminist narrative study used in-depth interviews, focus groups and a multistaged narrative analytic approach of a diverse sample of 45 lesbians conveying their health care experiences.
Strong, J., Ashton, R., Chant, D., & Cramond, T. (1994). An investigations of the dimensions of chronic low back pain: The patients' perspective. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 57(6), 204-208.
Using the technique of focus group discussion, the participants gave their perspective on living with chronic pain. Transcripts from the group were content analysed to give an indication of the relative importance of the emerging themes.
Tessaro, I., Eng, E., & Smith, J. (1994). Breast cancer screening in older African-American women: Qualitative research findings. American Journal of Health Promotion, 8(4), 286-293.
Qualitative research methods elicited social and cultural themes related to breast cancer screening. Focus group discussions were conducted in the natural settings of older African-American women.
Wagenaar, A.C., Finnegan, J.R., Wolfson, M., Anstine, P.S., Williams, C.L., & Perry, C.L. (1993). Where and how adolescents obtain alcoholic beverages. Public Health Reports, 108(4), 459-464.
Patterns of acquisition of alcoholic beverages by underage youth were studied using focus group methods with a sample of mid western youth.
Yates, P., Dewar, A., & Fentiman, B. (1995). Pain: The views of elderly people living in long-term residential care. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 21(4), 667-674.
The aim of this research was to investigate the views of pain and pain management practices held by elderly people living in long-term residential care settings. Ten 60-90 minute focus group interviews, each involving around five elderly people, were convened in four large, long-term care settings in Brisbane.