TY - JOUR
T1 - Online focus groups as a tool to collect data in hard-to-include populations
T2 - Examples from paediatric oncology
AU - Tates, Kiek
AU - Zwaanswijk, Marieke
AU - Otten, Roel
AU - Van Dulmen, Sandra
AU - Hoogerbrugge, Peter M.
AU - Kamps, Willem A.
AU - Bensing, Jozien M.
N1 - Funding Information:
We wish to thank P. van der Heijden and M. Winckers, NIVEL Knowledge Centre, for their technical support in the development of the focus group websites. For application of the software, please contact the corresponding author. The study was funded by the Dutch Cancer Society (grant number: NIVEL 2004-3192).
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - Background. The purpose of this article is to describe and evaluate the methodology of online focus group discussions within the setting of paediatric oncology. Methods. Qualitative study consisting of separate moderated asynchronous online discussion groups with 7 paediatric cancer patients (aged 8-17), 11 parents, and 18 survivors of childhood cancer (aged 8-17 at diagnosis). Results. All three participant groups could be actively engaged over a one-week period. Respondents highly valued the flexibility and convenience of logging in at their own time and place to join the discussion. Adolescent patients and survivors emphasized that the anonymity experienced made them feel comfortable to express their views in detail. The findings indicate a strong preference for online group discussions across all participant groups. Conclusion. The findings show that online focus group methodology is a feasible tool for collecting qualitative data within the setting of paediatric oncology, and may offer new opportunities to collect data in other hard-to-include populations. The evaluations seem to indicate that the online group discussions have given participants an opportunity to articulate their experiences and views in a way they might not have done in a traditional group discussion.
AB - Background. The purpose of this article is to describe and evaluate the methodology of online focus group discussions within the setting of paediatric oncology. Methods. Qualitative study consisting of separate moderated asynchronous online discussion groups with 7 paediatric cancer patients (aged 8-17), 11 parents, and 18 survivors of childhood cancer (aged 8-17 at diagnosis). Results. All three participant groups could be actively engaged over a one-week period. Respondents highly valued the flexibility and convenience of logging in at their own time and place to join the discussion. Adolescent patients and survivors emphasized that the anonymity experienced made them feel comfortable to express their views in detail. The findings indicate a strong preference for online group discussions across all participant groups. Conclusion. The findings show that online focus group methodology is a feasible tool for collecting qualitative data within the setting of paediatric oncology, and may offer new opportunities to collect data in other hard-to-include populations. The evaluations seem to indicate that the online group discussions have given participants an opportunity to articulate their experiences and views in a way they might not have done in a traditional group discussion.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=62149092133&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/1471-2288-9-15
DO - 10.1186/1471-2288-9-15
M3 - Article
C2 - 19257883
AN - SCOPUS:62149092133
SN - 1471-2288
VL - 9
JO - BMC Medical Research Methodology
JF - BMC Medical Research Methodology
IS - 1
M1 - 15
ER -