Focus groups and interviews as research tools in health education and health promotion

In health education and promotion, qualitative research can serve as a research tool to help investigators understand “why” an event is happening or “why” a person's behavior is influencing their health. Interviews are an excellent way to identify patients' experiences and help to raise the voice of culturally underrepresented groups. This chapter explores the advantages and disadvantages of individual structured, semi-structured, narrative, and focus group interviews in qualitative research. We provide a sample interview guide and discuss best practices for interviewing in both individual and group settings. Lastly, we consider ways to code qualitative research, including practical strategies for constructing a codebook and ways to integrate those codes and categories into themes. Keeping in mind the cultural context, the themes will guide the investigator in answering the research question and establishing new findings for publication and dissemination.