title: Enhancing research with migrant women through focus groups.
abstract: Recent systematic reviews of measurement strategies have identified a striking lack of data to support the validity of most questionnaires used with multiethnic, migrant populations. In the context of two ongoing research studies examining the reproductive health needs of migrant women in Canada, cultural validation was required for proposed study questionnaires and protocols in a total of 13 languages. Multilingual, multiethnic women with various migrant profiles were recruited from the community to review research materials in a series of focus groups. Recommendations by these women were made in relation to consent and interpretation procedures, development of trust in research, home visits after birth, approaches to sensitive topics, inclusion of discrimination as a research variable, and reimbursement of participants. Preliminary work applying focus-group methods to mixed ethno-cultural groups yielded valuable information on appropriateness of planned research.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, McGill University.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ruppenthal
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuck
authors.forename: Anita J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gagnon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003144:Communication Barriers; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D004522:Educational Status; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011287:Prejudice; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011792:Quebec; D012036:Refugees / Q000523:psychology; D018456:Reproductive Medicine; D035844:Researcher-Subject Relations; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D035502:Trust; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health