ABSTRACT
Focus group research in healthcare is a form of inquiry where small groups of people who share common experiences or interests are brought together by a researcher for the purpose of eliciting ideas and perspectives about a specific topic or area of concern. Focus group discussions generate rich data. Usually group members have face-to-face conversations in a chosen location, but this research can also be conducted online. The number of focus groups and group members depends on the requirements and aims of the researcher as well as the demands of the topic. The participants of these groups might be patients, health professionals, or social science researchers who are interested in exploring a specific topic about health and illness issues, professional education, or other areas in the health arena such as treatment or care. The researcher usually acts as facilitator of the discussion, but often the group has both researcher and facilitators. Facilitators need the skills of flexibility, diplomacy, and a nonjudgmental attitude. Focus group discussions are normally analysed by qualitative data analysis which takes into account content and interaction.
