The objective of collecting qualitative data from key informant interviews and focus groups is to identify the most relevant contributing factors related to substance use in a particular community. Questions for these studies are based on the information necessary to obtain for these studies. For example, sample questions include asking how people obtain prescription opioids; identifying factors that contribute to prescription drug abuse in a community; identifying the people most affected by opioid misuse and developing strategies that help prevent abuse by those who have been prescribed opioids. These sample questions should be adjusted to adapt qualitative methods to specific communities. The resource also includes tips for conducting successful interviews and focus groups such as: providing definitions for terms like prescription opioids and opioid misuse to ensure participants are on the same page; starting with one to two warm-up questions to build rapport; using five to seven core questions to obtain in-depth information and one to two wrap-up questions to allow respondents to share final thoughts. For the best results, it’s also important to either use a recorder or have a second person taking notes and debrief immediately.
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