BRANY Vaccinated discussion guide vaccinated

HHS COVID-19 PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN
IRB APPROVED
04/22/2021

A campaign to increase vaccine confidence while reinforcing basic prevention measures

Foundational Focus Group Discussion Guide
Research Objective: Examine attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors related to
preventive measures (e.g., mask wearing, social distancing, avoiding crowds) and
vaccine confidence for those who have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
NOTE TO REVIEWERS: The discussion guide is written in a purposefully colloquial
style to better engage with participants. Question probes are below some main
questions and may change. These are suggestions for the moderator to follow and will
be used as deemed relevant and necessary in the natural flow of discussion. The
discussion guide is developed for a 90-minute session. Moderator instructions are
highlighted in yellow and bracketed.
Guidelines and Introductions
Personal Risk Perceptions
Sources of Information
Vaccines
Measures Taken to Slow the Spread
Wrap-Up
TOTAL TIME

10 MINUTES
10 MINUTES
15 MINUTES
25 MINUTES
25 MINUTES
5 MINUTES
90 MINUTES

GUIDELINES AND INTRODUCTIONS (10 MIN)
Guidelines
Thank you for speaking with me today. My name is _________, and I work for a private
research company. Today we want to get your thoughts and opinions about COVID-19
and how it is affecting life in the United States. We would also like to better understand
what precautions you and your family take when it comes to avoiding infection from the
virus.
Before we begin, I want to go over a couple of things:


There are no wrong answers. Our whole purpose for being here is to hear
what you think, so please speak up, especially if what you have to say is
different than what someone else is saying. You may represent what a lot of
other folks think.



There may be times I ask you to clarify or ask you to tell more about what you
just said. This is simply to make sure I understood and accurately capture
what you think, not because I’m challenging your point of view.

For internal communications only

IRB APPROVED
04/22/2021



Your participation is voluntary. If I ask any questions you do not wish to
answer, you do not have to answer them.



We want to hear from everyone, but I ask that you speak one at a time,
although I understand it can be difficult, especially online. I simply want to
make sure I hear everything that everyone says.



Nothing you say will be tied back to you. Your name and any identifying
information will not be used in any of our reports.



There are some other people listening in who are helping me take notes so
that I can fully focus on our conversation and be respectful of your time. At
the end of the group, they might have a couple of clarifying questions for us.



I’ll be video recording our conversation; it will only be used to confirm our
notes. Only the research staff will have access to this taping and no
personally identifiable information will be used in connection with the
recording. Does everyone agree to be recorded? [ASK FOR AGREEMENT
THROUGH A SHOW OF HANDS OR HEAD NOD] I am going to start the
recording now.



Our discussion should take no more than 90 minutes. I appreciate the time
that you carved out to be here, and I want to be respectful of that, so I may
interrupt us so that we stay on track.

Do you have any questions before we begin?

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IRB APPROVED
04/22/2021

Introductions/Ice Breaker
I’d like to start by getting to know each of you a bit better. So, I’m going to have
everyone go around and share their first name, where you live, and your favorite type of
food to make at home.
I can go ahead and get us started.
[MODERATOR INTRODUCES SELF, ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS, AND THEN HAS
EACH PARTICIPANT INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND RESPOND TO THE
ICEBREAKER QUESTIONS.]
[MODERATOR TO PROBE AS NEEDED TO GET PARTICIPANTS COMFORTABLE
AND TO ESTABLISH RAPPORT.]
[MODERATOR: FOCUS ON THE BOLDED QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS IDENTIFIED
AS PROBES SHOULD BE USED AS NEEDED TO OBTAIN/CLARIFY
INFORMATION. SUBQUESTIONS NOT IDENTIFIED AS PROBES SHOULD BE
ASKED AS TIME PERMITS.]
PERSONAL RISK PERCEPTIONS (5 MINUTES)
Thank you. To start off, I want everyone to think about COVID-19.


What is the top thing on your mind today when it comes to the COVID-19
pandemic?



How concerned are you personally about getting COVID-19 now, after
receiving a COVID-19 vaccine? [PROBE ON REASONS WHY CONCERNED
OR NOT.]
o Have your concerns about getting COVID-19 changed since before you
received a vaccine? If so, how?



How concerned are you about family getting COVID-19? Friends?
Community members?



How have your concerns about getting COVID-19 changed since the
beginning of the pandemic, if at all?
o Have your concerns about getting COVID-19 changed since learning
about new variants of the virus? [PROBE]: What have you heard about
the variants?

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IRB APPROVED
04/22/2021

SOURCES OF INFORMATION (15 MINUTES)


Where do you turn for information about COVID-19?



What resources do you think provide the best information about COVID19?



I’m going to show a list of sources on the screen, and I want everyone to
tell me which sources you find most trustworthy in providing information
about COVID-19 and which sources you find least trustworthy. [SHOW LIST
OF SOURCES: Your State Government; The U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS); The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC);
U.S. Federal public health officials; The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA); Pharmaceutical companies; Local public health officials (e.g. state,
county, city, or town); The American Medical Association; Medical websites, like
WebMD or the Mayo Clinic; Your local hospital leadership (e.g., Chief Medical
Officer); President Biden; Vice President Harris. [PROBE ON REASONS WHY
SOURCES ARE MOST OR LEAST TRUSTWORTHY, AS NEEDED.
MODERATOR MAY USE THE WHITE BOARD TO JOT DOWN THOUGHTS.]



Here’s another list of sources. Again, I want everyone to tell me which
sources you find most trustworthy and which sources you find least
trustworthy. [SHOW LIST OF SOURCES: My family physician; Friends;
Immediate family members; Extended family members; Neighbors in my
community; Local schools; My employer; My local government; My place of
worship; Tribal leaders (AI/AN focus groups only)]. [PROBE ON REASONS
WHY SOURCES ARE MOST OR LEAST TRUSTWORTHY, AS NEEDED.
MODERATOR MAY USE THE WHITE BOARD TO JOT DOWN THOUGHTS.]



How often do you visit social media platforms to get information about
COVID-19?
o Which platforms?
o How trustworthy do you find information about COVID-19 to be on these
platforms?
 [PROBE]: How does this vary based on who is posting the
information?



What advertisements have you seen about COVID-19, if any? Where have
you seen or heard these ads? [PROBE IF NEEDED]: Television,
radio/podcasts, print, social media?

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IRB APPROVED
04/22/2021

o How trustworthy do you find information about COVID-19 to be in these
media sources?
VACCINES (25 MINUTES)
Now I’d like to talk more about vaccines.


FDA-authorized vaccines to prevent COVID-19 are now available at no cost.
You were all asked to participate in this group because you indicated you
had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Is that correct?
[MODERATOR: ALL PARTICIPANTS SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST
ONE DOSE OF A COVID-19 VACCINE, BUT YOU MAY NEED TO ADJUST
QUESTIONS SLIGHTLY IF ANYONE SAYS THEY HAVE NOT.]



How soon did you get vaccinated once you were eligible?
o What are some of the things that were on your mind when deciding if and
when to get vaccinated?
o [For those who had COVID previously] How did getting COVID-19
affect your thoughts about getting a COVID-19 vaccine?



What questions or concerns did you have about getting a COVID-19
vaccine?
o What kinds of information did you look for to better understand if you
should take a COVID-19 vaccine when it was available?
o Where did you look for information about COVID-19 vaccines?
o Did recommendations from certain individuals or groups impact your
decision; for example, your personal doctor or public health officials?



I’d like to hear about your experiences getting a COVID-19 vaccine, starting
with how you got your vaccine appointment. How did you register for your
vaccine appointment?
o What issues, if any, did you experience when trying to schedule your
COVID-19 vaccination appointment? [PROBE IF NEEDED]: Issues with
technology/Internet, language, transportation to/from vaccine sites,
availability or accessibility of vaccines, work commitments, childcare, etc.
o How long did it take you to get an appointment?
o Where did you get information about appointments and scheduling?
o Did anyone help you navigate the process?



How did you prepare for your vaccine appointment?

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IRB APPROVED
04/22/2021

o [PROBE IF NEEDED]: Getting documentation, looking for information
about process, preparing for side effects (e.g., taking time off work)


Where did you go to get a COVID-19 vaccine?
o Did you have a preferred site? If so, why? Were you able to go to that
preferred site?
o How far did you have to travel to your appointment?
o What were you required to show or bring when you were vaccinated, if
anything?



Which vaccine did you get? If you had a vaccine preference, did you
receive your preferred vaccine?
o How did the type of vaccine factor into your decision to get vaccinated?



For those of you who got a vaccine that required a second dose, what were
you told about a follow-up appointment?
o What issues, if any, did you experience when trying to schedule your
COVID-19 vaccination appointment?



For those of you who have gotten a second dose of a vaccine, how did
your second appointment compare to your first?



What side effects did you experience after you received a COVID-19
vaccine?
o How did your side effects compare to your expectations?



What have you told other people about your experience getting a vaccine?
o For those who have shared with others about their experience getting a
vaccine:
 Who are you talking to about your experience? [PROBE]: Family?
Friends?
 How are you sharing your experience with others? [PROBE]:
Personal conversations? Social media?
o For those who haven’t shared with others: What are the main reasons that
you haven’t told others about your experience?
o How likely are you to recommend that other people get vaccinated?



What is your understanding of when a person is considered “fully
vaccinated” from COVID-19? [PROBE IF NEEDED ON NUMBER OF DAYS
OR WEEKS, HOW MANY DOSES.]

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IRB APPROVED
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o Do you consider yourself to be fully vaccinated? [PROBE FOR REASONS
WHY OR WHY NOT.]


If public health officials recommend everyone get a booster shot, or require
an annual COVID-19 vaccine, how likely would you be to get those vaccines
in the future?

MEASURES TAKEN TO SLOW THE SPREAD (25 MINUTES)
Now that you’ve gotten a vaccine, let’s talk about how that has impacted your
activities and behaviors.


How has your day-to-day routine changed, if at all, since you’ve been
vaccinated? [PROBE FOR ANY ACTIVITIES THEY DO NOW, PLACES THEY
GO, ETC.]
o For those whose routine has changed, when did it change? [PROBE FOR
HOW LONG AFTER FIRST DOSE OR SECOND DOSE, IF
APPLICABLE.]



How important do you think it is to take precautions to slow the spread of
COVID-19?
o How important do you feel it is for you to take precautions now that you
are vaccinated?
o Do you feel differently depending on whether you’re fully vaccinated or still
require a second dose?



Let’s talk about mask wearing. Since being vaccinated, can you describe a
situation where you wore a mask?
o What are the reasons that people wear masks during the COVID-19
pandemic?
o What are some reasons why someone wouldn’t wear a mask when they
were out in public?
o For those of you who wear masks regularly, how long do you plan to
continue wearing a mask in public?



Next, social distancing. Since being vaccinated, can you give me an
example of how you have socially distanced?
o How well does it work at preventing the spread of COVID-19?
o How difficult is it for you to socially distance?
o For those of you who practice social distancing, how long do you plan to
continue doing so?

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IRB APPROVED
04/22/2021



How often do you attend large gatherings or social events?
o [PROBE]: What kinds of gatherings or social events are you thinking of?
o What precautions do you take when attending these events?
o Is your behavior different based on whether the gathering is outdoors or
indoors?



What have you heard about guidelines for mask wearing and social
distancing for people who are fully vaccinated?
o Where have you heard this information?
o What are your reactions to these guidelines?
o How do these guidelines impact your likelihood to take preventive
measures?



How do you think mandates in your community or state impact how often
people practice measures like mask wearing?



Do mandates impact how often you practice these measures?



What are your thoughts about state governments or the federal
government relaxing mandates for preventive measures, such as mask
wearing or social distancing?
o [PROBE]: If you are in a state where mandates have been relaxed, what
are your thoughts? Do you feel comfortable with mandates being relaxed?
Safe?

WRAP-UP (5 MIN)


Those are all the questions I have for you. I just want to check to see if any of my
colleagues have any final questions.



Is there anything you would like to share that you have not had the chance to
before we wrap up?



Thank you very much for participating in this discussion. I appreciate your time,
and your feedback has been extremely helpful. Please remember not to share
anything we’ve discussed here today.

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