Degree Not Listed / Department of Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health / Martin Talavera / Using consumer-friendly terminology is important in order to design and conduct consumer research that is relevant and impactful. As an example, today’s marketing is starting to evolve more towards catering to emotional responses, and focus groups are an effective way to gather emotional and attitudinal information in ways that surveys and questionnaires cannot. The objective of this study was to use focus groups as a tool to generate rich information related to emotions, attitudes and other aspects associated with beauty care products in order to provide terminology that is more simple, relevant and impactful. This terminology can then be used to design studies that will better help during product development and product marketing. Women in the Kansas City area were recruited for three focus groups in one of three age groups: 18-35, 36-50, and 51+ (7 women in each group). They were asked questions regarding their thoughts and emotions behind their purchasing habits and use of beauty care products, both positive and negative. Their opinions on ingredients used were also obtained. The focus groups were very useful to obtain consumer generated terminology on emotions, benefits and ingredients. For example, women reported that when not using certain beauty care products, they felt tired, dirty and self-conscious, whereas when they did use certain beauty care products, they reported feeling confident, clean, and beautiful. They also mentioned the importance of ingredients. Women overwhelmingly wanted products to have a more natural ingredient base and to be created “cruelty-free” (tested without having ever been tested on animals). These qualitative techniques will help provide terms that are more relevant and meaningful to consumers, and with this, help marketers and researchers better understand the consumer, in this case, understand women’s feelings and emotions related to the use of beauty care products so companies can better communicate with their target users.

The aim of this essay is to study how youth utilize social media based on themes such as identity and integrity. The focus has been on young people’s use of Instagram. The study is based on qualitative focus groups to collect empiricism. Interviews have been done with four different groups. Two groups of mixed girls and boys and two groups where one was with girls only and one with only boys. The purpose has been to see if there are similarities and / or differences between how girls and boys look at their use of Instagram. The study also concerns the participants' urge to use social networks based on concepts such as confirmation and motivation. The result of this study shows both differences and similarities between the different focus groups. Social media have a function in how young people create their identity and how the identity is maintained. The study also presents that young people have different types of identities depending on context. A similarity between users is the strategic use they have of Instagram.

Class of 2014 Abstract / Specific Aims: The final year of the Doctor of Pharmacy program at the University of Arizona is comprised of seven 6-week Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs). Students evaluate rotations via voluntary anonymous, web-based assessments at the end of each rotation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an original and a modified assessment tool using pharmacy student focus groups to determine if student feedback via the assessment tools accurately reflected opinions of rotation content and preceptor performance. Methods: Two moderators conducted tape-recorded focus groups with fourth-year pharmacy students using 10 standardized prompts. The first focus group included 5 students from the class of 2013. Based on data from that session, the assessment tool was modified. The second focus group included 5 students from the class of 2014 to evaluate the outcome of these modifications. Session transcripts and notes were used to construct thematic analysis tables and draw conclusions. Main Results: Focus group data revealed feedback via both assessment tools was not completely honest because of concerns about anonymity. The Class of 2013 felt limited by evaluating only their primary preceptor. The Class of 2014 stated that some revisions to the evaluation tool, such as item-specific comment boxes and separate evaluative sections for rotation site, preceptor, and rotation experience were helpful; however, they found the assessment tool lengthy, leading to survey fatigue. Conclusion: Student feedback from either assessment tool was not completely reflective of true attitudes of rotation experiences. Continued improvements to the tool and its delivery may provide more accurate feedback for quality improvement purposes.

Class of 2016 Abstract / Objectives: To identify stakeholder concerns regarding a potential requirement that all prescriptions include the reason for use or indication. Methods: This was a mixed methods study that employed focus groups. Participants were invited by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Arizona Pharmacy Association (AzPA) to attend focus groups via webinar. E-mail invites were sent to AzPA members and members of Arizona healthcare professional associations with prescriptive authority except for prescribers who care for animals. The discussion began with a PowerPoint presentation and then questions were presented to guide discussion. Afterwards, questionnaires were distributed through e-mail. Interval level data were analyzed using means and standard deviations. The commentary of the focus group discussion was summarized in themes. Results: Preliminary findings, from two focus groups with a total of seven participants, reflected the following concerns with the inclusion of the indication on prescriptions: compromise of patient privacy; technology capabilities; prescriber time; prescriber compliance; and prior authorization complications. The proposed benefits were: enhanced communication; better medication counseling; reduced prescribing errors; decreased controlled substance diversion; and increased accuracy of a prospective drug use review by pharmacists for patients with complicated disease states. Conclusions: In conclusion, stakeholders were concerned with the implementation of including the indication on prescription orders.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / The effects of risky sexual behaviour (RSB) amongst adolescents are devastating in South Africa. Recent studies show that parent-child (PC) communication about RSB is associated with positive outcomes such as delayed sexual debut and increased autonomy among adolescents. There are however challenges on how to define caregivers within the South African context due the historical background of South Africa such as Apartheid and labour migration. For the purposes of this study, caregivers would be regarded as individuals who the have sole responsibility of caring for a child. The aim of this study was to explore caregiver-child communication in relation to RSB to gain an in-depth and contextualized understanding of how South African families interact, feel and experience their communication and the challenges they face, it therefore uses a qualitative approach. These aims translate into the following objectives a) exploring the process of communication i.e. how they communicate in terms of style, content, timing and frequency b) exploring the experiences of communication of RSB for both caregivers and children in terms of their thoughts and feelings as well as the challenges faced. Conducting focus group discussions and individual interviews was the method of data collection. Four focus groups (two focus groups with male adolescents and two focus groups with female adolescents) were conducted as well as three individual interviews with caregivers a total of 23 participants were used. Both groups of participants are of mixed racial backgrounds and from the Northern sub district of Cape Town. The data was analyzed by using thematic analysis. All ethical principles were adhered to. This study found mothers to be an influential source of sexual communication with their children and this communication hinged more on the health risks of early sexual debut and negative social outcomes. Caregivers highlight the barriers to communication with their adolescents which create caregiver anxiety and avoidance of sexual communication. School has also been identified as highly influential to both caregivers and adolescents especially with regards to the biological and physiological aspects of sex education. Two types ‘educational systems’ have been identified within the South African context. The impact of these systems on the quality of education and nature of the resources provided to both caregivers and learners are discussed in relation to sexual education and communication. The community and extended family of the participants are very involved in the socialisation of the adolescents in this study and often assist caregivers. Caregiver monitoring is the most utilized strategy used to ensure that adolescent whereabouts and activities are known at all times. Possible interventions such as additional strategies for caregivers to consider and communication workshops for caregivers and educators are discussed. The limitations of this study such as the limited amount of caregivers interviewed and the lack of male caregiver insight were identified and recommendations for future studies are provided.

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Objectives Previous studies have illustrated pediatric knowledge deficits among Emergency Medical Services (EMS) providers. The purpose of this study was to identify perspectives of a diverse group of EMS providers regarding pediatric prehospital care educational deficits and proposed methods of training improvements. Methods Purposive sampling was used to recruit EMS providers in diverse settings for study participation. Two separate focus groups of EMS providers (administrative and non-administrative personnel) were held in three locations (urban, suburban, and rural). A professional moderator facilitated focus group discussion using a guide developed by the study team. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze data. Results Forty-two participants provided data. Four major themes were identified: (1) suboptimal previous pediatric training and training gaps in continuing pediatric education; (2) opportunities for improved interactions with emergency department (ED) staff, including case-based feedback on patient care; (3) barriers to optimal pediatric prehospital care; and (4) proposed pediatric training improvements. Conclusion Focus groups identified four themes surrounding preparation of EMS personnel for providing care to pediatric patients. These themes can guide future educational interventions for EMS to improve pediatric prehospital care.

Nurses as health care workers are at risk of biological agents such as bacteria, viruses and others. At health care settings exposure to bloodborne pathogens can cause infections through needlestick injuries. The objectives of this research were to determine factors surrounding recapping needles in hospital nurses and to implement an educational strategy to reduce the recapping practices. It was a descriptive and exploratory approach where the PRECEDE component of the PRECEDE/PROCEDE Model was used as the framework to systematize and analyze the information obtained from the focus group sessions. A total of 120 nurses participated from four different departments. The study was conducted in three phases: diagnosis, implementation and evaluation of the educational strategy. The results obtained from the focus group sessions revealed that predisposing, reinforcing, enabling and environment factors were related to the practice of recapping and needlestick injuries. Most of this information represented the essential basis for the implementation of the educational strategy. During the diagnostic phase, the percentage of needles without recapping was 24% contrasting with 40% found after the educational strategy. The percentage difference (16%) was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The odds ratios calculation in the departments studied showed that the educational strategy was a protective factor to avoid the recapping of used needles. An important conclusion is that the educational strategy, which focused on the practice and habit of what should be done (e.g., NOT recapping used needles), contributed to the decrease in recapping practice. However, nurses perceived did it not provide a safe working environment. The implications are focused on: nurses and hospital management have to engage in an active role to promote a safety work environment where nurses and other health care workers can be protected. The incorporation of educational strategies, continuous and updated training, as well as the evaluation and monitoring process can play a determinant role in the control of hazard exposures. It is imperative that a safe and healthy workplace for the personnel be provided; not less important is the acquisition of equipment and devices for sharp handling and disposal, to complement the prevention of accidents related to needlestick injuries.

While obesity is now recognized as a major health concern in Ghana, the major drivers, causal factors, and their spatial variation remain unclear. Nutritional changes and lack of physical activity are frequently blamed but the underlying factors, particularly cultural values and practices, remain understudied. Using hot spot analysis and spatial autocorrelation, this research investigates the spatial patterns of obesity in Ghana and the explanatory factors. We also use focus group discussions to examine the primary cultural factors underlying these patterns. The results show that wealth, high education, and urban residence are the best positive predictors of obesity, while poverty, low education, and rural residence are the best (negative) predictors of obesity. Consequently, improving the socioeconomic status, for example, through higher levels of education and urbanization may increase obesity rates. Furthermore, the cultural preference for fat body as the ideal body size drives individual aspiration for weight gain which can lead to obesity. Thus, reducing obesity rates in Ghana is impossible without addressing the underlying cultural values.

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