Health Services Research Commons^™

Oversight Hearings On Science And Environmental Regulatory Decisions, David Michaels

Health Policy and Management Congressional Testimonies

No abstract provided.

Defining Programmatic Access To Healthcare For People With Disabilities, Nancy R. Mudrick, Silvia Yee

Social Work - All Scholarship

People with disabilities face disability-related barriers that affect their receipt of health care. These often are discussed in terms of three categories: financial, structural, and programmatic barriers. Financial barriers may involve the lack of insurance, inability to pay for care, or coverage limitations for such items as durable medical equipment and medication. Structural barriers primarily arise from the architectural characteristics of health care delivery settings, such as parking location, building entrances, stairs and ramps, and bathrooms. Programmatic barriers are barriers involving the processes used to deliver health care. This category is the least understood, yet an important factor for access …

Final Report Technical Assistance To Improve Quality Oversight Of The Oklahoma Advantage Waiver, Maureen Booth, Louise Olsen

Disability & Aging

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Medicare Special Needs Plans On State Procurement Strategies For Dually Eligible Beneficiaries In Long-Term Care, Paul Saucier, Brian Burwell, Thomson Medstat

Disability & Aging

No abstract provided.

Nevada Institute For Children's Research And Policy Legislative Bills-2007 Session, The Nevada Institute For Children’S Research And Policy

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

Legislative Bills-2007 Session for Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy.

Learning From The Grandmothers: Incorporating Indigenous Principles Into Qualitative Research, Charlotte Loppie

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

In this article, the author describes the process she undertook to incorporate Indigenous principles into her doctoral research about the midlife health experiences of elder Aboriginal women in Nova Scotia, Canada. By employing qual- itative methods within the context of an Indigenous worldview, she gained knowledge of and developed competence in Aboriginal health research. The emergent partnership among Aboriginal community research facilitators, participating Mi’kmaq women, and the researcher provided many opportunities for the researcher to incorporate the paradigmatic and methodological traditions of Western science and Indigenous cultures. The application of these principles to this study might provide a useful example …

Day Of Dialogue—Insights And Evidence From Product Introduction: Lessons For Microbicides, Martha Brady, C. Elizabeth Mcgrory

HIV and AIDS

This report summarizes key issues and themes emerging from a Population Council Day of Dialogue held in March 2007. The Council convened this meeting of experts in the fields of product development, introduction, and social marketing; clinical trials; and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS in order to identify key features that can be used to guide efforts to introduce microbicides.

Developing Regional Operations Research Training Capacity In South Asia, M.E. Khan, James R. Foreit, Sohini Roychowdhury, F. Ram, Chander Shekhar

Reproductive Health

This project’s overall objective was to create a self-sustaining regional operations research (OR) training and research center for South Asia at the International Institute of Population Sciences (IIPS), in Mumbai, India. The goal was to institutionalize operations research (OR) in IIPS by building the teaching and research capabilities of the faculty and research team. Capacity building was accomplished through a training of trainers that included an OR workshop in Nepal, two four-day OR workshops for program managers, one ten-day OR workshop for researchers, and a four-day scientific-writing course for researchers and program managers to provide guidelines for preparing research articles …

The Cost-Effectiveness Of Improving Diabetes Care In U.S. Federally Qualified Community Health Centers, Elbert S. Huang, Qi Zhang, Sydney E. S. Brown, Melinda L. Drum, David O. Meltzer, Marshall H. Chin

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Objective. To estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of improving diabetes care with the Health Disparities Collaborative (HDC), a national collaborative quality improvement (QI) program conducted in community health centers (HCs).

Data Sources/Study Settings. Data regarding the impact of the Diabetes HDC program came from a serial cross-sectional follow-up study (1998, 2000, 2002) of the program in 17 Midwestern HCs. Data inputs for the simulation model of diabetes came from the latest clinical trials and epidemiological studies.

Study Design. We conducted a societal cost-effectiveness analysis, incorporating data from QI program evaluation into a Monte Carlo simulation model of diabetes.

Data Collections/Extraction …

Snapshot 2007: Maine Workers With Disabilities, Maine’S Commission On Disability And Employment, Choices Ceo Project

Disability & Aging

No abstract provided.

Bolivia: Marketing And Economic Analyses Help Ngos Develop Strategies For Sustainability, Frontiers In Reproductive Health

Reproductive Health

Many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) face reduced funding for reproductive health services and are seeking ways to assess and enhance their ability to generate income to cover their service costs. In 2004, following a workshop on financial sustainability presented by the Population Council’s FRONTIERS Program, three Bolivian NGOs—Prosalud; the Center for Research, Education, and Services (CIES); and the Association of Rural Health Programs (APSAR)—developed operations research studies to improve their financial sustainability. The Prosalud and CIES studies included a cost-recovery study, a study measuring clients’ willingness to pay for services, and a market segmentation study to compare the NGOs’ services with …

Mainstreaming And Scaling Up The Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project, Ian Askew, Humphres Evelia

Reproductive Health

From 1999–2003, FRONTIERS implemented a Global Agenda program of operations research (OR) projects to address the reproductive health (RH) needs of adolescents in four countries—Bangladesh, Kenya, Mexico, and Senegal. The project was implemented in two districts of Western Province in Kenya and was known as the Kenya Adolescent Reproductive Health Project (KARHP). The project supported a public sector, multisectoral intervention to enhance young people’s knowledge and behavior regarding HIV prevention and RH. Implemented jointly with PATH, this OR project demonstrated that such an intervention could be implemented by the public sector, that it was acceptable to communities, that its influence …

Mainstreaming Adolescent Reproductive Health In Senegal: Enhancing Utilization Of The Findings From The Youth Reproductive Health Project, Nafissatou J. Diop, Anta Fall Diagne

Reproductive Health

From 1999–2003, FRONTIERS implemented a Global Agenda program of operations research projects to address the reproductive health (RH) needs of adolescents in four countries—Bangladesh, Kenya, Mexico, and Senegal. The project was implemented in urban areas of Saint-Louis and Louga, in northwestern Senegal, and was known as Improving the Reproductive Health of Youth in Senegal. The project supported a public-sector, multisectoral intervention to enhance young people’s knowledge and behavior regarding HIV prevention and RH, and systematically tested its feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, and cost. The intervention had a significant positive impact on young people’s awareness and understanding of RH issues. The pilot …

Assessment: Frontiers Small Grants Program, Koli Banik

Reproductive Health

This report reviews the Small Grants Program (SGP) implemented by FRONTIERS. It assesses the SGP’s areas of achievements and challenges, and explores the feasibility of using this approach to build capacity in operations research. The report provides ideas for implementing a successful SGP that can deliver high-quality, relevant, and timely information for program design. Although capacity building was not an objective in the FRONTIERS SGP, it did produce some increased capacity after two years. As was found with other small grants programs, the FRONTIERS experience suggests that considerable resources are required to produce good quality research and final products. Program …

From Pilots To Regional Programs: Expanding Contraceptive Choice And Improving Quality Of Care In Zambia's Copperbelt, Jill Keesbury

Reproductive Health

Between 2002 and 2005, the Pilots to Regional Programs (PRP) initiative was implemented in eight rural and periurban districts of Zambia’s Copperbelt region. Implemented by the Zambian Ministry of Health/Central Board of Health in collaboration with the Copperbelt Provincial Health Office and with technical assistance from the Population Council, the PRP initiative had two objectives: to expand contraceptive choice and increase the availability of high-quality reproductive health services, and to field-test a model for scaling up reproductive health interventions. The resulting project was structured around three activities: (1) expanding the method mix, (2) training healthcare workers, and (3) linking the …

Increasing Dual Protection Among Rickshaw Pullers In Bangladesh, Ismat Bhuiya, Mizanur Rahman, Ubaidur Rob, M.E. Khan, K.M. Zahiduzzaman

Reproductive Health

The main objective of this study, conducted in six urban clinics of Dhaka, Bangladesh was to increase contraceptive use among rickshaw pullers, with special emphasis on condom use. The study tested two strategies to increase access to family planning and reproductive health (RH) information and services: a) an educational campaign together with improved availability of condoms; and b) an educational campaign alone. Findings show that rickshaw pullers’ knowledge on contraceptive methods increased significantly in both the experimental sites compared to the control site. Use of any contraceptive method increased significantly in the experimental sites, and condom use increased significantly in …

Consolidating A Gender Perspective In The Procosi Network, Erica Palenque De La Quintana, Patricia Riveros Hamel, Ricardo Vernon

Reproductive Health

The Integral Health Coordination Program (Programa de Coordinación en Salud Integral, or PROCOSI) in Bolivia developed a program to certify service delivery and management support NGOs as gender-sensitive. The certification system is based on an initial self-assessment by teams consisting of staff from service delivery (clinical) or management support (administrative) NGOs, followed by the development and implementation of activities to improve the gaps found until a minimum of 80 percent of the designated quality and gender standards are met. At the project’s end, 14 of the 15 participating NGOs had reached compliance with at least 80 percent of the proposed …

Technical Assistance To The Institute Of Reproductive Health, Georgetown University In Researching Introduction Strategies For The Standard Days Contraceptive Method (Sdm), Saumya Ramarao, James R. Foreit

Reproductive Health

The Institute of Reproductive Health (IRH), Georgetown University tested the impact of introducing the standard days contraceptive method (SDM) with the technical assistance (TA) of Population Council staff. FRONTIERS technical assistance had the immediate effect of allowing IRH to carry out evaluations of the SDM in Asia and Latin America. The IRH studies also produced important lessons learned on strategies for the introduction of natural methods. IRH staff responsible for the India and Ecuador projects learned specific skills in cost-analysis and research instrument design.

Health Systems And Maternal Mortality, Neonatal Mortality And Child Health: Review Of Selected Service Delivery Models, Md. Noorunnabi Talukder, Ubaidur Rob

Reproductive Health

Effective maternal and child health services at the community level in developing countries are rarely available. In many developing countries the health systems cannot provide quality maternal and child health care services due to lack of adequate human resources; shortages of equipment, drugs, and supplies; and absence of proper referral mechanisms. Strengthening health systems is central to improving maternal and child health. A variety of targeted interventions have been implemented in the health systems of developing countries. This study was conducted to identify the health service delivery models that have contributed to the reduction of maternal, infant, and child mortality …

Disparities In Health And Well-Being Among Latinos In Washington Heights/Inwood, 2000–2005, Ana Motta-Moss

Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies

Introduction: This report analyzes how well the residents of Washington Heights/Inwood (WH/IN) have fared on selected health indicators set forth by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygene between 2000 and 2005.

Methods: Data on Latinos and other racial/ethnic groups were obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, reorganized for public use by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota, IPUMSusa. Cases in the dataset were weighted and analyzed to produce population estimates.

Results: Immigrant families in particular face a multitude of health concerns, as well as specific barriers to accessing health care services. The socioeconomic and …

The Nevada Institute For Children’S Research And Policy: Final Report, The Nevada Institute For Children’S Research And Policy

Nevada Institute for Children's Research and Policy Reports

On November 16, 2005, the Legislative Commission unanimously voted to approve hiring the Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy (NICRP), School of Public Health, UNLV to study and evaluate governmental entities and private facilities that have physical custody of children pursuant to a court order and other public entities that provide for the care and supervision of children in the State of Nevada. The study included three primary components. The first component involved an analysis of the guidelines, protocols, policies and procedures of these entities/facilities which affect the health, safety, welfare, treatment and civil or other rights of children …

Girls' Perception Of Physical Environmental Factors And Transportation: Reliability And Association With Physical Activity And Active Transport To School, Kelly R. Evenson, Amanda Birnbaum, Ariane L. Bedimo-Rung, James Sallis, Carolyn C. Voorhees, Kimberly Ring, John P. Elder

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Background

Preliminary evidence suggests that the physical environment and transportation are associated with youth physical activity levels. Only a few studies have examined the association of physical environmental factors on walking and bicycling to school. Therefore, the purpose of this study was (1) to examine the test-retest reliability of a survey designed for youth to assess perceptions of physical environmental factors (e.g. safety, aesthetics, facilities near the home) and transportation, and (2) to describe the associations of these perceptions with both physical activity and active transport to school.

Methods

Test and retest surveys, administered a median of 12 days later, …

Outcomes Associated With A Home Care Telehealth Intervention, Faith Hopp, Peter Woodbridge, Usha Subramanian, Laurel Copeland, David Smith, Julie Lowery

Social Work Faculty Publications

To determine whether adding telehealth technology to traditional home care services increases health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and home care satisfaction, and decreases resource utilization among home care patients. This trial included 37 home care patients receiving services in a Veterans Affairs medical center, randomized into intervention and control groups. Outcome measures included patient satisfaction and HRQOL at baseline and 6-month follow- up, and the use of inpatient and outpatient services before and during the 6-month study period. Intervention group patients reported greater improvement in the mental health component of HRQOL, (t = 2.27; df = 15; p = …

Using The Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 In Obesity Treatment, Adam L. Arechiga

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if the Outcome Questionnaire 45.2 (OQ-45) can be used in the treatment of obesity to predict participant dropout and initial treatment success, in terms of weight loss (Lambert et. al, 2002a). The OQ-45 has been used with success to predict dropout from psychotherapy in clinical populations. It was hypothesized that higher pretreatment OQ-45 scores would be associated with less program completion and less weight loss by the end of treatment.

Method: The study employed a non-experimental time series design. Seventy-eight participants were recruited from the three local obesity treatment programs, which …

Data Integration And Storage: Managing And Using Home And Community-Based Services Data For Quality Improvement, Carolyn E. Gray Mph, Maureen Booth Mrp, Ma

Disability & Aging

This paper reports on data integration from a program manager’s perspective. The paper is not meant to be an exhaustive research document, nor does it single out any one correct approach. The paper is meant to facilitate communication between program units and analytic staff and serve as one reference for states as they continue to improve upon data collection techniques and use this information for ongoing quality management and improvement.

Perceived Smoking Environment And Smoking Initiation Among Multi-Ethnic Urban Girls, Tracy R. Nichols, Amanda Birnbaum, Sara Birnel, Gilbert J. Botvin

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose

To examine associations between the perceived smoking environment and smoking initiation among urban multi-ethnic adolescent girls in New York City.

Methods

Self-report surveys completed in grades 7, 8, and 9 assessed girls’ (n = 858) smoking initiation, and perceived smoking environment (family smoking, friends’ smoking, smoking norms, and cigarette availability). Carbon monoxide breath samples were collected from girls using a variation of the bogus pipeline procedure.

Results

Differences were found in smoking prevalence with white girls reporting the highest prevalence of smoking at baseline and the greatest increase in smoking prevalence from seventh to eighth grade. Black girls reported …

Survey Findings: Children Served By Mainecare, 2005, Catherine Ormond, Deborah Thayer

Disability & Aging

No abstract provided.

Community Participation In Tribal Diabetes Programs, Carolyn Smith-Morris

Anthropology Research

No abstract provided.

Snapshot 2006: Maine Workers With Disabilities, Maine’S Commission On Disability And Employment, Choices Ceo Project

Disability & Aging

No abstract provided.

Developing Regional Capacity In Operations Research And Economic Evaluation In South Asia, M.E. Khan, Sohini Roychowdhury, James R. Foreit, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Geetha Vaithyanathan

Reproductive Health

This project contributed significantly to the capacity-building of regional professionals in planning, implementing, and monitoring of reproductive health programs in South Asia. During 2001–05, professionals from 17 countries received training in various aspects of reproductive health in nine workshops, including operations research, economic evaluation, qualitative research methods, proposal writing, and process documentation and enhancing the utilization of research findings in reproductive health programs. Forty-three percent of workshop participants were program managers from government health programs and nongovernmental organizations. Success in leveraging resources from other collaborating agencies and other donors helped the project to organize more workshops than originally planned and …