Certified in Public Health (CPH) Practice Exam

In community health assessments, what is a typical method used to gather qualitative insights?

1. Surveys

2. Focus groups

3. Statistical analysis

4. Service utilization data

The correct answer is: Focus groups

Focus groups are a typical method used to gather qualitative insights in community health assessments because they facilitate in-depth discussions that explore participants' beliefs, experiences, and attitudes toward health issues. This method allows researchers to collect rich, descriptive data and understand community perspectives in a way that structured surveys or quantitative methods may not capture. In focus groups, a small number of participants engage in guided conversations, which can reveal nuanced insights into community health needs and problems. These discussions often lead to discovering underlying motivations and social dynamics influencing health behaviors that can inform program development and public health interventions effectively. Surveys, while useful for collecting quantitative data from larger populations, do not provide the same depth of understanding as focus groups. Statistical analysis and service utilization data focus on numerical data and trends rather than gathering personal experiences and feelings, which are essential for qualitative insight.