Personal Assistance Services (PAS) Impact Survey
towusu - Thu, 07/05/2012 - 06:10
Project title:
Missouri Model Spinal Cord Injury System
Project Number:
H133N000012
Tool type:
Survey
Tool class:
Nonengineering tool
Disability targeted:
Spinal cord injury
Study target:
Personal assistants and consumers who hire personal assistance
Study purpose or goal:
To assess variables associated with the effect of personal assistance services for people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Ease of use:
Very easy
Are any approvals required?:
IRB
What is the scope or what areas does it cover?:
It can also be used to inform legislators because PAS programs are vulnerable to budget cuts. If researchers can demonstrate best practices they can encourage funding decisions. The data be generalized to people with physical disabilities other than SCI who use PAS. The data will serve to improve quality of care and reduce medical complications of people with SCI, to wncourage full participation, and encourage the employer/employee relationship.
Development background:
It was created for the project entitled Individualized Management of Personal Assistant/Consumer Teams (IMPACT).
Development methodology:
Development of this survey included exhaustive literature review of the status of personal assistance services (PAS). Researchers reviewed literature on short-term training. Some literature review was done to update issues related to bowel and bladder care, skin care, and communication skills. Consultations were made with researchers within and outside the institution, particularly NIDRR and non-NIDRR funded researchers in PAS
Consumer input:
Several consumers also served on the development team. Questions and methodology were extracted from workshop material thought to be most relevant to PAS: some medical content, some communication skills content, as well as some community participation iss
Can this tool be used for other purposes/populations?:
The data be generalized to people with physical disabilities other than SCI who use PAS
Data analysis:
Is in process
Limitations:
Follow-up can be time consuming
The survey unearths problems in the consumer-assistant relationship that may need to be addressed, for example stealing or abuse
Findings:
Initial findings are that participants in workshops had significantly fewer urinary tract or bladder infections after training than those who did not participate showing that participation in a workshop enables consumers and their assistants to apply current medical knowledge about urinary tract infections and bladder care more effectively.
Interpretations:
Researchers are utilizing a variety of parametric and nonparametric procedures. The entire project follows a quasi-experimental design using control populations in independent living centers who had not yet received training (weightless controls).
Impact of these findings on the field:
The data informs people with SCI and other physical disabilities who use PAS. It can be used by physicians who want to train consumers and assistants in healthcare issues as well as other healthcare professionals in rehabilitation. It can also be used to inform legislators because PAS programs are vulnerable to budget cuts. If researchers can demonstrate best practices they can encourage funding decisions. The data be generalized to people with physical disabilities other than SCI who use PAS. The data will serve to improve quality of care and reduce medical complications of people with SCI, to wncourage full participation, and encourage the employer/employee relationship.
Peer review status:
unknown
Who uses the collected data?:
Consumers, physicians, PAS
Tool contact:
Mary Clark, RN, MPH
Email:
clarkmj@health.missouri.edu
Phone:
573/882-5711 (V), 573/882-7971
Keywords:
