ABSTRACT
Conducting mixed methods research is critical for healthcare researchers to understand attitudes, behaviors, and experiences on health-related topics, such as vaccine acceptance. As the COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to employ traditional, face-to-face qualitative methodologies, this paper describes the use of a virtual platform to conduct person-centered research. To overcome these challenges and better understand the attitudes and behaviors of vaccine-eligible individuals in the United States, an online health community called the Virtual Engagement Research Community (VERC) was designed and implemented. Using the Health Belief Model as a framework, the VERC employed a mixed methods approach to elicit insights, which included discussion topics, rapid polls, and surveys. Throughout the initial enrollment period of April-October 2021, continuous improvement efforts were made to bolster recruitment and member engagement. This agile research strategy was successful in utilizing mixed methods to capture community sentiments regarding vaccines. While this community focused on vaccination, the methodology holds promise for other areas of health research such as obesity, HIV, mental health disorders, and diabetes.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult to conduct research in person, but qualitative and quantitative data remain critical for developing research design. To gather and understand vaccine perceptions, opinions, and behaviors in a real time manner, The Virtual Engagement Research Community (VERC) was launched. As of October 2021, the VERC had 72 members who had the opportunity to participate in research events such as surveys, polls, discussion topics, and moderated chats in a private, invitation-only virtual community. The online format offered researchers the opportunity to adapt the types and frequency of engagements, fine-tune the research questions based on community responses and current events, and adjust the analysis and reporting methodology as needed to increase participation and maximize the value of the VERC. The success of the VERC and the lessons learned support the use of online communities to enhance mixed methods research as a valuable strategy for other health researchers.