Using Focus Groups in Gerontological Research

Findings indicate that focus groups offer rich possibilities for combining qualitative and quantitative approaches to strengthen gerontological designs for preliminary investigations, instrument design, and government policymaking.

Abstract

Focus groups may be successfully used in gerontological research as exploratory or confirmatory research tools. Results from a national applied gerontological project on oral health and the elderly from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, which utilized a focus group process in survey development, are presetented. Findings indicate that focus groups offer rich possibilities for combining qualitative and quantitative approaches to strengthen gerontological designs for preliminary investigations, instrument design, and government policymaking.