Data collection and analysis
Data were collected during audio-recorded focus group
and interviews. Participants were offered three choices
for participation: (1) focus group in a room adjacent to
the clinic, (2) individual interview by phone, (3) face to
face interview at a venue of their choice. One focus
group discussion was conducted involving 4 women, 10
interviews were conducted by phone and the final interview
was conducted at the woman’s home. Although the
use of focus groups within phenomenological methods is
contested [39,40] the most frequent objection is based
on the belief that the ‘essence’ of a phenomenon is best
explored by individuals who must describe their experience,
without interference [39]. However, others argue
that focus groups may permit a detailed examination
and interpretation of events by allowing participants to
share their experiences and engage in a joint sense making
endeavour with the focus group facilitator and other
participants [41,42]. The use of focus groups in phenomenology
is additionally common in nursing and health
studies and is generally justified on the premise that participants
who share certain features, can relate to each
others comments and share experiences to come to a
deeper understanding of the phenomenon [43-45]. We
would argue that the use of the focus group, as in this
study, added to the data in a similar way, and enhanced
rather that inhibited the women’s exploration of their
experiences.
Data were analysed using Burnard’s [46] method. The
following steps were employed:
Interview and focus group data were transcribed to
facilitate initial familiarisation with the content
Audio-tapes were listened to and transcripts were
read several times which allowed for an initial
identification of themes. This step involved memowriting
and commentary on content
Units of meaning (themes) and values were sought.
This involved a transformation of memos and notes
into themes
Data was classified under broad headings, which
involved a clustering of emergent themes and ideas
Reliability of analysis was addressed by asking a coresearcher
to independently generate a theme list
Headings were amended and collapsed as data
analysis progressed. This involved a stage of higher
abstraction and themes were collapsed and refined
as meanings became clearer.
Emergent understandings were tested against the data,
which involved returning to the transcripts to confirm
that the interpretations were true to the data
Alternate explanations were sought