title: Michigan BioTrust for Health: public support for using residual dried blood spot samples for health research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Focus groups were utilized as a mechanism to solicit input from the public in developing the Michigan BioTrust for Health, a program of the Michigan Department of Community Health to improve storage conditions and promote use of residual newborn screening dried blood spots in health research.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2008-2009, 10 diverse communities representative of the general public that might have special concerns as stakeholders in the BioTrust were identified, and 4 discussion questions were developed for use with a standard agenda. Focus group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed by department staff. Qualitative conclusions resulting from the group discussions were compared with written, quantitative pre- and post-survey responses completed by individual participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, there was considerable concurrence of opinion across the focus groups. Participants were generally positive about the BioTrust; a sentiment that held true across different demographic populations with over 85% of participants stating they would support use of residual dried blood spots in health research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The focus group process and findings played an important role for public health policy makers in affirming the importance of engaging and informing the public and led to concrete steps to foster community support.
authors.affiliation: Michigan Department of Community Health, 201 Townsend Street, Lansing, MI 48909, USA. DuquetteD@michigan.gov
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Duquette
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Langbo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kleyn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001771:Blood Banks; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection / Q000379:methods*; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods*; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D011640:Public Policy; D013048:Specimen Handling; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires