Appendix B - One-On-One Discussion Guide Template
Discussion Guide: General
Thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to talk with me about issues related to traffic safety in the Black communities within (COUNTY NAME) County. As outlined in my letter and in our follow-up conversation, I am working on a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study to determine the best ways of promoting traffic safety to predominantly Black communities. As part of this study, I am talking with key individuals, organizations and agencies throughout the county - inside and outside the traffic safety industry - to identify effective approaches in providing safety and safety-related services to Black communities.
During our discussion today, I will cover several topic areas. In doing so, I'll ask about your experiences promoting your programs within the Black community. I'd like you to share the strategies you have used; what has worked and what hasn't; the most effective channels of communication; any challenges and barriers you may have faced, and certainly any lessons learned.
To ensure that we capture your answers completely, I plan to audiotape our talk, is this okay with you? If so, then let's proceed. (IF NOT, THEN BEGIN NOTETAKING.)
- Could you tell me a little about how your organization is structured for providing services, particularly services to the Black community?
- How does your organization interact with the Black community? (Probes: Do you work directly with community members; operate in partnership with other organizations; accomplish certain goals through contact with key community leaders?)
- What particular strategies does your organization use to reach the Black community? Which strategies have been most/least successful? Why or Why not? How did you measure their success?
- How important is community outreach in promoting educational initiatives in the Black community? What type of outreach do you feel is most effective? (Probes: events, such as health fairs; classes, forums or lectures.) What venue(s) would be most effective? (Probes: community centers; churches; schools or libraries; other) Why? (Probes: convenient; free parking; ample parking.)
- What channels of communication have you found to be most/least effective in your efforts to promote programs to the Black community? (Probes: newspapers; television; radio; word of mouth; flyers; direct mail into homes, etc.)
- Does your organization have any experience targeting specific groups? (Probe: racial/ethnic groups, age groups, gender, income levels?) If so, what approaches are used and have they been successful? Why or Why not? What would you do differently if you had the opportunity?
- Please describe any resistance or barriers that your organization has encountered in its outreach efforts to the Black community (Probes: poverty, feelings of confinement, childcare). What steps were taken to eliminate or lessen the resistance you encountered and were they successful? What would you do differently?
- Are there specific cultural characteristics that should be considered when working with the Black community? Are there socioeconomic characteristics or other factors that should be considered? If so, why are these factors important?
- In implementing a program or initiative, has your organization used intermediaries to reach the intended audience? (Probes: children to reach adults; wives to reach husbands, co-workers, etc.) Were they successful in helping the organization achieve its desired outcome? Why or why not?
- From your experience, what approaches should be generally avoided when working with the Black community in (COUNTY NAME) County? In general, what approaches should be used?
- Who are the most trusted-messengers of health and safety initiatives in the Black community (RANK)? (Probes: healthcare professionals, non-profit organizations, political leaders (national or local), local personalities.)
- What local or national health and/or safety program or organization do you feel is particularly effective at reaching the Black community with its messages? Why do you feel they are so effective?
- Are laws related to motor vehicle use, safety belts and safety seats generally well communicated to and understood by members of the Black community?
- Are there strong traffic safety concerns within the Black community or does traffic safety get lost because of other needs? If so, please list those traffic safety concerns (RANK). If not, please identify the more pressing needs.
- Within the Black community, what are the major (ASK SEPARATELY) driver/passenger/pedestrian-related safety problems? (RANK). What do you think is causing these problems? In which segments of the Black community (age group, gender, income level) do the greatest traffic safety problems occur?
- Please characterize the degree of awareness in the Black community about traffic safety issues, in general. (Probe: Why do you feel this is the case?) What knowledge problems do you feel exist within the Black community with regard to (ASK SEPARATELY) driver/passenger/pedestrian-related safety? In what segments of the Black community (age group, gender, income level) do you feel these problems are most concentrated?
- How would you describe perceptions or beliefs in the Black community concerning the enforcement of traffic laws? (IF NO REFERENCE TO RACIAL OR ETHNIC DISPARITIES IS MADE, ASK THE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS/PROBES.) To the best of your knowledge, does the community believe there are ethnic or racial disparities in the enforcement of traffic laws? (Probes: "driving while black," racial profiling) Please explain. Are community concerns about this being addressed? If so, how? How would you recommend police agencies address such perceptions and concerns?
- From your experience/In your opinion, is there more or less use of seat belts in the Black community compared to other communities? Why or Why not? What do you feel is needed to make the case that restraint use is a serious issue in the Black community?
- Do you think Black parents generally use child safety seats? Why or Why not? What do you feel is needed to make the case that child restraint use is a serious issue in the Black community?
- Is access to child safety seats a problem? If so, for whom? Has your office spearheaded or been involved in any child safety seat activities or promotions? Explain.
- With regard to safety issues, what symbols, institutions, delivery systems and themes do you feel most/least resonate within the Black community? Why?
- How could the traffic safety community get (INDUSTRY NAME) more involved in its traffic safety efforts?
We are just about finished, so I'd like to conclude by asking the following:
- Can you recommend any state or local data sources with relevant statistics on traffic safety issues within the Black community?
- As part of our efforts to learn more from community members, we will be conducting several focus groups in (COUNTY NAME) county very soon. Has your organization conducted this type of research? If so, how did you recruit participants? What would be the most effective way to advertise for participants? Can you suggest a convenient facility?
- Is there anything you'd like to add or any questions you'd like to ask?
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