Burdine JN, Abel AL, Felix MR, Plock C; Association for Health Services Research. Meeting.
Abstr Book Assoc Health Serv Res Meet. 1999; 16: 392.
Felix, Burdine and Associates, Allentown, PA 18104, USA.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: Many communities have conducted a population health status assessment as the first step in strategies to improve the populations's health. In both 1995 and 1998, a population health survey (as part of an assessment process) was conducted in Larimer County, Colorado, and the authors, with the community, developed the process and measures for determining changes in health status, access to services, and other population-level changes in this "time two" survey. This project also determined the value and application of a population health survey as an evaluative tool for health improvement strategies implemented based on the results of the 1995 population health survey. STUDY DESIGN: In 1995, a population health status survey was conducted in Larimer County, Colorado, using a survey instrument developed and tested by the authors in more than fifteen communities since 1992. A similar instrument and data collection methodology were employed in the community in 1998, but strategies to increase response rates from the Medicaid insured population were also employed. A phone-mail technique was used for data collection in both surveys, yielding response rates of more than 70% to the mailed survey component in both 1995 and 1998. Comparative analysis of results from 1995 and 1998 for all survey questions was conducted to find significant differences across all measures. Subsequent analysis was conducted to discern the source of these differences. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Demographic changes in the community over the past three years, differences in health status by population subgroups as well as differences in access to health services will be reported, as well as methods and considerations in conducting a "time two" population health status survey. CONCLUSIONS: Three years is an appropriate time frame to measure changes in demographics, health status or access to health services at the population level. Population surveys can also be used in the evaluation of programs implemented as a result of issues identified in a survey, by using similar measures over time. IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY, DELIVERY OR PRACTICE: Communities that have invested in the health of their population by assessing health status, and developing programs based on that assessment, can use a similar methodology and population survey appproach to measure their progress. Considerations for cost and implementation of such an approach can help determine value and application for the community as well.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Colorado
- Data Collection
- Demography
- Health
- Health Services
- Health Status
- Health Surveys
- Physical Examination
- Population
- Population Groups
- Postal Service
- Research Design
- Telephone
- Time
- diagnosis
- methods
- hsrmtgs
Other ID:
UI: 102194791
From Meeting Abstracts