title: Qualitative methods to ensure acceptability of behavioral and social interventions to the target population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper introduces qualitative methods for assessing the acceptability of an intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acceptability refers to determining how well an intervention will be received by the target population and the extent to which the new intervention or its might meet the needs of the target population an d organizational setting. In this paper, we focus on two common qualitative methods for conducting acceptability research and their advantages and disadvantages: focus groups and interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We provide examples from our own research and other studies to demonstrate the use of these methods for conducting acceptability research and how one might adapt this approach for oral health research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present emerging methods for conducting acceptability research, including the use of community-based participatory research, as well as the utility of conducting acceptability research for assessing the appropriateness of measures in intervention research.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, 9245 Sky Park Court, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123, USA. gayala@projects.sdsu.edu
authors.forename: Guadalupe X
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Elder
mesh_terms: D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D035841:Behavioral Research / Q000379:methods*; D003149:Community Dentistry; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009909:Oral Health; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012107:Research Design