Online focus groups are an effective way to gather data while also reducing barriers faced by people in low-income and minority groups, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston).

Thestudy发表在International Journal of Qualitative Methods.

Researchers cited a reduction in both resources needed and barriers to participation, while maintaining high-quality data collection in their findings.

Daphne Hernandez，乌西顿市Cizik护理学院副教授博士，正在研究中的一项研究中，使用面对面的焦点小组来评估食品分配计划的有效性，该计划为社区大学生提供水果，蔬菜，干燥货物和肉类在共同居住的订单开始时。埃尔南德斯（Hernandez）和研beplay苹果手机能用吗究团队面临困境：停止研究或找到可以使他们继续保持每个人安全的解决方案。

“We were in the middle of doing traditional focus groups, face to face, when the pandemic hit, and we did not want to stop data collection,” said Hernandez, Lee and Joseph Jamail Distinguished Professor in the School of Nursing. “We had a good momentum going and did not want to put people at risk.”

尽管在线焦点小组的想法并不是什么新鲜事，但研究团队对参与和降低数据收集质量的关注感到担忧。beplay苹果手机能用吗但是，他们的发现揭穿了这些主张，同时也揭示了研究人员和参与者的意外收益。beplay苹果手机能用吗

“I felt like I was doing an experiment within the study and was surprised to see a positive response,” Hernandez said. “With in-person focus groups, we had a lot of challenges with getting people to show up, so we were pleased to have focus groups go online, and it meant we could continue the study.”

First, the researchers found that they could recruit participants and collect data with few or no changes. The number of individuals recruited in person stayed the same for the online focus groups and they had a similar demographic background as the participants in the in-person focus groups. Also, the content of the focus groups did not change. The researchers were able to provide the same questions and record quality responses in the online format.

The researchers also found a reduction in resources needed to conduct the online focus group compared to in-person focus groups.

埃尔南德斯说：“与在线相比，面对面焦点小组的成本增加了。”“亲自，我们将补偿参与者的停车位，除了补偿他们的时间和参与外，还需要养活参与者或提供小吃。对于在线焦点小组，不需要食物和停车补偿。”

The study participants had a reduction in resources needed to participate. While evaluating the parent study that focused on the food distribution program, some participants cited transportation as a barrier to picking up the food items. The researchers also stated that transportation was why participants failed to show up to the in-person focus groups, causing the cancellation of some focus groups throughout the research.

埃尔南德斯说：“当我们分析食品分销计划数据时，我们发现有些学生经常参加，而另一些学生则没有参加。”“对食品分销计划的出勤率较低与没有运输有关；他们要么不得不依靠别人，要么不参加该计划。然后，这种运输障碍涌向参加面对面的焦点小组。”

Lastly, the researchers suggested this method is effective not only for COVID-19, but also when working with lower-income or vulnerable populations, due to reduced barriers and increased flexibility in participation.

“在在线焦点小组中，我们的偏爱是参与者可以进行视频，因为它可以进行非语言交流。但是，该平台确实允许人们在小组环境中不舒服的情况下关闭相机。”埃尔南德斯说。

Online focus groups also gave the researchers more options for when to schedule focus groups to allow the most participation.

“When we held the focus groups in person, we would usually have them during the weekend because it was the best time for our participants, who would likely be working during the week. For the online focus groups, they could join in the evening from the comfort of their home. All they needed was access to the internet,” Hernandez said.

With the advent of technology, more people have access to Wi-Fi on their computers or cellular data on their phones. Hernandez is hopeful about what these findings will mean for future qualitative studies.

“I think applying an online video platform to collect data from focus groups is a good method when working with lower-income, vulnerable populations,” Hernandez said. “We will continue to use this method to reach underrepresented groups.”

其他研究人员包括Sajbeplay苹果手机能用吗eevika Daundasekara, PhD, researcher at Cizik School of Nursing; Quenette Walton, PhD, and Chinyere Eigege with the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston; and Mayra Gomez, MD, from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

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