EXAMINING NURSING HOME COMPARE

描述(由申请人提供)：本提案回应了NIA先导研究计划中概述的第22号研究主题(种族/民族差异和健康差异)。具体而言，我们希望审查“研究以发展和改进……在少数群体中的手段和方法”(PAR-03-056：pg.4)。拟议的分析有可能影响政策和做法，并最终帮助消费者(特别是少数族裔)选择护理设施。 最近，疗养院比较(NHC)--一份针对养老院的全国性成绩单--被发现缺乏可靠性和有效性评估。除了美国政府问责局最近的一份报告描述了这一倡议外，我们无法确定任何关于NHC的研究。这包括没有发现关于NHC对少数群体的适用性的研究。因此，尽管对这份成绩单的需求是毋庸置疑的，但这方面的一些研究显然是有必要的。在这项提案中，我们重点关注NHC对最近被安置在养老院的老年人的家庭成员的影响。NHC旨在为这些消费者选择养老院提供帮助。 我们的假设是，通过NHC成绩单公开传播疗养院质量有助于家庭成员选择护理机构，但对少数族裔的帮助较小。在检验这一假设时，我们将确定成绩单的哪些组成部分(内容、理解、导航或决策)对选择护理机构最有帮助/最无帮助，以及是否可以做出任何具体改进，使成绩单信息既能帮助少数族裔，也能帮助非少数族裔。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal responds to research topic number 22 (Racial/Ethnic Differences and Health Disparities) as outlined in the NIA Pilot Research Program. Specifically, we wish to examine "research to develop and improve instruments and methods ... in minority groups" (PAR-03-056: pg.4). The proposed analyses have the potential to influence policy and practices - and ultimately help consumers (especially minorities) choose a nursing facility. Lack of reliability and validity assessment has recently been identified for Nursing Home Compare (NHC) - a national report card for nursing homes. With the exception of a recent GAO report describing this initiative, we could not identify any research on NHC. This includes finding no research on the applicability of NHC for minority groups. So despite the unquestionable need for this report card, some research in this area is clearly warranted. In this proposal, we focus on the impact of NHC on family members of elders who were recently placed in a nursing home. NHC is intended to provide assistance to these consumers in choosing nursing homes. Our hypothesis is that public dissemination of nursing home quality through the NHC report card has helped family members in choosing a nursing facility, but is less helpful for minorities. In examining this hypothesis, we will determine which components of the report card (content, comprehension, navigation, or decision making) are most/least helpful in choosing a nursing facility and whether any specific improvements can be made so that the report card information can help both minorities and non-minorities.