Community Assessment Research

Community Assessment Research

FOCUS GROUP PARTICIPANT

Assurances of Confidentiality

Any person participating in a Community Assessment focus group is assured that all information provided in the focus group will be treated confidentially, and measures will be taken to ensure that comments can not be attributed back to the respondent.

The focus groups will be audio and video taped for the purpose of recording accuracy. The only persons to see the video tape will be the staff editor and the professional transcriber – both subject to a confidentiality agreement.

The focus group discussion will be typed into a word-for-word transcript. All participants will be coded with a non-descriptive code -- used to follow the individual stories within the focus group discussion. Only the staff editor will know the names associated with each code.

After the focus group transcripts have been typed, a team of community volunteers will read the transcripts and discuss the contents at a meeting. The intention is to achieve a better understanding of how people experience particular issues within their lives. Members of these review teams are likewise bound by a confidentiality agreement which restricts their discussion of any specific details of people’s stories to other members of the review team.

The project will look for individual stories which best exemplify the type of experiences people have with each particular problem, and use those stories as part of the final research document. No specific story will be published without the signed consent of the participant.

All focus group participants will receive a copy of the transcript review team’s summary interpretation of their group discussion, and will be encouraged to comment on the accuracy of the summary findings.

1999 Comprehensive Community Assessment

CONSENT FOR PARTICIPATION IN FOCUS GROUP RESEARCH

I am Dr. David Westhuis and I am conducting this research as part of the 1999 Comprehensive Community Assessment, coordinated by United Way, the City of Evansville, Vanderburgh Community Foundation, Step Ahead Council of Vanderburgh County, Deaconess Hospital and St. Mary’s Health Services.

You are invited to participate in a study of alcohol and drug abuse. By participating in this focus group, you will help the Community Assessment process better understand the defined issue.

Participation in the research means that you will participate in a 1 and ½ hour focus group.

Any information you provide in the focus group will be treated confidentially, and measures will be taken to ensure that comments can not be attributed back to you.

The focus groups will be audio taped for the purpose of recording accuracy. The only persons to see or listen to the video and audio tapes will be the staff editor and the professional transcriber – both subject to a confidentiality agreement.

As a focus group participant you will receive a copy of the transcript review team’s summary interpretation of their group discussion, and you will be encouraged to comment on the accuracy of the summary findings.

Your participation in this focus group is voluntary. There is a $25.00 stipend to be paid to all participants at the end of the focus group. However, you may discontinue your participation at any time without any further penalties.

If you have any questions about the study you may contact the Assessment Coordinator (Dan Hayden, United Way of Southwestern Indiana, 422-4100). You may keep a copy of this consent.

Signature ______________________________________________ Date _________________

1999 Comprehensive Community Assessment

PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT FORM

YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN FOCUS GROUP RESEARCH

We invite your son/daughter to participate in a focus group discussing the problem of teenage involvement with alcohol and drugs. However, their participation can only be permitted with a parent/guardian signed consent. Please sign below to permit your youth’s participation.

The youth will participate in a focus group lasting 1 ½ hour hours, and will typically involve 6-8 youth.

Any information provided in the focus group will be treated confidentially and measures will be taken to ensure that comments can not be attributed back to any person’s name.

The focus groups will be audio taped for accuracy purposes. The only persons to see or listen to the tapes will be the staff editor and typist – both bound to keep all names anonymous.

The focus group discussion will be typed into a word-for-word transcript. No names will be used in the written transcript.

After the focus group transcripts have been typed, a team of community volunteers will read the transcripts and discuss the contents at a meeting. Members of these review teams are likewise bound to keep all information confidential -- which means they can only discuss the details of the transcripts within the team meetings.

Participation in this focus group is voluntary. Each participant will be paid $25.00 at the end of the focus group. However, the youth may discontinue their participation at any time without any further penalties.

If you have any questions about the study you may contact the Assessment Coordinator (Dan Hayden, United Way of Southwestern Indiana -- 422-4100).

Youth Name: ________________________________________

Address:____________________________________________ Phone Number: _______________

Parent/Guardian

Signature ______________________________________________ Date _________________