title: Focus group interview: an underutilized research technique for improving theory and practice in health education.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to increase awareness about and stimulate interest in using focus group interviews, a qualitative research technique, to advance the state-of-the-art of education and learning about health. After a brief discussion of small group process in health education, features of focus group interviews are presented, and a theoretical framework for planning a focus group study is summarized. Then, literature describing traditional and health-related applications of focus group interviews is reviewed and a synthesis of methodological limitations and advantages of this technique is presented. Implications are discussed regarding: need for more inductive qualitative research in health education; utility of focus group interviews for research and for formative and summative evaluation of health education programs; applicability of marketing research to understanding and influencing consumer behavior, despite notable distinctions between educational initiatives and marketing; and need for professional preparation faculty to consider increasing emphasis on qualitative research methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Basch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving; D005260:Female; D006126:Group Processes; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy; D007407:Interviews as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence