Table 1 Sample focus group questions by domain.
Domain | Parent Focus Groups | Physician Focus Groups | General Public Focus Groups |
|---|---|---|---|
Definition & Diagnosis | â–ª In your own words, tell us what a food is. | â–ª How do you define anaphylaxis? | â–ª What does it mean to you when you hear someone is allergic to a food? |
| Â | â–ª How is a food allergy diagnosed? | â–ª How do you make a diagnosis of food allergy? What tests do you use? | â–ª How does a doctor decide a child has a food allergy? |
Symptoms & Severity | â–ª What are the signs that make you think your child has a food allergy? | â–ª What signs and symptoms alert you to a possible diagnosis of food allergy? | â–ª What happens when someone has an allergic reaction to a food? |
| Â | â–ª How sick can a child become when they are having an allergic reaction? | â–ª Does anaphylaxis require respiratory, laryngeal, or gastrointestinal symptoms? | â–ª How sick can someone with a food allergy can be? Could he/she die? |
Triggers & Environmental Risk | â–ª What do you think causes food allergy (environmental factors, genetics, dietary factors)? | â–ª What are the risk factors for development of food allergy (environmental factors, genetics, dietary factors)? | â–ª Can your child catch a food allergy? |
| Â | â–ª Do you think what the mother ate during her pregnancy makes a difference in whether a child has a food allergy? | â–ª What are some co-morbidities associated with food allergy? | â–ª Do food allergies run in families? |
Perceptions of Susceptibility & Prevalence | â–ª How common is food allergy? | â–ª To what foods are children most commonly allergic? | â–ª In a group of 100 children, about how many of them do you think would have a food allergy? |
| Â | â–ª To what foods are children most commonly allergic? | â–ª Does the prevalence of food allergy vary by race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status? | â–ª To what foods are people most often allergic? |
Stigma & Acceptability | â–ª Do you feel like you have to explain your child's allergy to friends and family? How well do they accept this? | â–ª What kinds of difficulties might children with food allergy and their parents face in school, at home, between parent and child, etc.? | â–ª What would you think if your friend told you that his/her child had a food allergy? |
Perceptions of Quality of Life | â–ª How does having a child with food allergy affect your family and social life? | â–ª What are some personal and social issues for the children and families with food allergy? | â–ª How hard do you think it is to care for a child with food allergy? |
Treatment & Utilization of Healthcare | â–ª What are the main ways food allergies are treated? | â–ª How can food allergy be prevented? | â–ª Do you think food allergy can be treated so that it will go away? |
| Â | â–ª How difficult is it for you to follow the doctor's instructions? | â–ª What are the key treatments for food allergy? | â–ª How do you treat people with food allergy? |
Policy Issues | â–ª What public policies would help families with children with a food allergy? | â–ª What public policies would help families with children with a food allergy? | â–ª What laws could help families of children with food allergy? |