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Evaluation of the use of pharmacy health education materials during national smile week 1997

3. Research methodology

3.2 Stage two - in-depth interviews (pharmacists)

• In order to probe deeper into the issues which wereraised in the telephone survey, and to properly investigate the CommunityPharmacists’ usage of health promotion materials and understanding of therole of health promoters, semi-structured face to face interviews wereconducted with a small sub sample of Community Pharmacists.
• 12 depth interviews were conducted according torecruitment criteria agreed with HEBS. The field dates were the 8th - 11thJuly. The recruitment criteria ensured a balance of respondents in terms ofgeographic location, Depcat, store type and usage of the dental resourcematerial. All of the interviews were conducted personally by a ResearchExecutive from the project team.
• A discussion guide was developed following a reviewof the findings from Stage One. Copies of the promotional material were used asvisual stimulus, and the interview also included a review of the location,setting and logistical layout issues in relation to the Pharmacy itself.
• Prior to each interview, a Research Executivesurveyed the Pharmacy to establish if any campaign materials were currently ondisplay (prior to making their presence known).

3.1 Stage one - telephone survey (community pharmacists and health promotion specialists)

• A random stratified sample of Community Pharmacists was developed.Stratification was based on Health Board Area, Depcat & Pharmacy Type. Thetarget was 150 interviews, additional Pharmacies were added in order to achievethe total sample. The response rate was 1 in 3. 151 telephone interviews werecarried out shortly after National Smile Week 1997.
• There were 3 types of Pharmacy which HEBS defined as:
  - Chain (ie. Boots, Lloyds, Hills, Moss, Supermarkets, Lindsay & Gilmour,Davidsons, AAH Retail and Superdrug).
  - Multiple Independent
  - Independent
• The sample listings were provided through HEBS by the local HealthPromotion Departments. A questionnaire was designed by Market Research Scotlandwith input, comment and approval from HEBS. The questionnaire took about 15minutes to administer.
• All contact was made from our in-house telephone unit based in Glasgow, bytrained and experienced interviewers, complying with I.Q.C.S standards and theMarket Research Society Code of Conduct. In addition to the first call, up to 3further follow up calls were made in an attempt to achieve an interview.Following the first call, a specified date and time was requested forsubsequent calls in order to enhance the response rate.
• The field dates were 3rd - 24th June 1997. (Fielddates were extended due to delays in sample development).
• A telephone survey was also conducted with a sampleof Health Promotion Specialists after National Smile Week 1997. A draftquestionnaire similar to that used with Community Pharmacists was designed byMarket Research Scotland Ltd with input, comment and approval by HEBS.
• A list of Health Promotion Specialists who attendedthe briefing day, or were responsible for this project were provided by HEBS.These individuals were approached in the same way to carry out a shorttelephone interview.
• Following an interim debrief of findings, themethodology and sample construction of Stage Two was planned and executed.