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Focus Group Basics

Focus Groups - Notes and Logistics

What is a focus group?

A focus group is a group of people with certain characteristics who are interviewed to generate narrative data about their community and its needs through focused discussion.​

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Through discussion, social and cultural norms can be characterized, and common themes and issues can be identified.

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The group dynamic offers the benefits of expanding the response range, activating previously forgotten details among participants, and creating a more comfortable environment that minimizes inhibitions during discussion.​

Our Focus Group Design

Group Size

Ideal groups are 5-10 participants. This provides an adequate range of perspectives while providing space for detailed and narrative responses.

Stratification

Depending on the topic, focus groups can be separated by age, gender, and other factors to provide an additional level of detail.

Power Differentials

Researching and adjusting for any community power differentials is essential to an ideal focus group that provides honest and detailed responses.

Focus Group #3, W20

Takeaways from Focus Group 3, conducted in

Winter 20

Accessibility of Healthcare 

  • Don’t receive high quality medical attention, general health insurance is not enough to be treated well. Struggle visiting the health clinic because conflicts with work times. 

  • Often have to wait months for an appointment (up to 6 months for surgery)

  • Visiting the doctor wastes time and money because long wait times force missing work

    • Some reported standing in line at 2am and waiting until noon to see the doctor not everyone can afford to do so

    • Private doctors waste less time but are too expensive 

  • There is a “clinic by the field” but they do not treat serious conditions, and are limited to basics such as the flu shot

  • Sports center offers general medical services M-F (9am-1pm) with one doctor provided as government assistance (Seguro Popular) but it is a very basic general exam (no dental or vision)

  • Specialists and ambulances are very expensive (check ups and general medical assistance are cheap)

    • Pediatrics are 7 times more expensive

    • Medicines are expensive  (on top of visits)

  • Need for dental care and psychologists 

  • Many insurances do not cover several basic treatments and assessments (lack of government oversight)

  • Accessibility issues for disabled folks (city buses and taxis are not accommodating

  • One individual shares problems with misdiagnosis of her son’s learning disability, she had to push back to obtain a thorough diagnosis 

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Feedback for FISH

  • Positive comments about FISH. Really appreciate that it is free

  • Around 40% of community knows about FISH but more people are learning about it through our advertisements 

  • Health consulting is very accessible because it is in the heart of the marketplace (many people find out about FISH by being at the market)

  • What FISH can do: kid workshops, remodeling the park by painting, more health workshops, more advertisement of health clinics 

    • Advertisement - repeated emphasis on leaving flyers with them which they spread in schools, churches, etc

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Demographics of Maclovio Rojas 

  • Many immigrants in the community, mostly families

  • US immigration policies affect the community. People leave for better life in the US or are deported and sent back.

  • Commercial policies of the US affect the community with rising costs and falling salaries  

  • No support from the government results in a lack of resources 

  • About 60% of Maclovio doesn't have resources such as water and sewer systems 

  • Families often live together - one house may hold 3 families. Husbands leave for work (generally factories)

  • In comparison to other communities, Maclovio is more spacious. Land is sought after to build more factories 

  • Lot of pollution and contamination as a result of factories (birds dying)

  • Common challenge in Maclovio is regulation of legal land and property. Does not have government oversight Maclovio is not legally recognized by Mexican government 

  • Petitions to the government are ignored 

  • Constant fear of displacement from homes as a result of lack of legal titles/papers

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Full transcript notes of interview part 1 

Full transcript notes of interview part 2

Interview with Nahomy

Interview with Nahomy

The following document contains key takeaways from an interview with Nahomy, a community member from Maclovio Rojas. The interview provided important community/demographic information and feedback for FISH.

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Health Issues in Maclovio Rojas

  • They have the general clinic, but they don't have the necessary resources for severe health problems.

  • 1-2 weeks for a general check up. 1-2 months for vaccinations. They don't treat severe health conditions. 

  • There's the necessary medical resources (treatments) but people don't go for them and don't take care of their health.

  • There is access to fruits and vegetables, they range around the same price from meats and dairy. They usually consume more fast food than homemade foods.

  • Buy food at the market place than at the grocery stores. 

  • They don't take into consideration the health tips provided by experts because of financial struggles.

  • People listen to the health tips and recommendations by fish but don't necessarily apply them in their daily lives

  • Besides the tips and recommendations also let them know of the consequences that the bad habits can have on them

  • People simply aren't interested in regular health check ups, and the long waiting times discourage them from attending the clinics for health check ups.

 

Demographics of Maclovio Rojas

  • 80% of the population has lived in Maclovio Rojas since they were born and about 20% have migrated.

  • The majority of the migrants who arrive at Maclovio Rojas stay there. Single migrants come and go, but families typically stay depending on the space they could live in

  • The kids take the most advantage of fish, adults are asking about the english classes as well

  • They're not sure what other programs we offer, she didn't understand that the problems we offer depends on their needs

  • They would appreciate computational workshops, since it is now becoming a necessity for most jobs

  • They would want us to help to renew their sports center (paint/clean etc.)

  • Have the eye and diabetes check ups be more often

  • They want us to help fix up their community center

  • The funding comes within the community itself

  • Their main focus is on the kids, they acknowledge that the kids are the future of Malcovio Rojas

  • Economy hardships within Malcovio Rojas, leading to diet struggles and living situations. many kids drop the education to help their kids financially.

  • There isn't a high school in Maclovio Rojas, they need a transportation mode to travel to their high school and many don't have enough money for transportation

  • Less than half have a stable form of transportation

  • Large number of single moms and are left alone with the responsibilities of the whole family.

  • There aren't roads, it's all dirt and in the rainy season it all turns into mud and it makes it hard to commute.

  • No lights on roads, and very limited water resources.

 

Perceptions of FISH

  • (to notify of upcoming events) By phone calls with the staff or by mail. 

  • They don't have enough money to pay for their internet with high capacity in order for the kids to use the computers.

  • She prefers to be contacted by phone. Anything else we can also contact Sra Ortencia.

  • Also by creating pamphlets and they could help give them out in advance

  • When we are not there she reviews the English lessons we have taught them.

  • We need to teach them a wide array of topics, so they have a deeper understanding of the whole language.

  • Teach them more about how to take care of our environment and help reduce pollution. Awareness on climate change.

  • They are very thankful for our projects that we do to help the kids. Although they see a conflict with our constant changes in leaders because the new leader changes the whole course that we have been teaching the kids and they have to adopt once again.

  • Many kids become demotivated because we constantly teach them the basics over and over again.

  • There were conflicts with the dates, and people show up many times expecting us when we don't have a trip scheduled.

 

Link to full interview notes 

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