2.6 Format for Presentation of Findings

The findings from the qualitative research conducted during baseline and intermediate site visits, as well as the media tracking findings, are presented in Chapter 3. Baseline findings from youth focus groups in both target and comparison sites are reported to characterize the sites as a whole prior to the Media Campaign. These results are presented in aggregate form. Baseline findings are next reported for parents, followed by community findings.

Following the baseline findings, results from the intermediate site visits are presented to show the early findings that were emerging after the Media Campaign had been implemented for 8 to 10 weeks. The intermediate data are not intended to serve as a "post" measure or followup; rather, they offer a glimpse of some preliminary findings after early exposure to the Media Campaign. The intermediate findings are reported for the 12 target sites only, in aggregate form.

Preliminary findings of the media tracking data are presented next. Summary information on media activity is reported for the 3-month period prior to the Media Campaign and for the 3-month period after it had been implemented.

In Chapter 4 site-specific findings are presented for the 12 target sites. These site-specific results provide a discussion of how each site looked at baseline, and then describe any changes in the community 8 to 10 weeks later. The site-specific summaries include exhibits that show how each target site's findings at baseline compare with those of its paired comparison site. Other site-specific results from intermediate site visits are presented for the target sites only. The kinds of data in the site-specific reports may differ from one to the next because results are presented in terms of how the information was reported to the research team (e.g., key informants at one site may have described a pattern for youth in general rather than for specific ages of youth).

Throughout the report efforts have been made, where necessary, not to reveal specific site identifiers when particularly sensitive statements were made that could be potentially harmful or embarrassing. Researchers promised all respondents that care would be taken to protect their confidentiality.