FOCAL GROUPS IN THE STUDY OF DENGUE AND COVID-19: A METHODOLOGICAL TOOL FOR APPROACHING THE TERRITORY

• Autor(a) principal: Cerejo, Lucas Nakamura
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Machado de Mello Bueno, Laura
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista UniVap (online)
• Texto Completo: https://revista.univap.br/index.php/revistaunivap/article/view/4412
• topic: Grupo Focal; Pesquisa Qualitativa; Ambiente Construído; Dengue; COVID-19; Grupo Focal; Focal Groups; Qualitative Research; Built Environment; Dengue; COVID-19; Focal Groups

This article has the objective to characterize the focal group as a qualitative methodology research technique for approaching the territory, being a tool to produce the necessary data from the perspective of a representative group of participants with common characteristics. This methodological strategy was able to highlight the importance of the perspective of the population about complex themes, valuing different knowledge and readings of the territory, in addition to their participation in the role of agents capable of promoting change, even though it’s not usual in the field of Architecture and Urbanism. The research mainly focused on the vulnerable population in the city of Campinas, in relation to the diseases Dengue and COVID-19, based on primary data mapping in the period between March 2020 and September 2021. Reaching out to civil society entities, it was possible to organize focal groups to discuss their understanding and perception of the pandemic situation. Applying this methodology proved to be essential for the investigation of a complex and unexpected scenario, with the overlapping of diseases and the significant change in the quality of life for these populations, refering to aspects in their residences and their perception of the public management of the pandemic, also depending on the sensibility of the researchers for a coherent development of the discussions. Finally, the methodology proved to be conducive to create a relaxed and safe environment for participants to talk about their problems and reflect on the impacts of both diseases on their day by day.