Qualitative research, in the form of semi-structured focus groups and key informant interviews, provides insights about a specific target population’s characteristics and attributes. Utilizing this form of research provides nurses and other health care practitioners with a framework to plan and deliver cancer information in a manner that is relevant and acceptable to members of at-risk sub-populations. Our project goal was to create a series of educational toolkits containing prostate and breast/cervical cancer educational brochures, media and training guide. We conducted a series of focus groups (N=12) among medically underserved African-Americans and Hispanic migrant and seasonal farmworkers to enhance our understanding about their cultural beliefs, social characteristics, health practices, and learning needs. Processes used to successfully recruit individuals to focus groups, often considered “hard to reach” will be detailed. The importance of community member input and participation will be highlighted: community leader involvement will also be addressed. Key emergent themes were identified from the interactive dialogue within the focus groups. For example, the majority of individuals equate cancer to death; most prefer learning through group discussion; and many prefer community members as spokespersons. This information was then used to drive the design and development of our toolkits. Personalized face-to-face qualitative data collection methods may achieve the most desired outcomes for certain types of data collection methodologies, especially among multicultural low literate populations.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to: 1) describe the use of qualitative research methods to obtain information about cultural, social and language attributes of at-risk cancer populations; 2) to explore methodologic issues and lessons learned while conducting focus groups among medically underserved low-literate populations
Keywords: Rural Populations, Community Research
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.