Focus Groups

In February 2018, we invited parents of 16- to 17-year-old adolescents residing in Alachua County who had visited a University of Florida primary care clinic in the past year to participate in focus groups. We called parents up to three times at phone numbers obtained through a registry of University of Florida patients who consented to receiving research invitations [20]. We reminded agreeing parents on the day before the focus groups.

Immediately before the focus groups, we orally explained the informed consent to the group of parents. Parents who agreed to participate signed the informed consent form and participated in the focus groups. A trained moderator conducted the groups in a private room by following a semi-structured guide. Questions included parents’ opinions about meningococcal disease, the MenB vaccine, and the content and design of publicly available education materials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Immunization Action Coalition, and National Meningitis Association [21–23]. Incentives included a meal and $25. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed.