THE FOCUS GROUP AS A TECHNIQUE FOR DATA COLLECTION

Abstract

This integrative review aimed to identify methodological characteristics used in Nursing scientific productions which used the Focus Group as a technique for data collection. The literature survey was undertaken in November 2010, in the databases of the Virtual Health Library, using the descriptors Focus Groups and Nursing. A total of 55 articles was selected, with the main results: publications since 2002; topics which were to do with, principally, Teaching and Research in Nursing; the number of focus group meetings varied between one and 20; the average number of participants was 10; more than 32% of the studies used thematic analysis. This study will support the construction of studies which use this data collection technique, taking into account that the focus group favors the perception of practices, actions and reactions to events, and behaviors and attitudes which influence health or illness.

Keywords

• Nursing
• Quantitative research
• Focus groups