FOCUS GROUP ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY FOR REPORTING VIOLENCE AGAINST RURAL WOMEN

Abstract

Objective: To report the experience of students in the Graduate Program in Health and Rurality (PPGSR) in conducting FG sessions to produce data for qualitative research. Method: This experience report is based on the experience of a group of PPGSR students at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) in conducting four FG sessions that took place in the university's interactive room, in the morning shift, in July and August 2025. This activity is part of a master's research project whose objective is to develop and validate a TE to support the completion of the VAW notification form in rural contexts in Palmeira das Missões. The research approval report by the UFSM Research Ethics Committee is No. 7,494,335. Eight professionals from the Rural Health Strategy and health teams serving rural women participated in the FG. The participants were: a physician, two nurses, three nursing technicians, and two Community Health Agents. The research group consisted of the moderator and two observers: one was responsible for the field diary and the other for recording and observation. The lead researcher contacted the technical manager of the municipal health department, who recommended the professionals from the units as potential participants. A WhatsApp group was organized with the potential participants, where invitations to participate in the sessions were sent. Each session lasted 110 minutes and was audio-recorded following the scripts planned by the researcher. Results: The FG proved to be a powerful data production method. In addition to identifying participants' opinions about the research problem, it enabled information sharing and knowledge building on ET for VAW reporting. Therefore, a draft infographic was created by the participants, based on the compulsory notification form for interpersonal and self-inflicted violence prepared by the Ministry of Health (2004), taking into account practical experiences associated with real and fictitious problem situations and the completion of the form and the Notiviva Instructions.