Focus Groups to

1

• Focus Groups to
• Listen Learn
• Eleanor Long, MSPH (LAC/DPH MCAH)
• Sharen Anthony, MFCC, RD (PHFE/WIC)
• Cynthia Harding, MPH (LAC/DPH MCAH)

2
Focus Groups to Listen Learn Eleanor
LongHealth Education CoordinatorLos Angeles
County Department of Public HealthMaternal,
Child Adolescent Health Programs
3
Why Focus Group Research?

• Produces insights for outreach strategies
• Learn about target audience
• Inexpensive
• Easy to implement

4
Focus Group Goals

• Understand factors underlying the obesity
  epidemic among low-income women of color in Los
  Angeles County
• Learn how best to promote healthy eating and
  encourage physical activity
• Identify barriers to healthy weight
• Develop culturally sensitive educational
  materials for African-American and Latino women

5
Methodology

• Study Design
• Qualitative research
• Exploratory focus group approach
• Supplement post focus group surveys

6

• Focus Group Participants
• 11 Focus Groups
• 38 Latina 14 African American women
• Aged 18 to 44 years
• Low income women
• Enrolled in Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

7

• Sampling
• Convenience sampling
• Settings
• WIC sites in Los Angeles County

8
African American Focus Groups Findings
9
African American Focus Groups Findings

• Cultural norms
• overweight is accepted and desirable
• Physicians
• Only listen to African American doctors
• BMI charts
• Many questioned relevance of BMI charts

10

• Barriers to Healthy Eating
• Fast Food
• Access and cost of quality foods
• Time

11

• Barriers to Physical Activity
• Time
• Motivation
• Unsafe neighborhood
• Child care

12
Major Implications African American Population

• Focus on perceived benefits of healthy eating and
  physical activity
• Craft messages to avoid exacerbating
  sensitivities about overweight
• Consider different perceptions about healthy
  weight.

13
African American Implications - 2

• Messages must be appealing and motivational.
• Accommodate womens needs
• provide childcare,
• make fresh foods accessible and affordable
• create safe neighborhoods
• Provide appropriate incentives

14
Hispanic/Latina Focus Groups Findings
15
Hispanic/Latina Focus Groups Findings

• Cultural assimilation (1st Generation)
• Adopting new lifestyles
• Developing a habit of eating out
• Acculturation (2nd Generation)
• Diminished cooking skills
• As children, developed a taste for fast foods

16

• Family Norms
• Obesity runs in blood
• generation to generation
• Nutrition education
• Desired culturally appropriate nutrition
• education in a group session
• Preferred Spanish-speaking providers

17

• Barriers to Healthy Eating
• Access
• Time
• Lack of cooking skills
• Lack of cooking appliances
• Fast foods
• Advertisements

18

• Barriers to Physical Activity
• Time
• Exhaustion
• Lack of childcare
• Lack of access to safe parks
• Work schedule (late hours)

19
Major Implications

• Build upon existing materials
• Teach health consequences of overweight
• Mobilize leaders
• Improve physical environment

20
Implications - 2

• Access neighborhood parks
• Access fitness programs in community centers
• Access cooking classes - culturally appropriate

21
Future Plans

• Continue Collaboration
• Empower
• Listen
• Share
• Acknowledge
• Develop Curriculum
• Support Health Policy

22

• Our partners include
• State of CA Department of Public Health MCH/OFP
• Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
  many programs
• Promotora Organizations
• Special Interest Coalitions
• Demonstration Projects

• Kaiser Permanente
• California Medical Association
• Insurance Oversight
• University -UCLA
• Hospitals and Clinics
• WIC

23
Questions?To reach Eleanor213-639-6459elong_at_ph
.lacounty.gov