title: Seeking Emirati women's voices: the use of focus groups with an Arab population.
abstract: Focus groups have gained increasing acceptability as a data collection technique in qualitative research in recent years. Although used extensively with Western populations, they have been used only in a limited way in cross-cultural research. The authors describe a series of focus groups with women of childbearing age in the United Arab Emirates. The purpose was to identify Emirati women's health needs as a prelude to planning additional services and programs. Recommendations are outlined, with the appropriate cultural modifications for using this data collection tool. Major considerations that might be relevant to other parts of the Arab world include timing, location, topic, group composition, culture, religion, and selection of a facilitator and translator.
authors.affiliation: Al Ain Hospital/Al Ain Medical District, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Wendy Wilkins
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Winslow
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Honein
authors.forename: Margaret Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Elzubeir
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D003710:Demography; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups / Q000379:methods*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D014479:United Arab Emirates; D016387:Women's Health