Ann Karin Helgesen
Østfold University College, Norway
Title: Health care quality from the persons with dementia’s perspective: Development and testing of a questionnaire
Biography
Biography: Ann Karin Helgesen
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Dementia care is one of the most rapidly growing areas in healthcare; however, relatively little is known about the experiences of care quality of persons with dementia themselves. The Quality from the Patient’s Perspective (QPP) questionnaire is based on a model of care quality from the patients’ perceptions of care, and has previously been adapted for use in different healthcare settings. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to adapt the QPP for use by persons with dementia and (2) to describe perceptions of care quality among persons with dementia in special care units (SCUs) in nursing homes.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: A cross-sectional design was used. Structured interviews using a questionnaire were carried out. The study was conducted in SCUs in three nursing homes in Norway and included 61 persons with dementia, with a response rate of 96.8%. An exploratory factor analysis using principal axis factoring with oblique rotation was performed for
psychometric evaluation. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha and subgroup comparisons were performed using chi-squares and t tests.
Results: The QPP questionnaire was adapted for dementia care by selecting items from the QPP, modifying items, and constructing new items specifically for dementia care. The QPP questionnaire specifically for dementia care (QPP-DC) consists of 23 items representing seven factors with an eigenvalue ≥ 1.0. The reliability coefficients were acceptable for most factors. The quality ratings of persons with dementia showed considerable variation across the different items.
Conclusions & Significance: QPP-DC provides a meaningful tool for quality improvements of care in special care units by detecting areas of importance for the persons with dementia. Nevertheless, research is needed to further validate and test the QPP-DC in other contexts.
Recent Publications:
- Drageset J, Kirkevold M. Espehaug B. (2011). Loneliness and social support among nursing home residents without cognitive impairment: A questionnaire survey. Int J Nurs Stud, 48:611–619.
- Helgesen AK (2013). Patient participation in everyday life in special care units for persons with dementia. Faculty of Social and Life Sciences, Karlstad University Studies. (Doctoral dissertation).
- Larsson G, Wilde-Larsson B. (2001). Quality of care and service as perceived by adults with developmental disabilities, their parents and primary caregivers. Mental Retardation 39:249-258.
- Perales J, Cosco TD, Stephan BC, Haro JM, Brayne C. (2013) Health-related quality-of-life instruments for Alzheimer's disease and mixed dementia. International Psychogeriatrics, 25:691-706.
- van Baalen A, Vingerhoets Ad JJM, Sixma HJ & de Lange J (2011). How to evaluate quality of care from the perspective of people with dementia: an overview of the literature. Dementia, 10:112–37.
- Wilde Larsson, B. and Larsson, G. (2002), “Development of a short form of the Quality from the patient’s perspective (QPP) questionnaire”, Journal of Clinical Nursing, Vol. 11 No. 5, pp. 681-687.