Appendix A: Interview and Focus Group Guides

INTERVIEW FACT SHEET

September 26, 2000

We are graduate students in the UNC Chapel Hill School of Public Health in the department of Health Behavior and Health Education. One of our degree requirements is that we conduct a Community Diagnosis. A Community Diagnosis is a type of research project where we assess the strengths and weaknesses of and help identify future directions for a community. We will be working in the Pittsboro community and focusing on the experiences and concerns of adolescent community members.

We will be conducting interviews with individuals who reside in the Pittsboro community. We will also be interviewing service providers for their input into the assets and needs of those in Pittsboro. If you are a provider, we will be asking you about the services you provide, the population you serve, challenges you face, and issues important in the Pittsboro community. If you are a community member, we will be asking you about your personal experience in this community, your opinions concerning your neighborhood and schools, your views about health and social issues in Pittsboro, and your ideas about future directions or recommendations for Pittsboro. After conducting these interviews, we will summarize our findings about the strengths and weaknesses of the community, and present them (both written and verbally) to the Pittsboro community.

We would greatly appreciate your participation in our interviews, since you are familiar with the Pittsboro community, including its assets and needs. Participation is entirely voluntary and you are not required to give your name or reveal any personal information. We do not anticipate any physical, psychological, or social risks to come to you as a result of this interview. You will not be compensated for your participation. With your permission, we would like to audiotape the interview. You have the right to refuse to answer any question or stop the audio tape at any time. All information collected will remain confidential. This interview should last 30-40 minutes.

This project has been reviewed and approved by the UNC-Chapel Hillapel Hill School of Public Health Institutional Review Board on Research Involving Human Subjects, a board of researchers that makes sure study projects are honest and appropriate.

If you have any questions or concerns about this project, or about your rights as a research participant, please do not hesitate to contact one of us, our project preceptor, or our faculty advisor. Our names and contact information are listed below. Feel free to contact us by calling collect, if necessary.

Thank you for your time. We appreciate your participation.

Michelle Manning,
Group Contact for Dana Eckroad, Heather McDaniel, Molly Pescador, and Susanne Schmal

FOCUS GROUP GUIDE INTRODUCTION

Introduction:

Hello, my name is ________________ and I'm going to be facilitating our focus group today. This is __________________, who will be taking notes and assisting me during our discussion. We will be here about 45 minutes to talk to you about the community of Pittsboro, and about your opinions concerning the strengths of Pittsboro and the challenges it faces. We are especially interested in hearing about the adolescents of Pittsboro. Your insights and opinions on this subject are important, so please say what's on your mind and what you think. There are no right or wrong answers.

You are not likely to experience any risks from being in this focus group.

This project has been reviewed and approved by the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health Institutional Review Board on Research Involving Human Subjects. This means that a panel of experts has looked over all that is being asked of you and the panel feels that you will be safe from harm if you agree to participate. Do you have any questions about this study or today's focus group?

Your participation in this discussion is voluntary. You may refuse to participate, may refuse to answer any questions, or may quit at any time. Do you agree to participate in this discussion?

During the discussion we are going to record what is said on a notepad. If you have no objections, we will also tape record the discussion to make sure we don't miss anything. Only the 5 members of our group will listen to the tape. Afterwards, the tape will be erased. You can ask for the recorder to be turned off at any time during the discussion. Do you agree to have this discussion taped?

Okay, let's begin. [Turn on tape recorder]

We've got a lot to cover, so we will all need to do a few things to get our jobs done:

1. Talk in a voice at least as loud as mine.
2. There are no wrong answers, just different opinions. We are looking for different points of view. So, just say what's on your mind.
3. We do have a lot to cover, so you may be interrupted at some point so that we can keep moving and avoid running out of time.
4. We value your opinions, both positive and negative, and we hope you choose to express them during the discussion.
5. Everything said is confidential and will not be repeated.

PITTSBORO COMMUNITY MEMBER FOCUS GROUP GUIDE

• Let's start with introductions; we don't need to know your names but we would like to know how long you've lived in Pittsboro and what you do, either for a living or a hobby or whatever you'd like to share.
• If someone were considering moving to Pittsboro, what would you tell him or her? (Probe: Work, schools, church, community feeling, housing, access to resources, health, growth & development, recreation, local government…)
  Best things about Pittsboro
  What are the problems/issues facing Pittsboro
• How do people get along in Pittsboro? (Probe: race/ethnicity, age, class, newcomers)
• What is life like for teens in Pittsboro? (probes…)
• How do you think teens contribute to the community?
• In what direction do you see Pittsboro going over the next 5 years?
  How do you see the residents getting involved in this?
• Tell me about a time when the community has worked together to accomplish something.
• If you were in charge of teen services, what would you do?
• Is there anything else you want to tell about the Pittsboro community?
• Who else can we talk to?
• We will be conducting a forum Tuesday night, April 3, from 7:00 - 8:30 at the CCCC Multi-Purpose Room. Do you have any suggestions? You can write down your ideas or talk to us about them.

PITTSBORO ADOLESCENT FOCUS GROUP GUIDE

• Start with Icebreaker
• Please write down three words you would use to describe Pittsboro (if you want, you can draw a picture instead of writing down words) and then we will share them.
• If another teen were considering moving to Pittsboro, what would you tell him or her? (Probe: schools, community feeling, recreation & fun, jobs to be had, things to do, growth & development)
  Best things about Pittsboro
  What are the problems/issues facing Pittsboro
• What are some of the issues facing teens in Pittsboro?
  If a teen were worried about one of these issues, where would he or she go?
• How does the Teen Center contribute to the quality of life for teens in Pittsboro?
  What can be done to improve it?
• What positive things do you think teens contribute to the community?
• What do you think Pittsboro will be like in 5 years?
  Do you plan to stay around in Pittsboro?
  Will you return? Why or why not?
• If you were able to change Pittsboro in any way right now, what would you do?
• We will be conducting a forum Tuesday night, April 3, from 7:00 - 8:30 at the CCCC Multi-Purpose Room. Do you have any suggestions? You can write down your ideas or talk to us about them.

INTERVIEWER'S GUIDE: Key Informant Interview for Pittsboro Provider

Introduction:

Hello, my name is ________________ and I'm going to be leading our interview today. This is __________________, who will be taking notes and assisting me during our discussion. We will be here about 30 minutes to talk to you about what role your group or organization has in the greater community of Pittsboro, and about your opinions concerning the strengths of Pittsboro and the challenges it faces. We are especially interested in hearing about the adolescents of Pittsboro. Your insights and opinions on this subject are important, so please say what's on your mind and what you think. There are no right or wrong answers.

Consent:

You are not likely to experience any risks from being in this interview. Your participation will not affect your job or your status at ______________(name of organization).

This project has been reviewed and approved by the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Public Health Institutional Review Board on Research Involving Human Subjects. This means that a panel of experts has looked over all that is being asked of you and the panel feels that you will be safe from harm if you agree to participate. Do you have any questions about this study or today's interview?

Your participation in this discussion is voluntary. You may refuse to participate, may refuse to answer any questions, or may quit at any time. Do you agree to participate in this discussion?

During the discussion we are going to record what is said on a notepad. If you have no objections, we will also tape record the discussion to make sure we don't miss anything. Only the 5 members of our group will listen to the tape. Afterwards, the tape will be erased. You can ask for the recorder to be turned off at any time during the discussion. Do you agree to have this discussion taped?

Okay, let's begin. [Turn on tape recorder]

We've got a lot to cover, so we will all need to do a few things to get our jobs done:

1. Talk in a voice at least as loud as mine.
2. There are no wrong answers, just different opinions. We are looking for different points of view. So, just say what's on your mind.
3. We do have a lot to cover, so you may be interrupted at some point so that we can keep moving and avoid running out of time.
4. We value your opinions, both positive and negative, and we hope you choose to express them during the discussion.
5. Everything said is confidential and will not be repeated.

INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR PROVIDERS

1. Why did you choose to work in this community?
2. How long have you worked in this community?
3. Tell us about the services you provide (Probe: who's served, Are there people in your target population who need your services but are unable to access them? Source of funding?)
4. What other organizations provide similar or complimentary services to this population? (Probe: collaborate with other services? Relationship with other services?)
5. What are your biggest challenges at work?

COMMUNITY

1. How would you describe Pittsboro? (Probe: Would you define it as a community?)
2. What are the strengths of Pittsboro?
3. What are the challenges facing Pittsboro? (Probe: race relations?)
4. How has Pittsboro changed over the last five years?
5. How have your services evolved to meet these needs?
6. How are the residents of Pittsboro involved in determining the services that you provide?

ADOLESCENTS

1. What are the strengths of adolescents in Pittsboro?
2. What do you think are the major issues facing Pittsboro adolescents? (Probe: specific to Pittsboro?)
3. What are the implications of these issues?
4. What services does your organization provide to address these issues?
5. If you were in charge of adolescent services for Pittsboro, what types of services would you provide?
6. What about services for Pittsboro at large?

Would you like to recommend someone else to be interviewed?

Do you have any suggestions for the time, place, day of the week, etc. for the community forum?

_____________, have I forgotten anything?

Thank you so much for your participation today.

INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR PARENTS / COMMUNITY MEMBERS

SELF AND FAMILY

1. How long have you lived in Pittsboro?>
2. Do you currently work in Pittsboro?
   (Probe: job title, responsibilities)
3. How well do you know the adolescents of Pittsboro?
4. Do you have any interactions with the adolescents of Pittsboro?

NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY

1. How would you describe Pittsboro?
2. What is it like to raise a family in Pittsboro? (If applicable)
3. Describe life in Pittsboro for adults.
   (Probe: jobs, recreation, social interactions, church)
4. Describe life in Pittsboro for adolescents.
   (Probe: jobs, recreation, hangouts, activities, solving differences)
5. What makes you proud about living in Pittsboro?
6. How do people support each other in Pittsboro?

SCHOOL

1. Where do your children go to school, if applicable?
2. How do you feel about the local schools?
   (Probe: positives, challenges, teacher shortage)
3. What kinds of programs/services do schools provide?
   (Probe: in school, after school)
4. To what extent are parents involved in what goes on at school?

HEALTH AND SOCIAL ISSUES

1. What do you think are the challenges facing Pittsboro?
   (Probe: growth, development, racism, classism)
2. What do you think are the challenges facing the youth of Pittsboro?
   (Probe: tobacco, drugs, crime, recreation)
3. How have these challenges affected you and your family personally?
4. What strengths/resources does Pittsboro have to help deal with these challenges?

MISCELLANEOUS

1. How has Pittsboro changed since you've been here?
2. What do you think Pittsboro will be like in five years? Ten years?
3. If someone were to ask you if Pittsboro is a good place to live and raise a family, how would you respond?
4. If you were the mayor, what would you do to improve Pittsboro?

Suggestions about the forum? Place, time, how to advertise it?

FOCUS GROUP FACT SHEET

January 22, 2001

We are graduate students in the UNC Chapel Hill School of Public Health in the department of Health Behavior and Health Education. One of our degree requirements is that we conduct a Community Diagnosis. A Community Diagnosis is a type of research project where we assess the strengths and weaknesses of and help identify future directions for a community. The community in which we will be working is Pittsboro. We will be focusing on the experiences and concerns of adolescent community members.

We will be conducting discussion groups with individuals who reside in the Pittsboro community. Each discussion group will be composed of 6-8 adolescents. We will be asking discussion group members to talk about their experiences as members of the Pittsboro community, issues affecting the adolescents of Pittsboro as well as strengths they bring to the community, and any recommendations they might have concerning the overall health of the Pittsboro community and its adolescent population. After conducting these discussion groups, we will summarize our findings about the strengths and weaknesses of the community, and present them (both written and verbally) to the Pittsboro community.

We greatly appreciate your participation in a discussion group, since you are familiar with the Pittsboro community, including its assets and needs from an adolescent's perspective. Participation is entirely voluntary and you are not required to give your name or reveal any personal information. We do not anticipate any physical, psychological, or social risks to come to you as a result of this discussion group. You will not be compensated for your participation. With your permission, we would like to audiotape the discussion group. You have the right to refuse to answer any question or stop the audio tape at any time. You can also stop participating in the focus group at any time. The focus groups will be held in public settings, but in private rooms, to assure your privacy and prevent those not participating in the group from overhearing the discussion. All information collected will remain confidential. This discussion group should last 45-90 minutes.

This project has been reviewed and approved by the UNC-Chapel Hillapel Hill School of Public Health Institutional Review Board on Research Involving Human Subjects, a board of researchers that makes sure study projects are honest and appropriate.

If you have any questions or concerns about this project, or about your rights as a research participant, please do not hesitate to contact one of us, our project preceptor, or our faculty advisor. Our names and contact information are listed below. Feel free to contact us by calling collect, if necessary.

Michelle Manning, UNC Graduate Student Contact (919) 966-3919
Maria Hitt, Preceptor Chatham County Health Department (919) 542-8220
Geni Eng, DrPH, Faculty Advisor UNC School of Public Health (919) 966-3909
Sara Ackerman, MPH, Faculty Advisor (919) 966-0057

Thank you for your time. We appreciate your participation.

Michelle Manning, Group Contact for Dana Eckroad, Heather McDaniel, Molly Pescador, and Susanne Schmal

PARENTAL/GUARDIAN CONSENT: FOCUS GROUP

March 16, 2001

Dear Parent or Guardian:

We are graduate students in the UNC-Chapel Hillapel Hill School of Public Health working toward our Master's degree in Health Behavior and Health Education. One of our degree requirements is the completion of a community project, which is conducted by several students working together as a team. We are conducting our project in Pittsboro and talking with service providers and community members of all ages to gather information. We hope to use this information to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the community and to identify future goals for improving the health of adolescents in Pittsboro.

We would like to get to know the adolescents of Pittsboro by talking with groups of adolescents (called focus groups). The purpose of these focus groups is to get specific ideas and opinions about what growing up in Pittsboro is really like. We will ask about day-to-day issues that all adolescents face, including questions about family, neighborhood, school, health, and social activities. The focus groups will be conducted at local schools, libraries, and other community settings in Pittsboro, but will be held in a private room to assure privacy and prevent others not participating in the group from overhearing the discussion. With your permission and theirs, we will take notes and use a tape recorder during the focus group. They have the right to refuse to answer any question or stop the audio tape at any time. All information collected will remain confidential, and we will ask them not to reveal anything they learn about other group participants during the focus group. This focus group should last 45-90 minutes. The notes will be destroyed and the tapes erased at the end of the spring semester in May 2001. The information from the tapes will be helpful to use in clarifying certain points, and may be used for this and other courses in Health Behavior and Health Education. Every thing your child says in the focus group is strictly confidential and his/her name will not be associated with any of his/her answers. No risks of any nature are expected from this study.

If we have your permission for your son, daughter, or adolescent in your custody to participate in a focus group, please sign and date the statement below and return it to _____________________ by ___________________. The focus group will take place at __________________ on __________________. Your son, daughter, or child in your custody will have the details explained to them prior to starting the focus group. Even if you give consent, your child (child in your custody) has the right to refuse participation at any time during the focus group without repercussions. We will let your child (child in your custody) know who referred them to us; however, the adult who gave us their name will not know whether or not they chose to do the focus group. We hope your child (child in your custody) will decide to talk with us, but they are not required to do so. The information they provide could help address concerns of all young people in Pittsboro and benefit the community as a whole.

This project has been reviewed and approved by the UNC-Chapel Hillapel Hill School of Public Health Institutional Review Board on Research Involving Human Subjects, a board of researchers that makes sure study projects are honest and appropriate. If you have any questions or concerns about this project, please don't hesitate to call our Principal Investigator or our Faculty Advisor at the numbers listed below. Please call collect if necessary. The names of our other team members are also listed for your information.

Michelle Manning, UNC Graduate Student 919-966-3919
Sara Ackerman, MPH, Faculty Advisor 919-966-0057
Dana Eckroad, UNC Graduate Student
Heather McDaniel, UNC Graduate Student
Molly Pescador, UNC Graduate Student, Susanne Schmal, UNC Graduate Student

Thank you for your time and consideration. Please sign this consent form and return by the stated date. Keep the duplicate copy for your records.

I DO give my consent for (child's name) ____________________________ to participate in a focus group as part of the UNC-Chapel Hillapel Hill School of Public Health's Community Diagnosis in Pittsboro.

Parent/Guardian Signature ___________________________ Date ______________________

ADOLESCENT ASSENT: FOCUS GROUP

March 16, 2001

Dear Adolescent:

We are graduate students in the UNC-Chapel Hillapel Hill School of Public Health working toward our Master's degree in Health Behavior and Health Education. One of our assignments is to complete a community project in a team. We are conducting our project in Pittsboro. To get information about Pittsboro, we will be talking with people who provide help and activities to the community as well as other community members of all ages. We hope to use this information to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the community and to identify future goals for improving the health of adolescents in Pittsboro.

We would like to get to know the adolescents of Pittsboro by talking with groups of young people (called focus groups). The reason for these focus groups is to get ideas and opinions about what growing up in Pittsboro is really like. We will ask about day-to-day issues that all adolescents face, including questions about your family, neighborhood, school, health, and social activities. The focus groups will be conducted at local schools, libraries, and other public places in Pittsboro but will be held in a private room to assure privacy and prevent others not participating in the group from overhearing the discussion. With you and your parent or guardian's permission, we will take notes and use a tape recorder during the focus group. You have the right to refuse to answer any question or stop the audio tape at any time. All information collected will remain confidential, and we ask that you not reveal anything you learn about other group participants during the focus group. This focus group should last 45-90 minutes. The notes and tapes will be destroyed at the end of May 2001. The tapes will help us to remember and explain what we learn from the focus group. The information on the tapes may be used for this and other classes in Health Behavior and Health Education. Everything you tell us in the focus group is private and your name will not be matched with any of your answers. We do not think you will be taking any risks by helping us with this project.

If we have your permission to include you in our focus group, please sign and date the statement below and return it to _____________________ by ___________________. The focus group will take place at __________________ on __________________. You will have the details explained to you before you start the focus group. You have the right to stop participating in the focus group at any time. We will let you know who referred you to us; however, the adult who gave us your name will not know whether or not you chose to do the focus group. We hope you will decide to talk with us, but you are not required to do so. The information you give could help people understand the concerns of young people in Pittsboro and benefit the community as a whole.

This project has been reviewed and approved by the UNC-Chapel Hillapel Hill School of Public Health Institutional Review Board on Research Involving Human Subjects, a board of researchers that makes sure study projects are honest and appropriate. If you have any questions or concerns about this project, please don't hesitate to call our Principal Investigator or our Faculty Advisor at the numbers listed below. Please call collect if necessary. The names of our other team members are also listed for your information.

Michelle Manning, UNC Graduate Student 919-966-3919
Sara Ackerman, MPH, Faculty Advisor 919-966-0057
Dana Eckroad, UNC Graduate Student
Heather McDaniel, UNC Graduate Student
Molly Pescador, UNC Graduate Student
Susanne Schmal, UNC Graduate Student

Thank you for your time and consideration. Please sign this consent form and return by the stated date. Keep the duplicate copy for your records.

I, (adolescent's name) _________________________________________ DO give my consent to participate in a focus group as part of the UNC-Chapel Hillapel Hill School of Public Health's Community Diagnosis in Pittsboro.

References

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Appendix B