ABSTRACT
What is a focus group and how can one of these be used in research into the health and well-being of individuals? Providing answers to this question form the content of this chapter. We start by discussing the characteristics and components of a focus group in a general sense and also in specific relation to research into health and well-being. How a researcher who has decided to use a focus group in their healthcare related research can prepare for the session is then discussed. We then move on to consider who to recruit to take part in a focus group and how to develop a focus group discussion guide, the clarity and veracity of which is of central importance in the running of a successful group. Having considered these preliminary requirements, we then consider some of the things a moderator should keep in mind and offer suggestions on how to run the session. The materials that are needed in a focus group are then presented, and we conclude the chapter by suggesting some things that a researcher should do at the end of the focus group session. Throughout the chapter, our writing is within the context of using focus group in research into topics associated with health and well-being, and we provide copious contemporary references to the literature of the use of focus groups in a wide variety of these instances.
