Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) disproportionally affects Hispanic adults in the U.S. Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) is critical to help people manage their illness and ...prevent complications. Providing DSMES services in community settings, such as churches, could help overcome socio-cultural and economic barriers limiting Hispanics' access to and use of traditional DSMES services in primary care settings. The Building a Healthy Temple (BHT) DSMES Program investigated the effectiveness of DSMES for panic using either a faith-placed (FP) approach, where church is used solely as the site for intervention delivery, versus a faith-based (FB) approach, in which spirituality is incorporated into the intervention. This qualitative study explored participants' perceptions on intervention approach, delivery, and content. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with participants from both the FB and FP intervention groups. Discussions were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive content analysis was performed, and NVivo software was utilized to code and categorize emerging themes. Results: A total of 16 focus groups with 138 participants (FB churches = 9, n = 84; FP churches = 7, n = 54) were conducted. Participants in both groups highly valued the church setting for its convenient location and support system; increased knowledge of weight management and diabetes self-care; and reported improvements in bodyweight and diabetes-related health outcomes. FB participants appreciated the incorporation of spiritual teachings and facilitation by lay leaders, mentioning a sense of empowerment and improved outlook on living with diabetes. Conclusions: Church is a promising setting for DSMES program delivery in Hispanic communities. Church-based DSMES programs utilizing a FB approach may further facilitate program adoption and sustainability.
To review empirical studies that assess saturation in qualitative research in order to identify sample sizes for saturation, strategies used to assess saturation, and guidance we can draw from these ...studies.
We conducted a systematic review of four databases to identify studies empirically assessing sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research, supplemented by searching citing articles and reference lists.
We identified 23 articles that used empirical data (n = 17) or statistical modeling (n = 6) to assess saturation. Studies using empirical data reached saturation within a narrow range of interviews (9–17) or focus group discussions (4–8), particularly those with relatively homogenous study populations and narrowly defined objectives. Most studies had a relatively homogenous study population and assessed code saturation; the few outliers (e.g., multi-country research, meta-themes, “code meaning” saturation) needed larger samples for saturation.
Despite varied research topics and approaches to assessing saturation, studies converged on a relatively consistent sample size for saturation for commonly used qualitative research methods. However, these findings apply to certain types of studies (e.g., those with homogenous study populations). These results provide strong empirical guidance on effective sample sizes for qualitative research, which can be used in conjunction with the characteristics of individual studies to estimate an appropriate sample size prior to data collection. This synthesis also provides an important resource for researchers, academic journals, journal reviewers, ethical review boards, and funding agencies to facilitate greater transparency in justifying and reporting sample sizes in qualitative research. Future empirical research is needed to explore how various parameters affect sample sizes for saturation.
•We reviewed empirically-based studies of sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research.•We confirmed qualitative studies can reach saturation at relatively small sample sizes.•Results show 9–17 interviews or 4–8 focus group discussions reached saturation.•Most studies had a relatively homogenous study population and narrowly defined objectives.
La présente étude tente à comprendre l’importance que les parents des élèves du secondaire attribuent aux notes scolaires, d’après les perceptions des enseignants. La technique de focus groups a été ...choisie et 20 enseignants du secondaire ont participé à des entretiens de groupe. Conformément aux enseignants participants les parents d’élèves du secondaire paraissent s’intéresser plus aux notes qu’aux connaissances que leurs enfants acquièrent acquissent à l’école. D’après les enseignants, les notes pour les parents sont la preuve des progrès de leurs enfants ainsi que reconnaissance de leur effort personnel à soutenir la trajectoire scolaire de leurs enfants.
Abstract
Qualitative research methodology has become an established part of the medical education research field. A very popular data-collection technique used in qualitative research is the "focus ...group". Focus groups in this Guide are defined as "... group discussions organized to explore a specific set of issues ... The group is focused in the sense that it involves some kind of collective activity ... crucially, focus groups are distinguished from the broader category of group interview by the explicit use of the group interaction as research data" (Kitzinger 1994, p. 103). This Guide has been designed to provide people who are interested in using focus groups with the information and tools to organize, conduct, analyze and publish sound focus group research within a broader understanding of the background and theoretical grounding of the focus group method. The Guide is organized as follows: Firstly, to describe the evolution of the focus group in the social sciences research domain. Secondly, to describe the paradigmatic fit of focus groups within qualitative research approaches in the field of medical education. After defining, the nature of focus groups and when, and when not, to use them, the Guide takes on a more practical approach, taking the reader through the various steps that need to be taken in conducting effective focus group research. Finally, the Guide finishes with practical hints towards writing up a focus group study for publication.
Mental fatigue is indicated by changes to subjective, neurobiological, and/or behavioural measures, however there is currently no clear gold standard measurement. Data were coded by two researchers ...and analysed using thematic content analysis. Key themes derived from the focus groups and interviews were; (1) Dancers and dance staff perceive that new and complex learning contributes to MF, (2) Dancers perceive symptomatic changes to their mood, cognitive capacity, and perception of effort when they are mentally fatigued, (3) Dancers and dance staff perceive that MF negatively affects their physical and cognitive performance as well as increases their risk of acute and over-use injury and (4) Dancers report the use of psychological, social, environmental and nutritional strategies to manage MF.
Focus group studies are increasingly published in health related journals, but we know little about how researchers use this method, particularly how they determine the number of focus groups to ...conduct. The methodological literature commonly advises researchers to follow principles of data saturation, although practical advise on how to do this is lacking. Our objectives were firstly, to describe the current status of sample size in focus group studies reported in health journals. Secondly, to assess whether and how researchers explain the number of focus groups they carry out.
We searched PubMed for studies that had used focus groups and that had been published in open access journals during 2008, and extracted data on the number of focus groups and on any explanation authors gave for this number. We also did a qualitative assessment of the papers with regard to how number of groups was explained and discussed.
We identified 220 papers published in 117 journals. In these papers insufficient reporting of sample sizes was common. The number of focus groups conducted varied greatly (mean 8.4, median 5, range 1 to 96). Thirty seven (17%) studies attempted to explain the number of groups. Six studies referred to rules of thumb in the literature, three stated that they were unable to organize more groups for practical reasons, while 28 studies stated that they had reached a point of saturation. Among those stating that they had reached a point of saturation, several appeared not to have followed principles from grounded theory where data collection and analysis is an iterative process until saturation is reached. Studies with high numbers of focus groups did not offer explanations for number of groups. Too much data as a study weakness was not an issue discussed in any of the reviewed papers.
Based on these findings we suggest that journals adopt more stringent requirements for focus group method reporting. The often poor and inconsistent reporting seen in these studies may also reflect the lack of clear, evidence-based guidance about deciding on sample size. More empirical research is needed to develop focus group methodology.
WhatsApp’s ubiquity in many people’s everyday lives points at new possibilities for conducting online and mobile focus groups. Yet, research on the benefits and potential pitfalls of this is ...negligible. This paper offers new empirical insights from using the method as part of a digital ethnography with young activists in Western Kenya. The presence of WhatsApp in participants’ everyday lives offers a context with high ecological validity. The paper suggests that this opens up new options for designing online focus groups, transcending the traditional categorisation between synchronous and asynchronous interactions and some limitations of both approaches. WhatsApp also offers opportunities for creating more inclusive group discussions. Using discourse analysis of the WhatsApp focus group, the paper also finds that this familiarity and inclusivity affords the potential for group deliberation, which can be particularly valuable in participatory research.
Background: Addressing disparities in fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption in childhood is important for chronic disease prevention. During COVID, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for ...Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) increased the Cash Value Benefit (CVB) for FV by ~$25/person/month. Our objectives were to understand barriers and facilitators to participants' uptake of this policy change and whether and how it influenced WIC households' FV consumption. Methods: We conducted 10 virtual focus groups with WIC participants (n=56) in North Carolina in March 2022. Sampled participants represented two subgroups: (1) rural WIC participants (5 focus groups) (2) urban/suburban (5 focus groups). We used a semi-structured focus group guide to assess perceptions and awareness of the CVB change, barriers to using CVB, and perceived influence of the CVB change on FV consumption. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and open-coded. We used thematic analysis informed by social constructionist grounded theory to uncover consistencies within and between sampled groups. Results: Participants expressed favorable perceptions of the CVB increase and felt CVB was one of the most valued parts of the WIC food package. Participants stated the pre-COVID CVB amount was insufficient. Barriers to utilizing the increased CVB were finding WIC-eligible FV in stores, insufficient supply of appealing FV, and preferred stores for FV not accepting WIC. Facilitators were household preferences for FV and the variety of FV that can be purchased with the CVB. Many participants felt the CVB increase allowed them and their children to eat a wider variety of FV, serve FV more often, and worry less about food waste associated with trying new FV. Conclusions: The CVB increase was positively perceived by WIC participants in North Carolina and may reduce FV intake disparities, but barriers to CVB and WIC benefit utilization must be addressed. This study can inform future efforts to improve the WIC food package and access to FV.
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