Focus group research: what is it and how can it be used?

The focus group research method has been used in a variety of settings over the years. The method of using group interviews was described as long ago as 1926. Focus groups have been used by large corporations to gather the public's opinions regarding their products. In the past 20 years the focus group method has been increasingly used in health care research in a variety of settings. Researchers use the focus group method in order to obtain in-depth knowledge concerning attitudes, perceptions, beliefs and opinions of individuals regarding a specific health issue. The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the focus group research method. The authors discuss the process, analysis, advantages and disadvantages of this qualitative method.