Gregory Makoul

Coding transcripts of focus groups is considered standard practice, but transcription is labor intensive and often expensive. In the context of coding answers to specific questions, we compared the feasibility and reliability of reviewing videos and transcripts of focus group discussions. Two teams, each composed of one faculty member and two experienced research assistants, completed the coding. One team watched DVDs of the focus groups, while the other worked with transcripts. Both teams analyzed the same three focus groups of African American adults discussing influenza vaccination and coded responses to questions about the flu and the flu shot. The teams identified 121 unique responses and agreed on the coding of 104 (86% agreement, K_n = .72). Discrepancies were due to coder error, transcription errors, and inability to decipher the tone of the statement from the transcripts. Findings suggest that coding directly from video is a feasible option that provides high-quality data and may reduce time and error associated with the transcription process.

Our objective was to determine how large, random samples of Americans define health. Two questions were used to ascertain concepts of health: Are you healthy? and How do you know? (What does health mean to you?) These questions were added to omnibus telephone surveys conducted with two random samples of adults from the 48 contiguous United States: one in 1995 (N = 1,000); the other in 2002 (N = 1,011). The surveys also collected demographic data. This study focuses on cases with complete data (N = 950 in 1995, N = 967 in 2002). In both survey samples, more than 92% of respondents reported that they were healthy. Four distinct conceptions of health emerged from responses to the “how do you know” question: physical, psychosocial, capacity, and control. While prevalence varied with survey year as well as respondent age and education, these four concepts were evident in both 1995 and 2002. There are four robust concepts of health in America. Ongoing attention to these concepts may enhance efforts to communicate about and improve health.