The Use of Focus Groups to Mobilize a High-Risk Community in an Effort to Prevent Injuries

Youth involved in supervised activities and provided with safe play areas during high-risk times will sustain fewer injuries. This qualitative focus group study of community organizations, parents, and youth in a high-risk community demonstrated barriers to participation in and resources available for after-school programs, as well as components of an ideal after-school program. Community organizations believed pooling resources and holding programs in centralized locations, such as schools, would make programs more affordable and overcome transportation barriers. Parent and youth also preferred to hold activities in schools; however, parents were concerned with the cost of programs and times they were offered, while students were more concerned with age appropriate, safe programs that prohibited "bullies" from participating. Specific suggested program contents were similar between parents and youth. Information gathered from the focus groups had significant implications for program and resource development in the targeted community.