Design and Reproducibility of a Mini-Survey to Evaluate the Quality of Food Intake (Mini-ECCA) in a Mexican Population

PubMed Central

González-Gómez, Montserrat; Orozco-Gutiérrez, Jaime Fernando; Prado-Arriaga, Ruth Jackelyne; Márquez-Sandoval, Fabiola; Altamirano-Martínez, Martha Betzaida

2018-01-01

Evaluating food intake quality may contribute to the development of nutrition programs. In Mexico, there are no screening tools that can be administered quickly for the evaluation of this variable. The aim was to determine the reproducibility of a mini-survey designed to evaluate the quality of food intake (Mini-ECCA) in a Mexican population. Mini-ECCA consists of 12 questions that are based on Mexican and international recommendations for food and non-alcoholic beverage intake, with the support of photographs for food quantity estimation. Each question scores as 0 (unhealthy) or 1 (healthy), and the final score undergoes a classification procedure. Through the framework of a nutritional study, 152 employees of the municipal water company in Guadalajara, Mexico (April–August 2016), were invited to participate. The survey was administered in two rounds (test and retest) with a 15-day interval between them. We calculated the Spearman correlation coefficient, the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and weighted kappa for score classification agreement (SPSS versus 14 p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant). The survey obtained a “good” reproducibility (ρ = 0.713, p < 0.001), and an excellent concordance (ICC = 0.841 Confidence Interval 95% 0.779, 0.885). It can thus be said that the Mini-ECCA displayed acceptable reproducibility and is suitable for the purpose of dietary assessment and guidance. PMID:29690618

Design and Reproducibility of a Mini-Survey to Evaluate the Quality of Food Intake (Mini-ECCA) in a Mexican Population.

PubMed

Bernal-Orozco, María Fernanda; Badillo-Camacho, Nayeli; Macedo-Ojeda, Gabriela; González-Gómez, Montserrat; Orozco-Gutiérrez, Jaime Fernando; Prado-Arriaga, Ruth Jackelyne; Márquez-Sandoval, Fabiola; Altamirano-Martínez, Martha Betzaida; Vizmanos, Barbara

2018-04-23

Evaluating food intake quality may contribute to the development of nutrition programs. In Mexico, there are no screening tools that can be administered quickly for the evaluation of this variable. The aim was to determine the reproducibility of a mini-survey designed to evaluate the quality of food intake (Mini-ECCA) in a Mexican population. Mini-ECCA consists of 12 questions that are based on Mexican and international recommendations for food and non-alcoholic beverage intake, with the support of photographs for food quantity estimation. Each question scores as 0 (unhealthy) or 1 (healthy), and the final score undergoes a classification procedure. Through the framework of a nutritional study, 152 employees of the municipal water company in Guadalajara, Mexico (April⁻August 2016), were invited to participate. The survey was administered in two rounds (test and retest) with a 15-day interval between them. We calculated the Spearman correlation coefficient, the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and weighted kappa for score classification agreement (SPSS versus 14 p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant). The survey obtained a “good” reproducibility (ρ = 0.713, p < 0.001), and an excellent concordance (ICC = 0.841 Confidence Interval 95% 0.779, 0.885). It can thus be said that the Mini-ECCA displayed acceptable reproducibility and is suitable for the purpose of dietary assessment and guidance.

Evaluating the sinus and Nasal Quality of Life Survey in the pediatric cystic fibrosis patient population.

PubMed

Xie, Deborah X; Wu, Jeffanie; Kelly, Katherine; Brown, Rebekah F; Shannon, Chevis; Virgin, Frank W

2017-11-01

The Sinus and Nasal Quality of Life Survey (SN-5) is a validated quality of life (QOL) questionnaire for chronic rhinosinusitis in patients age 2-12. Its utility in the cystic fibrosis (CF) has been studied, but not yet validated. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the SN-5 for evaluation of sinonasal symptoms in the pediatric CF population. This retrospective study analyzed SN-5 surveys completed between 2012 and 2015 by pediatric CF patients and caregivers. Baseline and follow-up overall QOL scores and specific symptom scores were obtained from surveys completed in the three-year span. Non-parametric statistics were conducted to identify differences in survey data. A total of 165 patients completed baseline and follow-up surveys. The overall QOL of the patient cohort did not change over the duration of the study (p = 0.660). Thirty-seven patients indicated higher overall QOL, with all five symptom scores showing significant improvement. Analysis by age group showed that QOL was significantly correlated with all five symptoms for children ages 0-4. In patients 5-12 years, overall QOL was only correlated with sinus infection (r = -0.3090, p = 0.01). QOL was significantly correlated with sinus infection (r = -0.2903, p = 0.04) and allergy symptoms (r = -0.5644, p < 0.01) in patients >12 years of age. There remains a need for a validated CRS QOL tool for children with CF. Though the SN-5 has previously been described as a potential instrument, our data suggest that it may be more valuable in children ages 0-4. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of feedback interventions for improving the quality assurance of cancer screening in Japan: study design and report of the baseline survey.

PubMed

Machii, Ryoko; Saika, Kumiko; Higashi, Takahiro; Aoki, Ayako; Hamashima, Chisato; Saito, Hiroshi

2012-02-01

The importance of quality assurance in cancer screening has recently gained increasing attention in Japan. To evaluate and improve quality, checklists and process indicators have been developed. To explore effective methods of enhancing quality in cancer screening, we started a randomized control study of the methods of evaluation and feedback for cancer control from 2009 to 2014. We randomly assigned 1270 municipal governments, equivalent to 71% of all Japanese municipal governments that performed screening programs, into three groups. The high-intensity intervention groups (n = 425) were individually evaluated using both checklist performance and process indicator values, while the low-intensity intervention groups (n= 421) were individually evaluated on the basis of only checklist performance. The control group (n = 424) received only a basic report that included the national average of checklist performance scores. We repeated the survey for each municipality's quality assurance activity performance using checklists and process indicators. In this paper, we report our study design and the result of the baseline survey. The checklist adherence rates were especially low in the checklist elements related to invitation of individuals, detailed monitoring of process indicators such as cancer detection rates according to screening histories and appropriate selection of screening facilities. Screening rate and percentage of examinees who underwent detailed examination tended to be lower for large cities when compared with smaller cities for all cancer sites. The performance of the Japanese cancer screening program in 2009 was identified for the first time.

The study of surgical image quality evaluation system by subjective quality factor method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jian J.; Xuan, Jason R.; Yang, Xirong; Yu, Honggang; Koullick, Edouard

2016-03-01

GreenLightTM procedure is an effective and economical way of treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH); there are almost a million of patients treated with GreenLightTM worldwide. During the surgical procedure, the surgeon or physician will rely on the monitoring video system to survey and confirm the surgical progress. There are a few obstructions that could greatly affect the image quality of the monitoring video, like laser glare by the tissue and body fluid, air bubbles and debris generated by tissue evaporation, and bleeding, just to name a few. In order to improve the physician's visual experience of a laser surgical procedure, the system performance parameter related to image quality needs to be well defined. However, since image quality is the integrated set of perceptions of the overall degree of excellence of an image, or in other words, image quality is the perceptually weighted combination of significant attributes (contrast, graininess …) of an image when considered in its marketplace or application, there is no standard definition on overall image or video quality especially for the no-reference case (without a standard chart as reference). In this study, Subjective Quality Factor (SQF) and acutance are used for no-reference image quality evaluation. Basic image quality parameters, like sharpness, color accuracy, size of obstruction and transmission of obstruction, are used as subparameter to define the rating scale for image quality evaluation or comparison. Sample image groups were evaluated by human observers according to the rating scale. Surveys of physician groups were also conducted with lab generated sample videos. The study shows that human subjective perception is a trustworthy way of image quality evaluation. More systematic investigation on the relationship between video quality and image quality of each frame will be conducted as a future study.

Quality control in public participation assessments of water quality: the OPAL Water Survey.

PubMed

Rose, N L; Turner, S D; Goldsmith, B; Gosling, L; Davidson, T A

2016-07-22

Public participation in scientific data collection is a rapidly expanding field. In water quality surveys, the involvement of the public, usually as trained volunteers, generally includes the identification of aquatic invertebrates to a broad taxonomic level. However, quality assurance is often not addressed and remains a key concern for the acceptance of publicly-generated water quality data. The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) Water Survey, launched in May 2010, aimed to encourage interest and participation in water science by developing a 'low-barrier-to-entry' water quality survey. During 2010, over 3000 participant-selected lakes and ponds were surveyed making this the largest public participation lake and pond survey undertaken to date in the UK. But the OPAL approach of using untrained volunteers and largely anonymous data submission exacerbates quality control concerns. A number of approaches were used in order to address data quality issues including: sensitivity analysis to determine differences due to operator, sampling effort and duration; direct comparisons of identification between participants and experienced scientists; the use of a self-assessment identification quiz; the use of multiple participant surveys to assess data variability at single sites over short periods of time; comparison of survey techniques with other measurement variables and with other metrics generally considered more accurate. These quality control approaches were then used to screen the OPAL Water Survey data to generate a more robust dataset. The OPAL Water Survey results provide a regional and national assessment of water quality as well as a first national picture of water clarity (as suspended solids concentrations). Less than 10 % of lakes and ponds surveyed were 'poor' quality while 26.8 % were in the highest water quality band. It is likely that there will always be a question mark over untrained volunteer generated data simply because quality assurance is uncertain

Bias in patient satisfaction surveys: a threat to measuring healthcare quality

PubMed Central

Dunsch, Felipe; Evans, David K; Macis, Mario; Wang, Qiao

2018-01-01

Patient satisfaction surveys are an increasingly common element of efforts to evaluate the quality of healthcare. Many patient satisfaction surveys in low/middle-income countries frame statements positively and invite patients to agree or disagree, so that positive responses may reflect either true satisfaction or bias induced by the positive framing. In an experiment with more than 2200 patients in Nigeria, we distinguish between actual satisfaction and survey biases. Patients randomly assigned to receive negatively framed statements expressed significantly lower levels of satisfaction (87%) than patients receiving the standard positively framed statements (95%—p<0.001). Depending on the question, the effect is as high as a 19 percentage point drop (p<0.001). Thus, high reported patient satisfaction likely overstates the quality of health services. Providers and policymakers wishing to gauge the quality of care will need to avoid framing that induces bias and to complement patient satisfaction measures with more objective measures of quality. PMID:29662696

Evaluation of Patient Satisfaction Surveys in Pediatric Orthopaedics.

PubMed

Segal, Lee S; Plantikow, Carla; Hall, Randon; Wilson, Kristina; Shrader, M Wade

2015-01-01

important in determining health care outcomes. Properly designed and administered surveys provide robust measures of quality. Our study reinforces methodological concerns about patient satisfaction surveys distributed in a high-volume pediatric subspecialty practice. Further research is needed to evaluate the patients' health care experience and true quality of care in pediatric subspecialty ambulatory settings.

EQUIP: A European Survey of Quality Criteria for the Evaluation of Databases.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, T. D.

1998-01-01

Reports on two stages of an investigation into the perceived quality of online databases. Presents data from 989 questionnaires from 600 database users in 12 European and Scandinavian countries and results of a test of the SERVQUAL methodology for identifying user expectations about database services. Lists statements used in the SERVQUAL survey.…

Overview of the Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation Study

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Building Assessment Survey and Evaluation (BASE) study was conducted over a five-year period from 1994-1998, to characterize determinants of indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant perceptions in representative public and commercial office buildings.

An assessment of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling to evaluate malaria outcome indicators: extending malaria indicator surveys.

PubMed

Biedron, Caitlin; Pagano, Marcello; Hedt, Bethany L; Kilian, Albert; Ratcliffe, Amy; Mabunda, Samuel; Valadez, Joseph J

2010-02-01

Large investments and increased global prioritization of malaria prevention and treatment have resulted in greater emphasis on programme monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in many countries. Many countries currently use large multistage cluster sample surveys to monitor malaria outcome indicators on a regional and national level. However, these surveys often mask local-level variability important to programme management. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) has played a valuable role for local-level programme M&E. If incorporated into these larger surveys, it would provide a comprehensive M&E plan at little, if any, extra cost. The Mozambique Ministry of Health conducted a Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) in June and July 2007. We applied LQAS classification rules to the 345 sampled enumeration areas to demonstrate identifying high- and low-performing areas with respect to two malaria program indicators-'household possession of any bednet' and 'household possession of any insecticide-treated bednet (ITN)'. As shown by the MIS, no province in Mozambique achieved the 70% coverage target for household possession of bednets or ITNs. By applying LQAS classification rules to the data, we identify 266 of the 345 enumeration areas as having bednet coverage severely below the 70% target. An additional 73 were identified with low ITN coverage. This article demonstrates the feasibility of integrating LQAS into multistage cluster sampling surveys and using these results to support a comprehensive national, regional and local programme M&E system. Furthermore, in the recommendations we outlined how to integrate the Large Country-LQAS design into macro-surveys while still obtaining results available through current sampling practices.

Methods for computing water-quality loads at sites in the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lee, Casey J.; Murphy, Jennifer C.; Crawford, Charles G.; Deacon, Jeffrey R.

2017-10-24

The U.S. Geological Survey publishes information on concentrations and loads of water-quality constituents at 111 sites across the United States as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Network (NWQN). This report details historical and updated methods for computing water-quality loads at NWQN sites. The primary updates to historical load estimation methods include (1) an adaptation to methods for computing loads to the Gulf of Mexico; (2) the inclusion of loads computed using the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) method; and (3) the inclusion of loads computed using continuous water-quality data. Loads computed using WRTDS and continuous water-quality data are provided along with those computed using historical methods. Various aspects of method updates are evaluated in this report to help users of water-quality loading data determine which estimation methods best suit their particular application.

An assessment of Lot Quality Assurance Sampling to evaluate malaria outcome indicators: extending malaria indicator surveys

PubMed Central

Biedron, Caitlin; Pagano, Marcello; Hedt, Bethany L; Kilian, Albert; Ratcliffe, Amy; Mabunda, Samuel; Valadez, Joseph J

2010-01-01

Background Large investments and increased global prioritization of malaria prevention and treatment have resulted in greater emphasis on programme monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in many countries. Many countries currently use large multistage cluster sample surveys to monitor malaria outcome indicators on a regional and national level. However, these surveys often mask local-level variability important to programme management. Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) has played a valuable role for local-level programme M&E. If incorporated into these larger surveys, it would provide a comprehensive M&E plan at little, if any, extra cost. Methods The Mozambique Ministry of Health conducted a Malaria Indicator Survey (MIS) in June and July 2007. We applied LQAS classification rules to the 345 sampled enumeration areas to demonstrate identifying high- and low-performing areas with respect to two malaria program indicators—‘household possession of any bednet’ and ‘household possession of any insecticide-treated bednet (ITN)’. Results As shown by the MIS, no province in Mozambique achieved the 70% coverage target for household possession of bednets or ITNs. By applying LQAS classification rules to the data, we identify 266 of the 345 enumeration areas as having bednet coverage severely below the 70% target. An additional 73 were identified with low ITN coverage. Conclusions This article demonstrates the feasibility of integrating LQAS into multistage cluster sampling surveys and using these results to support a comprehensive national, regional and local programme M&E system. Furthermore, in the recommendations we outlined how to integrate the Large Country-LQAS design into macro-surveys while still obtaining results available through current sampling practices. PMID:20139435

Ethical challenges in designing and conducting medicine quality surveys.

PubMed

Tabernero, Patricia; Parker, Michael; Ravinetto, Raffaella; Phanouvong, Souly; Yeung, Shunmay; Kitutu, Freddy E; Cheah, Phaik Yeong; Mayxay, Mayfong; Guerin, Philippe J; Newton, Paul N

2016-06-01

In this paper we discuss the main ethical challenges related to the conduct of medicine quality surveys and make suggestions on how to address them. Most evidence-based information regarding medicine quality derives from surveys. However, existing research ethical guidelines do not provide specific guidance for medicine quality surveys. Hence, those conducting surveys are often left wondering how to judge what counts as best practice. A list of the main ethical challenges in the design and conduct of surveys is presented. It is vital that the design and conduct of medicine quality surveys uphold moral and ethical obligations and analyse the ethical implications and consequences of such work. These aspects include the impact on the local availability of and access to medicines; the confidentiality and privacy of the surveyors and the surveyed; questions as to whether outlet staff personnel should be told they are part of a survey; the need of ethical and regulatory approvals; and how the findings should be disseminated. Medicine quality surveys should ideally be conducted in partnership with the relevant national Medicine Regulatory Authorities. An international, but contextually sensitive, model of good ethical practice for such surveys is needed. © 2016 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

2015/2016 Quality Risk Management Benchmarking Survey.

PubMed

Waldron, Kelly; Ramnarine, Emma; Hartman, Jeffrey

2017-01-01

This paper investigates the concept of quality risk management (QRM) maturity as it applies to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries, using the results and analysis from a QRM benchmarking survey conducted in 2015 and 2016. QRM maturity can be defined as the effectiveness and efficiency of a quality risk management program, moving beyond "check-the-box" compliance with guidelines such as ICH Q9 Quality Risk Management , to explore the value QRM brings to business and quality operations. While significant progress has been made towards full adoption of QRM principles and practices across industry, the full benefits of QRM have not yet been fully realized. The results of the QRM Benchmarking Survey indicate that the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries are approximately halfway along the journey towards full QRM maturity. LAY ABSTRACT: The management of risks associated with medicinal product quality and patient safety are an important focus for the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries. These risks are identified, analyzed, and controlled through a defined process called quality risk management (QRM), which seeks to protect the patient from potential quality-related risks. This paper summarizes the outcomes of a comprehensive survey of industry practitioners performed in 2015 and 2016 that aimed to benchmark the level of maturity with regard to the application of QRM. The survey results and subsequent analysis revealed that the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries have made significant progress in the management of quality risks over the last ten years, and they are roughly halfway towards reaching full maturity of QRM. © PDA, Inc. 2017.

New tools for evaluating LQAS survey designs

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) surveys have become increasingly popular in global health care applications. Incorporating Bayesian ideas into LQAS survey design, such as using reasonable prior beliefs about the distribution of an indicator, can improve the selection of design parameters and decision rules. In this paper, a joint frequentist and Bayesian framework is proposed for evaluating LQAS classification accuracy and informing survey design parameters. Simple software tools are provided for calculating the positive and negative predictive value of a design with respect to an underlying coverage distribution and the selected design parameters. These tools are illustrated using a data example from two consecutive LQAS surveys measuring Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) preparation. Using the survey tools, the dependence of classification accuracy on benchmark selection and the width of the ‘grey region’ are clarified in the context of ORS preparation across seven supervision areas. Following the completion of an LQAS survey, estimation of the distribution of coverage across areas facilitates quantifying classification accuracy and can help guide intervention decisions. PMID:24528928

New tools for evaluating LQAS survey designs.

PubMed

Hund, Lauren

2014-02-15

Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) surveys have become increasingly popular in global health care applications. Incorporating Bayesian ideas into LQAS survey design, such as using reasonable prior beliefs about the distribution of an indicator, can improve the selection of design parameters and decision rules. In this paper, a joint frequentist and Bayesian framework is proposed for evaluating LQAS classification accuracy and informing survey design parameters. Simple software tools are provided for calculating the positive and negative predictive value of a design with respect to an underlying coverage distribution and the selected design parameters. These tools are illustrated using a data example from two consecutive LQAS surveys measuring Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) preparation. Using the survey tools, the dependence of classification accuracy on benchmark selection and the width of the 'grey region' are clarified in the context of ORS preparation across seven supervision areas. Following the completion of an LQAS survey, estimation of the distribution of coverage across areas facilitates quantifying classification accuracy and can help guide intervention decisions.

A survey of quality measures for gray-scale image compression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eskicioglu, Ahmet M.; Fisher, Paul S.

1993-01-01

Although a variety of techniques are available today for gray-scale image compression, a complete evaluation of these techniques cannot be made as there is no single reliable objective criterion for measuring the error in compressed images. The traditional subjective criteria are burdensome, and usually inaccurate or inconsistent. On the other hand, being the most common objective criterion, the mean square error (MSE) does not have a good correlation with the viewer's response. It is now understood that in order to have a reliable quality measure, a representative model of the complex human visual system is required. In this paper, we survey and give a classification of the criteria for the evaluation of monochrome image quality.

Improving Survey Methods with Cognitive Interviews in Small- and Medium-Scale Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Katherine; Gannon-Slater, Nora; Culbertson, Michael J.

2012-01-01

Findings derived from self-reported, structured survey questionnaires are commonly used in evaluation and applied research to inform policy-making and program decisions. Although there are a variety of issues related to the quality of survey evidence (e.g., sampling precision), the validity of response processes--how respondents process thoughts…

Consumer Participation in Quality Improvements for Chronic Disease Care: Development and Evaluation of an Interactive Patient-Centered Survey to Identify Preferred Service Initiatives

PubMed Central

Paul, Christine L; Bryant, Jamie; Roos, Ian A; Henskens, Frans A; Paul, David J

2014-01-01

Background With increasing attention given to the quality of chronic disease care, a measurement approach that empowers consumers to participate in improving quality of care and enables health services to systematically introduce patient-centered initiatives is needed. A Web-based survey with complex adaptive questioning and interactive survey items would allow consumers to easily identify and prioritize detailed service initiatives. Objective The aim was to develop and test a Web-based survey capable of identifying and prioritizing patient-centered initiatives in chronic disease outpatient services. Testing included (1) test-retest reliability, (2) patient-perceived acceptability of the survey content and delivery mode, and (3) average completion time, completion rates, and Flesch-Kincaid reading score. Methods In Phase I, the Web-based Consumer Preferences Survey was developed based on a structured literature review and iterative feedback from expert groups of service providers and consumers. The touchscreen survey contained 23 general initiatives, 110 specific initiatives available through adaptive questioning, and a relative prioritization exercise. In Phase II, a pilot study was conducted within 4 outpatient clinics to evaluate the reliability properties, patient-perceived acceptability, and feasibility of the survey. Eligible participants were approached to complete the survey while waiting for an appointment or receiving intravenous therapy. The age and gender of nonconsenters was estimated to ascertain consent bias. Participants with a subsequent appointment within 14 days were asked to complete the survey for a second time. Results A total of 741 of 1042 individuals consented to participate (71.11% consent), 529 of 741 completed all survey content (78.9% completion), and 39 of 68 completed the test-retest component. Substantial or moderate reliability (Cohen’s kappa>0.4) was reported for 16 of 20 general initiatives with observed percentage agreement

Consumer participation in quality improvements for chronic disease care: development and evaluation of an interactive patient-centered survey to identify preferred service initiatives.

PubMed

Fradgley, Elizabeth A; Paul, Christine L; Bryant, Jamie; Roos, Ian A; Henskens, Frans A; Paul, David J

2014-12-19

With increasing attention given to the quality of chronic disease care, a measurement approach that empowers consumers to participate in improving quality of care and enables health services to systematically introduce patient-centered initiatives is needed. A Web-based survey with complex adaptive questioning and interactive survey items would allow consumers to easily identify and prioritize detailed service initiatives. The aim was to develop and test a Web-based survey capable of identifying and prioritizing patient-centered initiatives in chronic disease outpatient services. Testing included (1) test-retest reliability, (2) patient-perceived acceptability of the survey content and delivery mode, and (3) average completion time, completion rates, and Flesch-Kincaid reading score. In Phase I, the Web-based Consumer Preferences Survey was developed based on a structured literature review and iterative feedback from expert groups of service providers and consumers. The touchscreen survey contained 23 general initiatives, 110 specific initiatives available through adaptive questioning, and a relative prioritization exercise. In Phase II, a pilot study was conducted within 4 outpatient clinics to evaluate the reliability properties, patient-perceived acceptability, and feasibility of the survey. Eligible participants were approached to complete the survey while waiting for an appointment or receiving intravenous therapy. The age and gender of nonconsenters was estimated to ascertain consent bias. Participants with a subsequent appointment within 14 days were asked to complete the survey for a second time. A total of 741 of 1042 individuals consented to participate (71.11% consent), 529 of 741 completed all survey content (78.9% completion), and 39 of 68 completed the test-retest component. Substantial or moderate reliability (Cohen's kappa>0.4) was reported for 16 of 20 general initiatives with observed percentage agreement ranging from 82.1%-100.0%. The majority of

Nearshore Survey System Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

ER D C/ CH L TR -1 7- 19 Coastal Field Data Collection Program Nearshore Survey System Evaluation Co as ta l a nd H yd ra ul ic s La...Collection Program ERDC/CHL TR-17-19 December 2017 Nearshore Survey System Evaluation Michael F. Forte, William A. Birkemeier, and J. Robert Mitchell...No. 462585 ERDC/CHL TR-17-19 ii Abstract This report evaluates the accuracy of two systems for surveying the beach and nearshore zone. The 10

Psychometric Quality of a Student Evaluation of Teaching Survey in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oon, Pey-Tee; Spencer, Benson; Kam, Chester Chun Seng

2017-01-01

Student evaluations of teaching (SET) are used globally by higher education institutions for performance assessment of academic staff and evaluation of course quality. Higher education institutions commonly develop their own SETs to measure variables deemed relevant to them. However, "home-grown" SETs are rarely assessed…

Strapdown Airborne Gravimetry Quality Assessment Method Based on Single Survey Line Data: A Study by SGA-WZ02 Gravimeter

PubMed Central

Wu, Meiping; Cao, Juliang; Zhang, Kaidong; Cai, Shaokun; Yu, Ruihang

2018-01-01

Quality assessment is an important part in the strapdown airborne gravimetry. Root mean square error (RMSE) evaluation method is a classical way to evaluate the gravimetry quality, but classical evaluation methods are preconditioned by extra flight or reference data. Thus, a method, which is able to largely conquer the premises of classical quality assessment methods and can be used in single survey line, has been developed in this paper. According to theoretical analysis, the method chooses the stability of two horizontal attitude angles, horizontal specific force and vertical specific force as the determinants of quality assessment method. The actual data, collected by SGA-WZ02 from 13 flights 21 lines in certain survey, was used to build the model and elaborate the method. To substantiate the performance of the quality assessment model, the model is applied in extra repeat line flights from two surveys. Compared with internal RMSE, standard deviation of assessment residuals are 0.23 mGal and 0.16 mGal in two surveys, which shows that the quality assessment method is reliable and stricter. The extra flights are not necessary by specially arranging the route of flights. The method, summarized from SGA-WZ02, is a feasible approach to assess gravimetry quality using single line data and is also suitable for other strapdown gravimeters. PMID:29373535

Tools for surveying and improving the quality of life: people with special needs in focus.

PubMed

Hoyningen-Süess, Ursula; Oberholzer, David; Stalder, René; Brügger, Urs

2012-01-01

This article seeks to describe online tools for surveying and improving quality of life for people with disabilities living in assisted living centers and special education service organizations. Ensuring a decent quality of life for disabled people is an important welfare state goal. Using well-accepted quality of life conceptions, online diagnostic and planning tools were developed during an Institute for Education, University of Zurich, research project. The diagnostic tools measure, evaluate and analyze disabled people's quality of life. The planning tools identify factors that can affect their quality of life and suggest improvements. Instrument validity and reliability are not tested according to the standard statistical procedures. This will be done at a more advanced stage of the project. Instead, the tool is developed, refined and adjusted in cooperation with practitioners who are constantly judging it according to best practice standards. The tools support staff in assisted living centers and special education service organizations. These tools offer comprehensive resources for surveying, quantifying, evaluating, describing and simulating quality of life elements.

A Survey Data Quality Strategy: The Institutional Research Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qin

2009-01-01

This paper intends to construct a survey data quality strategy for institutional researchers in higher education in light of total survey error theory. It starts with describing the characteristics of institutional research and identifying the gaps in literature regarding survey data quality issues in institutional research. Then it is followed by…

Determining the Measurement Quality of a Montessori High School Teacher Evaluation Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Setari, Anthony Philip; Bradley, Kelly D.

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to conduct a psychometric validation of a course evaluation instrument, known as a student evaluation of teaching (SET), implemented in a Montessori high school. The authors demonstrate to the Montessori community how to rigorously examine the measurement and assessment quality of instruments used within Montessori…

A Study of Student Completion Strategies in a Likert-Type Course Evaluation Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gee, Nick

2017-01-01

This article investigates the motivations and strategies employed by respondents to a Likert-style course evaluation at a UK university. These attitude surveys, generating large amounts of quantitative data, are commonly used in quality assurance procedures across UK higher education institutions. Similar student survey results are now scrutinised…

Evaluating Quality in Associate Degree Culinary Arts Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertzman, Jean; Ackerman, Robert

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine which categories and indicators of quality are best suited to evaluating associate degree culinary arts programs (ADCAP). Design/methodology/approach: The researchers surveyed a national sample of culinary educators and industry chefs in the USA. The instrument asked the participants to rate the…

Quality of survey reporting in nephrology journals: a methodologic review.

PubMed

Li, Alvin Ho-Ting; Thomas, Sonia M; Farag, Alexandra; Duffett, Mark; Garg, Amit X; Naylor, Kyla L

2014-12-05

Survey research is an important research method used to determine individuals' attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors; however, as with other research methods, inadequate reporting threatens the validity of results. This study aimed to describe the quality of reporting of surveys published between 2001 and 2011 in the field of nephrology. The top nephrology journals were systematically reviewed (2001-2011: American Journal of Kidney Diseases, Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, and Kidney International; 2006-2011: Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology) for studies whose primary objective was to collect and report survey results. Included were nephrology journals with a heavy focus on clinical research and high impact factors. All titles and abstracts were screened in duplicate. Surveys were excluded if they were part of a multimethod study, evaluated only psychometric characteristics, or used semi-structured interviews. Information was collected on survey and respondent characteristics, questionnaire development (e.g., pilot testing), psychometric characteristics (e.g., validity and reliability), survey methods used to optimize response rate (e.g., system of multiple contacts), and response rate. After a screening of 19,970 citations, 216 full-text articles were reviewed and 102 surveys were included. Approximately 85% of studies reported a response rate. Almost half of studies (46%) discussed how they developed their questionnaire and only a quarter of studies (28%) mentioned the validity or reliability of the questionnaire. The only characteristic that improved over the years was the proportion of articles reporting missing data (2001-2004: 46.4%; 2005-2008: 61.9%; and 2009-2011: 84.8%; respectively) (P<0.01). The quality of survey reporting in nephrology journals remains suboptimal. In particular, reporting of the validity and reliability of the questionnaire must be improved. Guidelines to improve survey reporting and increase transparency are

Comprehensive evaluation of land quality basing on 3S technology and farmers' survey: A case study in Crisscross Region of Wind-drift Sand Regions along the Great Wall and Loess Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yan-yu; Wang, Jing; Shi, Yan-xi; Li, Yu-huan; Lv, Chun-yan

2005-10-01

The Crisscross Region of Wind-drift Sand Regions along the Great Wall and Loess Plateau locates in southern Ordos Plateau and northern Chinese Loess Plateau, where wind erosion and water erosion coexist and specified environmental and socio-economic factors, especially human activities induce serious land degradation. However, there are only a few studies provide an overall assessment consequences. Integrated land quality assessment considering impacts of soil, topography, vegetation, environmental hazards, social-economic factors and land managements are imperative to the regional sustainable land managements. A pilot study was made in Hengshan County (Shanxi Province) with the objective of developing comprehensive land quality evaluation model integrating data from farmers' survey and Remote Sensing. Surveys were carried out in 107 households of study area in 2003 and 2004 to get farmers' perceptions of land quality and to collect correlative information. It was found out that farmers evaluated land quality by slope, water availability, soil texture, yields, amount of fertilizer, crop performance, sandy erosion degree and water erosion degree. Scientists' indicators which emphasize on getting information by RS technology were introduced to reflecting above indicators information for the sake of developing a rapid, efficient and local-fitted land quality assessment model including social-economic, environmental and anthropogenic factors. Data from satellite and surveys were integrated with socio-economic statistic data using geographical information system (GIS) and three indexes, namely Production Press Index (PPI), Land State Index (LSI) and Farmer Behavior Index (FBI) were proposed to measure different aspects of land quality. A model was further derived from the three indexes to explore the overall land quality of the study area. Results suggest that local land prevalently had a poor quality. This paper shows that whilst the model was competent for its work in

U.S. Geological Survey quality-assurance plan for continuous water-quality monitoring in Kansas, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bennett, Trudy J.; Graham, Jennifer L.; Foster, Guy M.; Stone, Mandy L.; Juracek, Kyle E.; Rasmussen, Teresa J.; Putnam, James E.

2014-01-01

A quality-assurance plan for use in conducting continuous water-quality monitoring activities has been developed for the Kansas Water Science Center in accordance with guidelines set forth by the U.S. Geological Survey. This quality-assurance plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used by the U.S. Geological Survey in Kansas for activities related to the collection, processing, storage, analysis, and release of continuous water-quality monitoring data. The policies and procedures that are documented in this quality-assurance plan for continuous water-quality monitoring activities complement quality-assurance plans for surface-water and groundwater activities in Kansas.

The mobile image quality survey game

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, D. René

2012-01-01

In this paper we discuss human assessment of the quality of photographic still images, that are degraded in various manners relative to an original, for example due to compression or noise. In particular, we examine and present results from a technique where observers view images on a mobile device, perform pairwise comparisons, identify defects in the images, and interact with the display to indicate the location of the defects. The technique measures the response time and accuracy of the responses. By posing the survey in a form similar to a game, providing performance feedback to the observer, the technique attempts to increase the engagement of the observers, and to avoid exhausting observers, a factor that is often a problem for subjective surveys. The results are compared with the known physical magnitudes of the defects and with results from similar web-based surveys. The strengths and weaknesses of the technique are discussed. Possible extensions of the technique to video quality assessment are also discussed.

Use of Lot quality assurance sampling surveys to evaluate community health worker performance in rural Zambia: a case of Luangwa district.

PubMed

Mwanza, Moses; Zulu, Japhet; Topp, Stephanie M; Musonda, Patrick; Mutale, Wilbroad; Chilengi, Roma

2017-04-17

The Better Health Outcomes through Mentoring and Assessment (BHOMA) project is a cluster randomized controlled trial aimed at reducing age-standardized mortality rates in three rural districts through involvement of Community Health Workers (CHWs), Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), and Neighborhood Health Committees (NHCs). CHWs conduct quarterly surveys on all households using a questionnaire that captures key health events occurring within their catchment population. In order to validate contact with households, we utilize the Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) methodology. In this study, we report experiences of applying the LQAS approach to monitor performance of CHWs in Luangwa District. Between April 2011 and December 2013, seven health facilities in Luangwa district were enrolled into the BHOMA project. The health facility catchment areas were divided into 33 geographic zones. Quality assurance was performed each quarter by randomly selecting zones representing about 90% of enrolled catchment areas from which 19 households per zone where also randomly identified. The surveys were conducted by CHW supervisors who had been trained on using the LQAS questionnaire. Information collected included household identity number (ID), whether the CHW visited the household, duration of the most recent visit, and what health information was discussed during the CHW visit. The threshold for success was set at 75% household outreach by CHWs in each zone. There are 4,616 total households in the 33 zones. This yielded a target of 32,212 household visits by community health workers during the 7 survey rounds. Based on the set cutoff point for passing the surveys (at least 75% households confirmed as visited), only one team of CHWs at Luangwa high school failed to reach the target during round 1 of the surveys; all the teams otherwise registered successful visits in all the surveys. We have employed the LQAS methodology for assurance that quarterly surveys were

The Evaluation of Teachers' Job Performance Based on Total Quality Management (TQM)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahmohammadi, Nayereh

2017-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate teachers' job performance based on total quality management (TQM) model. This was a descriptive survey study. The target population consisted of all primary school teachers in Karaj (N = 2917). Using Cochran formula and simple random sampling, 340 participants were selected as sample. A total quality management…

Using collective expert judgements to evaluate quality measures of mass spectrometry images.

PubMed

Palmer, Andrew; Ovchinnikova, Ekaterina; Thuné, Mikael; Lavigne, Régis; Guével, Blandine; Dyatlov, Andrey; Vitek, Olga; Pineau, Charles; Borén, Mats; Alexandrov, Theodore

2015-06-15

Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is a maturating technique of molecular imaging. Confidence in the reproducible quality of IMS data is essential for its integration into routine use. However, the predominant method for assessing quality is visual examination, a time consuming, unstandardized and non-scalable approach. So far, the problem of assessing the quality has only been marginally addressed and existing measures do not account for the spatial information of IMS data. Importantly, no approach exists for unbiased evaluation of potential quality measures. We propose a novel approach for evaluating potential measures by creating a gold-standard set using collective expert judgements upon which we evaluated image-based measures. To produce a gold standard, we engaged 80 IMS experts, each to rate the relative quality between 52 pairs of ion images from MALDI-TOF IMS datasets of rat brain coronal sections. Experts' optional feedback on their expertise, the task and the survey showed that (i) they had diverse backgrounds and sufficient expertise, (ii) the task was properly understood, and (iii) the survey was comprehensible. A moderate inter-rater agreement was achieved with Krippendorff's alpha of 0.5. A gold-standard set of 634 pairs of images with accompanying ratings was constructed and showed a high agreement of 0.85. Eight families of potential measures with a range of parameters and statistical descriptors, giving 143 in total, were evaluated. Both signal-to-noise and spatial chaos-based measures performed highly with a correlation of 0.7 to 0.9 with the gold standard ratings. Moreover, we showed that a composite measure with the linear coefficients (trained on the gold standard with regularized least squares optimization and lasso) showed a strong linear correlation of 0.94 and an accuracy of 0.98 in predicting which image in a pair was of higher quality. The anonymized data collected from the survey and the Matlab source code for data processing can be found

Using collective expert judgements to evaluate quality measures of mass spectrometry images

PubMed Central

Palmer, Andrew; Ovchinnikova, Ekaterina; Thuné, Mikael; Lavigne, Régis; Guével, Blandine; Dyatlov, Andrey; Vitek, Olga; Pineau, Charles; Borén, Mats; Alexandrov, Theodore

2015-01-01

Motivation: Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is a maturating technique of molecular imaging. Confidence in the reproducible quality of IMS data is essential for its integration into routine use. However, the predominant method for assessing quality is visual examination, a time consuming, unstandardized and non-scalable approach. So far, the problem of assessing the quality has only been marginally addressed and existing measures do not account for the spatial information of IMS data. Importantly, no approach exists for unbiased evaluation of potential quality measures. Results: We propose a novel approach for evaluating potential measures by creating a gold-standard set using collective expert judgements upon which we evaluated image-based measures. To produce a gold standard, we engaged 80 IMS experts, each to rate the relative quality between 52 pairs of ion images from MALDI-TOF IMS datasets of rat brain coronal sections. Experts’ optional feedback on their expertise, the task and the survey showed that (i) they had diverse backgrounds and sufficient expertise, (ii) the task was properly understood, and (iii) the survey was comprehensible. A moderate inter-rater agreement was achieved with Krippendorff’s alpha of 0.5. A gold-standard set of 634 pairs of images with accompanying ratings was constructed and showed a high agreement of 0.85. Eight families of potential measures with a range of parameters and statistical descriptors, giving 143 in total, were evaluated. Both signal-to-noise and spatial chaos-based measures performed highly with a correlation of 0.7 to 0.9 with the gold standard ratings. Moreover, we showed that a composite measure with the linear coefficients (trained on the gold standard with regularized least squares optimization and lasso) showed a strong linear correlation of 0.94 and an accuracy of 0.98 in predicting which image in a pair was of higher quality. Availability and implementation: The anonymized data collected from the survey

Development and Application of the Key Technologies for the Quality Control and Inspection of National Geographical Conditions Survey Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Y.; Zhang, L.; Ma, W.; Zhang, P.; Zhao, T.

2018-04-01

The First National Geographical Condition Survey is a predecessor task to dynamically master basic situations of the nature, ecology and human activities on the earth's surface and it is the brand-new mapping geographic information engineering. In order to ensure comprehensive, real and accurate survey results and achieve the quality management target which the qualified rate is 100 % and the yield is more than 80 %, it is necessary to carry out the quality control and result inspection for national geographical conditions survey on a national scale. To ensure that achievement quality meets quality target requirements, this paper develops the key technology method of "five-in-one" quality control that is constituted by "quality control system of national geographical condition survey, quality inspection technology system, quality evaluation system, quality inspection information management system and national linked quality control institutions" by aiming at large scale, wide coverage range, more undertaking units, more management levels, technical updating, more production process and obvious regional differences in the national geographical condition survey and combining with novel achievement manifestation, complicated dependency, more special reference data, and large data size. This project fully considering the domestic and foreign related research results and production practice experience, combined with the technology development and the needs of the production, it stipulates the inspection methods and technical requirements of each stage in the quality inspection of the geographical condition survey results, and extends the traditional inspection and acceptance technology, and solves the key technologies that are badly needed in the first national geographic survey.

Measuring antimicrobial prescribing quality in Australian hospitals: development and evaluation of a national antimicrobial prescribing survey tool.

PubMed

James, Rodney; Upjohn, Lydia; Cotta, Menino; Luu, Susan; Marshall, Caroline; Buising, Kirsty; Thursky, Karin

2015-01-01

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programmes have been developed with the intention of reducing inappropriate and unnecessary use of antimicrobials, while improving the quality of patient care and locally helping prevent the development of antimicrobial resistance. An important aspect of AMS programmes is the qualitative assessment of prescribing through antimicrobial prescribing surveys (APS), which are able to provide information about the prescribing behaviour within institutions. Owing to lack of standardization of audit tools and the resources required, qualitative methods for the assessment of antimicrobial use are not often performed. The aim of this study was to design an audit tool that was appropriate for use in all Australian hospitals, suited to local user requirements and included an assessment of the overall appropriateness of the prescription. In November 2011, a pilot APS was conducted across 32 hospitals to assess the usability and generalizability of a newly designed audit tool. Following participant feedback, this tool was revised to reflect the requirements of the respondents. A second pilot study was then performed in November 2012 across 85 hospitals. These surveys identified several areas that can be targets for quality improvement at a national level, including: documentation of indication; surgical prophylaxis prescribed for >24 h; compliance with prescribing guidelines; and the appropriateness of the prescription. By involving the end users in the design and evaluation, we have been able to provide a practical and relevant APS tool for quantitative and qualitative data collection in a wide range of Australian hospital settings. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Recommendations for the evaluation and follow-up of the continuous quality improvement].

PubMed

Maurellet-Evrard, S; Daunizeau, A

2013-06-01

Continual improvement of the quality in a medical laboratory is based on the implementation of tools for systematically evaluate the quality management system and its ability to meet the objectives defined. Monitoring through audit and management review, addressing complaints and nonconformities and performing client satisfaction survey are the key for the continual improvement.

A summary of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hirsch, R.M.; Alley, W.M.; Wilber, W.G.

1988-01-01

Beginning in 1986, the Congress appropriated funds for the U.S. Geological Survey to test and refine concepts for a National Water Quality Assessment Program. At present, the program is in a pilot phase with field studies occurring in seven areas around the Nation. In 1990, a committee of the National Academy of Sciences will complete an evaluation of the design and potential utility of the program. A decision about moving to full-scale implementation will be made upon completion of this evaluation. The program is intended to address a wide range of national water quality issues that include chemical contamination, acidification, eutrophication, salinity, sedimentation, and sanitary quality. The goals of the program are to: (1) provide nationally consistent descriptions of current water quality conditions for a large part of the Nation 's water resources; (2) define long-term trends (or lack of trends) in water quality; and (3) identify and describe the relations of both current conditions and trends in water quality to natural and human factors. This information will be provided to water managers, policy makers, and the public to provide an improved scientific basis for evaluating the effectiveness of water quality management programs and for predicting the likely effects of contemplated changes in land- and water-management practices. (USGS)

A descriptive study of California hospice providers' perceptions of public reporting of quality data using the Family Evaluation of Hospice Care Survey.

PubMed

Nelson, Marsha; Gale, Randall C; Naierman, Naomi; DeViney, Meredith

2014-06-01

The Affordable Care Act requires US hospices to report quality data to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 2013 with data eventually being made public. There may be some benefit to participating in a voluntary public-reporting program prior to public disclosure by CMS; therefore, we developed and conducted an electronic survey exploring California hospices' perceptions of public reporting. The majority (78.1%) of respondents reported current use of the Family Evaluation of Hospice Care tool and a willingness to consider voluntary participation in a public-reporting program outside of what is being implemented by CMS (58.6%). Tax status of responding hospices was not predictive of a willingness to participate in a statewide public-reporting program of hospice quality in our study.

Anesthesia Quality and Patient Safety in China: A Survey.

PubMed

Zhu, Bin; Gao, Huan; Zhou, Xiangyong; Huang, Jeffrey

There has been no nationwide investigation into anesthesia quality and patient safety in China. The authors surveyed Chinese anesthesiologists about anesthesia quality by sending a survey to all anesthesiologist members of the New Youth Anesthesia Forum via WeChat. The respondents could choose to use a mobile device or desktop to complete the survey. The overall response rate was 43%. Intraoperative monitoring: 77.9% of respondents reported that electrocardiogram monitoring was routinely applied for all patients; only 55% of the respondents reported that they routinely used end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring for their patients under general anesthesia. 10.3% of respondents admitted that they had at least one wrong medicine administration in the past 3 months; 12.4% reported that they had at least one case of cardiac arrest in the past year. This is the first anesthesia quality survey in China. The findings revealed potential anesthesia safety issues in China.

Evaluating Service Quality in Universities: A Service Department Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Gareth; Smith, Alison; Clarke, Alison

2007-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to report on an in-depth exploration of service quality in an Information Technology service department in a Higher Education Institute (HEI) and to evaluate the instrument used. Design/methodology/approach: The study surveys customers using the SERVQUAL instrument, which is one of the most widely used and…

A survey-based benchmarking approach for health care using the Baldrige quality criteria.

PubMed

Jennings, K; Westfall, F

1994-09-01

Since 1988, manufacturing and service industries have been using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award to assess their management processes (for example, leadership, information, and analysis) against critical performance criteria. Recognizing that the typical Baldrige assessment is time intensive and dependent on intensive training, The Pacer Group, a consulting firm in Dayton, Ohio, developed a self-assessment tool based on the Baldrige criteria which provides a snapshot assessment of an organization's management practices. The survey was administered at 25 hospitals within a health care system. Hospitals were able to compare their scores with other hospitals in the system, as well as the scores of a Baldrige award winner. Results were also analyzed on a systemwide basis to identify strengths and weaknesses across the system. For all 25 hospitals, the following areas were identified as strengths: management of process quality, leadership, and customer focus and satisfaction. Weaknesses included lack of employee involvement in the quality planning process, poor design of quality systems, and lack of cross-departmental cooperation. One of the surveyed hospitals launched improvement initiatives in knowledge of improvement tools and methods and in a patient satisfaction focus. A team was formed to improve the human resource management system. Also, a new unit was designed using patient-centered care principles. A team re-evaluated every operation that affected patients on the unit. A survey modeled after the Baldrige Award criteria can be useful in benchmarking an organization's quality improvement practices.

Key interventions and quality indicators for quality improvement of STEMI care: a RAND Delphi survey.

PubMed

Aeyels, Daan; Sinnaeve, Peter R; Claeys, Marc J; Gevaert, Sofie; Schoors, Danny; Sermeus, Walter; Panella, Massimiliano; Coeckelberghs, Ellen; Bruyneel, Luk; Vanhaecht, Kris

2017-12-13

Identification, selection and validation of key interventions and quality indicators for improvement of in hospital quality of care for ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients. A structured literature review was followed by a RAND Delphi Survey. A purposively selected multidisciplinary expert panel of cardiologists, nurse managers and quality managers selected and validated key interventions and quality indicators prior for quality improvement for STEMI. First, 34 experts (76% response rate) individually assessed the appropriateness of items to quality improvement on a nine point Likert scale. Twenty-seven key interventions, 16 quality indicators at patient level and 27 quality indicators at STEMI care programme level were selected. Eighteen additional items were suggested. Experts received personal feedback, benchmarking their score with group results (response rate, mean, median and content validity index). Consequently, 32 experts (71% response rate) openly discussed items with an item-content validity index above 75%. By consensus, the expert panel validated a final set of 25 key interventions, 13 quality indicators at patient level and 20 quality indicators at care programme level prior for improvement of in hospital care for STEMI. A structured literature review and multidisciplinary expertise was combined to validate a set of key interventions and quality indicators prior for improvement of care for STEMI. The results allow researchers and hospital staff to evaluate and support quality improvement interventions in a large cohort within the context of a health care system.

Experienced quality factors: qualitative evaluation approach to audiovisual quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jumisko-Pyykkö, Satu; Häkkinen, Jukka; Nyman, Göte

2007-02-01

Subjective evaluation is used to identify impairment factors of multimedia quality. The final quality is often formulated via quantitative experiments, but this approach has its constraints, as subject's quality interpretations, experiences and quality evaluation criteria are disregarded. To identify these quality evaluation factors, this study examined qualitatively the criteria participants used to evaluate audiovisual video quality. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 60 participants after a subjective audiovisual quality evaluation experiment. The assessment compared several, relatively low audio-video bitrate ratios with five different television contents on mobile device. In the analysis, methodological triangulation (grounded theory, Bayesian networks and correspondence analysis) was applied to approach the qualitative quality. The results showed that the most important evaluation criteria were the factors of visual quality, contents, factors of audio quality, usefulness - followability and audiovisual interaction. Several relations between the quality factors and the similarities between the contents were identified. As a research methodological recommendation, the focus on content and usage related factors need to be further examined to improve the quality evaluation experiments.

Evaluating the quality, clinical relevance, and resident perception of the radiation oncology in-training examination: A national survey.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun; Bar Ad, Voichita; McAna, John; Dicker, Adam P

2016-01-01

The yearly radiation oncology in-training examination (ITE) by the American College of Radiology is a widely used, norm-referenced educational assessment, with high test reliability and psychometric performance. We distributed a national survey to evaluate the academic radiation oncology community's perception of the ITE. In June 2014, a 7-question online survey was distributed via e-mail to current radiation oncology residents, program directors, and attending physicians who had completed residency in the past 5 years or junior attendings. Survey questions were designed on a 5-point Likert scale. Sign test was performed with P ≤ .05 considered statistically different from neutral. Thirty-one program directors (33.3%), 114 junior attendings (35.4%), and 225 residents (41.2%) responded. Junior attendings and program directors reported that the ITE directly contributed to their preparation for the American Board of Radiology written certification (P = .050 and .004, respectively). Residents did not perceive the examination as an accurate assessment of relevant clinical and scientific knowledge (P < .0001) and feel the quality assurance is insufficient in its current form (P < .0001). Residents and junior attendings agree that there are factual errors, and unclear questions/answers (P < .0001 and .04, respectively). Free response suggestions included: less questions on rare disease sites (16.4%), more relevance to clinical practice (15.4%), avoiding questions that discriminate between a few percentage points (11.8%), and designing the test similar to the written certification examination (9.2%). Despite high examination reliability and psychometric performance, resident and attending physicians report a need for improved quality assurance and clinical relevance in the ITE. Although the current examination allows limited feedback, establishing a venue for individualized feedback may allow continual and timely improvement of the ITE. Adopting a criterion

Factors facilitating a national quality registry to aid clinical quality improvement: findings of a national survey.

PubMed

Eldh, Ann Catrine; Wallin, Lars; Fredriksson, Mio; Vengberg, Sofie; Winblad, Ulrika; Halford, Christina; Dahlström, Tobias

2016-11-09

While national quality registries (NQRs) are suggested to provide opportunities for systematic follow-up and learning opportunities, and thus clinical improvements, features in registries and contexts triggering such processes are not fully known. This study focuses on one of the world's largest stroke registries, the Swedish NQR Riksstroke, investigating what aspects of the registry and healthcare organisations facilitate or hinder the use of registry data in clinical quality improvement. Following particular qualitative studies, we performed a quantitative survey in an exploratory sequential design. The survey, including 50 items on context, processes and the registry, was sent to managers, physicians and nurses engaged in Riksstroke in all 72 Swedish stroke units. Altogether, 242 individuals were presented with the survey; 163 responded, representing all but two units. Data were analysed descriptively and through multiple linear regression. A majority (88%) considered Riksstroke data to facilitate detection of stroke care improvement needs and acknowledged that their data motivated quality improvements (78%). The use of Riksstroke for quality improvement initiatives was associated (R 2 =0.76) with 'Colleagues' call for local results' (p=<0.001), 'Management Request of Registry data' (p=<0.001), and it was said to be 'Simple to explain the results to colleagues' (p=0.02). Using stepwise regression, 'Colleagues' call for local results' was identified as the most influential factor. Yet, while 73% reported that managers request registry data, only 39% reported that their colleagues call for the unit's Riksstroke results. While an NQR like Riksstroke demonstrates improvement needs and motivates stakeholders to make progress, local stroke care staff and managers need to engage to keep the momentum going in terms of applying registry data when planning, performing and evaluating quality initiatives. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use

Rurality and Nursing Home Quality: Evidence from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Yu; Meng, Hongdao; Miller, Nancy A.

2011-01-01

Purpose of the Study: To evaluate the impact of rural geographic location on nursing home quality of care in the United States. Design and Methods: The study used cross-sectional observational design. We obtained resident- and facility-level data from 12,507 residents in 1,174 nursing homes from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey. We used…

How should the completeness and quality of curated nanomaterial data be evaluated?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchese Robinson, Richard L.; Lynch, Iseult; Peijnenburg, Willie; Rumble, John; Klaessig, Fred; Marquardt, Clarissa; Rauscher, Hubert; Puzyn, Tomasz; Purian, Ronit; Åberg, Christoffer; Karcher, Sandra; Vriens, Hanne; Hoet, Peter; Hoover, Mark D.; Hendren, Christine Ogilvie; Harper, Stacey L.

2016-05-01

Nanotechnology is of increasing significance. Curation of nanomaterial data into electronic databases offers opportunities to better understand and predict nanomaterials' behaviour. This supports innovation in, and regulation of, nanotechnology. It is commonly understood that curated data need to be sufficiently complete and of sufficient quality to serve their intended purpose. However, assessing data completeness and quality is non-trivial in general and is arguably especially difficult in the nanoscience area, given its highly multidisciplinary nature. The current article, part of the Nanomaterial Data Curation Initiative series, addresses how to assess the completeness and quality of (curated) nanomaterial data. In order to address this key challenge, a variety of related issues are discussed: the meaning and importance of data completeness and quality, existing approaches to their assessment and the key challenges associated with evaluating the completeness and quality of curated nanomaterial data. Considerations which are specific to the nanoscience area and lessons which can be learned from other relevant scientific disciplines are considered. Hence, the scope of this discussion ranges from physicochemical characterisation requirements for nanomaterials and interference of nanomaterials with nanotoxicology assays to broader issues such as minimum information checklists, toxicology data quality schemes and computational approaches that facilitate evaluation of the completeness and quality of (curated) data. This discussion is informed by a literature review and a survey of key nanomaterial data curation stakeholders. Finally, drawing upon this discussion, recommendations are presented concerning the central question: how should the completeness and quality of curated nanomaterial data be evaluated?Nanotechnology is of increasing significance. Curation of nanomaterial data into electronic databases offers opportunities to better understand and predict

Multidisciplinary eHealth Survey Evaluation Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karras, Bryant T.; Tufano, James T.

2006-01-01

This paper describes the development process of an evaluation framework for describing and comparing web survey tools. We believe that this approach will help shape the design, development, deployment, and evaluation of population-based health interventions. A conceptual framework for describing and evaluating web survey systems will enable the…

The pursuit of quality by business coalitions: a national survey.

PubMed

Fraser, I; McNamara, P; Lehman, G O; Isaacson, S; Moler, K

1999-01-01

The extent to which business coalitions and their employer members are catalysts for improving quality of care is of interest to policymakers, who need to know where and under what circumstances the marketplace succeeds on its own in assuring quality. Using data from the 1998 National Business Coalition on Health annual survey, this paper indicates that most coalitions have an infrastructure in place that could be tapped to advance quality goals. Although the survey data cannot tell us the extent to which coalitions are exercising their enhanced market influence specifically to improve quality, interviews with coalition leaders provide insights about how quality considerations can factor into coalition strategies.

Implementation and evaluation of a multisite drug usage evaluation program across Australian hospitals - a quality improvement initiative

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background With the use of medicines being a broad and extensive part of health management, mechanisms to ensure quality use of medicines are essential. Drug usage evaluation (DUE) is an evidence-based quality improvement methodology, designed to improve the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of drug use. The purpose of this paper is to describe a national DUE methodology used to improve health care delivery across the continuum through multi-faceted intervention involving audit and feedback, academic detailing and system change, and a qualitative assessment of the methodology, as illustrated by the Acute Postoperative Pain Management (APOP) project. Methods An established methodology, consisting of a baseline audit of inpatient medical records, structured patient interviews and general practitioner surveys, followed by an educational intervention and follow-up audit, is used. Australian hospitals, including private, public, metropolitan and regional, are invited to participate on a voluntary basis. De-identified data collected by hospitals are collated and evaluated nationally to provide descriptive comparative analyses. Hospitals benchmark their practices against state and national results to facilitate change. The educational intervention consists of academic detailing, group education, audit and feedback, point-of-prescribing prompts and system changes. A repeat data collection is undertaken to assess changes in practice. An online qualitative survey was undertaken to evaluate the APOP program. Qualitative assessment of hospitals' perceptions of the effectiveness of the overall DUE methodology and changes in procedure/prescribing/policy/clinical practice which resulted from participation were elicited. Results 62 hospitals participated in the APOP project. Among 23 respondents to the evaluation survey, 18 (78%) reported improvements in the documentation of pain scores at their hospital. 15 (65%) strongly agreed or agreed that participation in APOP directly

Implementation and evaluation of a multisite drug usage evaluation program across Australian hospitals - a quality improvement initiative.

PubMed

Pulver, Lisa K; Wai, Angela; Maxwell, David J; Robertson, Marion B; Riddell, Steven

2011-08-29

With the use of medicines being a broad and extensive part of health management, mechanisms to ensure quality use of medicines are essential. Drug usage evaluation (DUE) is an evidence-based quality improvement methodology, designed to improve the quality, safety and cost-effectiveness of drug use. The purpose of this paper is to describe a national DUE methodology used to improve health care delivery across the continuum through multi-faceted intervention involving audit and feedback, academic detailing and system change, and a qualitative assessment of the methodology, as illustrated by the Acute Postoperative Pain Management (APOP) project. An established methodology, consisting of a baseline audit of inpatient medical records, structured patient interviews and general practitioner surveys, followed by an educational intervention and follow-up audit, is used. Australian hospitals, including private, public, metropolitan and regional, are invited to participate on a voluntary basis. De-identified data collected by hospitals are collated and evaluated nationally to provide descriptive comparative analyses. Hospitals benchmark their practices against state and national results to facilitate change. The educational intervention consists of academic detailing, group education, audit and feedback, point-of-prescribing prompts and system changes. A repeat data collection is undertaken to assess changes in practice.An online qualitative survey was undertaken to evaluate the APOP program. Qualitative assessment of hospitals' perceptions of the effectiveness of the overall DUE methodology and changes in procedure/prescribing/policy/clinical practice which resulted from participation were elicited. 62 hospitals participated in the APOP project. Among 23 respondents to the evaluation survey, 18 (78%) reported improvements in the documentation of pain scores at their hospital. 15 (65%) strongly agreed or agreed that participation in APOP directly resulted in increased

Use of Electronic Surveys in Course Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moss, Jaclyn; Hendry, Graham

2002-01-01

Reviews evidence for the effectiveness of electronic surveys as evaluation methods for electronic courses and discusses issues in email and Web survey methodologies. Describes the successful use of Web-based surveys in the evaluation system of the University of Sydney Medical Program and includes recommendations for online survey use in course…

The Quality Indicator Survey: background, implementation, and widespread change.

PubMed

Lin, Michael K; Kramer, Andrew M

2013-01-01

The Quality Indicator Survey (QIS) is the most comprehensive regulatory change to the nursing home survey process since the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA-87). In this article we describe the policy evolution that led to the QIS, summarize the QIS method and implementation, and profile the QIS survey results. Following over a decade of development, in 2007 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) began the national rollout of QIS. The intent was to improve consistency in the nursing home survey and to render the survey process more resident-centered and aligned with the intent of OBRA-87. We reviewed policy reports and firsthand accounts from the lead developer of the QIS methodology and leader of the national training contract for QIS. Changes in survey findings are profiled based on analysis of the publicly available Nursing Home Compare database from 2004 to 2010. Nineteen states implemented the QIS between 2007 and 2010, with nearly 20% of U.S. nursing homes receiving QIS surveys in 2010. Nursing homes surveyed with the QIS received more survey deficiencies on average than in the traditional survey; however, average numbers of deficiencies across states became more similar over the early implementation of QIS, with lower-than-average geographic areas experiencing increases and higher-than-average geographic areas experiencing decreases in survey deficiencies. The explicit and structured questioning of residents in the QIS is associated with increases in deficiencies related to choice, dignity, dental care, and nurse staffing. We describe ways in which the QIS affected the regulatory agencies, providers, and resident communities, although these effects are difficult to quantify. CMS's implementation of QIS is a significant step toward a more resident-centered, comprehensive, and consistent survey process. Substantial changes, however, are required not only among regulators but also among nursing homes. We argue that these new

Influences on Evaluation Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooksy, Leslie J.; Mark, Melvin M.

2012-01-01

Attention to evaluation quality is commonplace, even if sometimes implicit. Drawing on her 2010 Presidential Address to the American Evaluation Association, Leslie Cooksy suggests that evaluation quality depends, at least in part, on the intersection of three factors: (a) evaluator competency, (b) aspects of the evaluation environment or context,…

Field Methods and Quality-Assurance Plan for Quality-of-Water Activities, U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knobel, LeRoy L.; Tucker, Betty J.; Rousseau, Joseph P.

2008-01-01

Water-quality activities conducted by the staff of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Project Office coincide with the USGS mission of appraising the quantity and quality of the Nation's water resources. The activities are conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Idaho Operations Office. Results of the water-quality investigations are presented in various USGS publications or in refereed scientific journals. The results of the studies are highly regarded, and they are used with confidence by researchers, regulatory and managerial agencies, and interested civic groups. In its broadest sense, quality assurance refers to doing the job right the first time. It includes the functions of planning for products, review and acceptance of the products, and an audit designed to evaluate the system that produces the products. Quality control and quality assurance differ in that quality control ensures that things are done correctly given the 'state-of-the-art' technology, and quality assurance ensures that quality control is maintained within specified limits.

The Quality Assessment of the 1973 Survey of Graduate Science Student Support Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daley, James M.

In this paper, the steps implemented by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to upgrade the quality of the 1973 Graduate Science Student Support Survey are cited. Changes which were incorporated into the survey were intended to increase the scope and accuracy of data collected. To verify the coverage, a…

Quality Management: Survey of Federal Organizations

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

Deming, Armand Feigenbaum, Kaoru Ishikawa , and J. M. Juran. For purposes of our survey, quality improvement efforts which have the same basic goals and...Feigenbaum, Kaoru Ishikawa , and J.M. Juran. Even though this approach may have different names, it most often includes the following five concepts

AMSCO Culture Survey: Base Data for Quality and Productivity Programs. Training and Development Research Center Project Number Twenty-Four.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swanson, Richard A.; Sleezer, Catherine M.

The AMSCO culture survey instrument was developed to obtain specific information about the changing employee values resulting from the implementation of the new quality programs at AMSCO, Rice Lake, Wisconsin. The culture dimensions measured in the survey included job evaluation/job satisfaction, work efficiency, training and development,…

Real-Time Patient Survey Data During Routine Clinical Activities for Rapid-Cycle Quality Improvement

PubMed Central

Jones, Robert E

2015-01-01

Background Surveying patients is increasingly important for evaluating and improving health care delivery, but practical survey strategies during routine care activities have not been available. Objective We examined the feasibility of conducting routine patient surveys in a primary care clinic using commercially available technology (Web-based survey creation, deployment on tablet computers, cloud-based management of survey data) to expedite and enhance several steps in data collection and management for rapid quality improvement cycles. Methods We used a Web-based data management tool (survey creation, deployment on tablet computers, real-time data accumulation and display of survey results) to conduct four patient surveys during routine clinic sessions over a one-month period. Each survey consisted of three questions and focused on a specific patient care domain (dental care, waiting room experience, care access/continuity, Internet connectivity). Results Of the 727 available patients during clinic survey days, 316 patients (43.4%) attempted the survey, and 293 (40.3%) completed the survey. For the four 3-question surveys, the average time per survey was overall 40.4 seconds, with a range of 5.4 to 20.3 seconds for individual questions. Yes/No questions took less time than multiple choice questions (average 9.6 seconds versus 14.0). Average response time showed no clear pattern by order of questions or by proctor strategy, but monotonically increased with number of words in the question (<20 words, 21-30 words, >30 words)—8.0, 11.8, 16.8, seconds, respectively. Conclusions This technology-enabled data management system helped capture patient opinions, accelerate turnaround of survey data, with minimal impact on a busy primary care clinic. This new model of patient survey data management is feasible and sustainable in a busy office setting, supports and engages clinicians in the quality improvement process, and harmonizes with the vision of a learning health

Real-time patient survey data during routine clinical activities for rapid-cycle quality improvement.

PubMed

Wofford, James Lucius; Campos, Claudia L; Jones, Robert E; Stevens, Sheila F

2015-03-12

Surveying patients is increasingly important for evaluating and improving health care delivery, but practical survey strategies during routine care activities have not been available. We examined the feasibility of conducting routine patient surveys in a primary care clinic using commercially available technology (Web-based survey creation, deployment on tablet computers, cloud-based management of survey data) to expedite and enhance several steps in data collection and management for rapid quality improvement cycles. We used a Web-based data management tool (survey creation, deployment on tablet computers, real-time data accumulation and display of survey results) to conduct four patient surveys during routine clinic sessions over a one-month period. Each survey consisted of three questions and focused on a specific patient care domain (dental care, waiting room experience, care access/continuity, Internet connectivity). Of the 727 available patients during clinic survey days, 316 patients (43.4%) attempted the survey, and 293 (40.3%) completed the survey. For the four 3-question surveys, the average time per survey was overall 40.4 seconds, with a range of 5.4 to 20.3 seconds for individual questions. Yes/No questions took less time than multiple choice questions (average 9.6 seconds versus 14.0). Average response time showed no clear pattern by order of questions or by proctor strategy, but monotonically increased with number of words in the question (<20 words, 21-30 words, >30 words)-8.0, 11.8, 16.8, seconds, respectively. This technology-enabled data management system helped capture patient opinions, accelerate turnaround of survey data, with minimal impact on a busy primary care clinic. This new model of patient survey data management is feasible and sustainable in a busy office setting, supports and engages clinicians in the quality improvement process, and harmonizes with the vision of a learning health care system.

Quality of nursing doctoral education in seven countries: survey of faculty and students/graduates.

PubMed

Kim, Mi Ja; Park, Chang Gi; McKenna, Hugh; Ketefian, Shake; Park, So Hyun; Klopper, Hester; Lee, Hyeonkyeong; Kunaviktikul, Wipada; Gregg, Misuzu F; Daly, John; Coetzee, Siedine; Juntasopeepun, Phanida; Murashima, Sachiyo; Keeney, Sinead; Khan, Shaheen

2015-05-01

This study aimed to compare the findings of the quality of nursing doctoral education survey across seven countries and discuss the strategic directions for improving quality. No comparative evaluation of global quality of nursing doctoral education has been reported to date despite the rapid increase in the number of nursing doctoral programmes. A descriptive, cross-country, comparative design was employed. Data were collected from 2007-2010 from nursing schools in seven countries: Australia, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Thailand, UK and USA. An online questionnaire was used to evaluate quality of nursing doctoral education except for Japan, where a paper version was used. Korea and South Africa used e-mails quality of nursing doctoral education was evaluated using four domains: Programme, Faculty (referring to academic staff), Resource and Evaluation. Descriptive statistics, correlational and ordinal logistic regression were employed. A total of 105 deans/schools, 414 faculty and 1149 students/graduates participated. The perceptions of faculty and students/graduates about the quality of nursing doctoral education across the seven countries were mostly favourable on all four domains. The faculty domain score had the largest estimated coefficient for relative importance. As the overall quality level of doctoral education rose from fair to good, the resource domain showed an increased effect. Both faculty and students/graduates groups rated the overall quality of nursing doctoral education favourably. The faculty domain had the greatest importance for quality, followed by the programme domain. However, the importance of the resource domain gained significance as the overall quality of nursing doctoral education increased, indicating the needs for more attention to resources if the quality of nursing doctoral education is to improve. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Communicative Access Measures for Stroke: Development and Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Tool.

PubMed

Kagan, Aura; Simmons-Mackie, Nina; Victor, J Charles; Chan, Melodie T

2017-11-01

To (1) develop a systems-level quality improvement tool targeting communicative access to information and decision-making for stroke patients with language disorders; and (2) evaluate the resulting tool-the Communicative Access Measures for Stroke (CAMS). Survey development and evaluation was in line with accepted guidelines and included item generation and reduction, survey formatting and composition, pretesting, pilot testing, and reliability assessment. Development and evaluation were carried out in hospital and community agency settings. The project used a convenience sample of 31 participants for the survey development, and 63 participants for the CAMS reliability study (broken down into 6 administrators/managers, 32 frontline staff, 25 participants with aphasia). Eligible participants invited to the reliability study included individuals from 45 community-based organizations in Ontario as well as 4400 individuals from communities of practice. Not applicable. Data were analyzed using kappa statistics and intraclass correlations for each item score on all surveys. A tool, the CAMS, comprising 3 surveys, was developed for health facilities from the perspectives of (1) administrators/policymakers, (2) staff/frontline health care providers, and (3) patients with aphasia (using a communicatively accessible version). Reliability for items on the CAMS-Administrator and CAMS-Staff surveys was moderate to high (kappa/intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs], .54-1.00). As expected, reliability was lower for the CAMS-Patient survey, with most items having ICCs between 0.4 and 0.6. These findings suggest that CAMS may provide useful quality improvement information for health care facilities with an interest in improving care for patients with stroke and aphasia. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National survey on internal quality control for tumour markers in clinical laboratories in China.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Zhong, Kun; Yuan, Shuai; He, Falin; Du, Yuxuan; Hu, Zhehui; Wang, Zhiguo

2018-06-15

This survey was initiated to obtain knowledge on the current situation of internal quality control (IQC) practice for tumour markers (TMs) in China. Additionally, we tried to acquire the most appropriate quality specifications. This survey was a current status survey. The IQC information had been collected via online questionnaires. All of 1821 clinical laboratories which participated in the 2016 TMs external quality assessment (EQA) programme had been enrolled. The imprecision evaluation criteria were the minimal, desirable, and optimal allowable imprecisions based on biological variations, and 1/3 total allowable error (TEa) and 1/4 TEa. A total of 1628 laboratories answered the questionnaires (89%). The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the IQC of participant laboratories varied greatly from 1% (5 th percentile) to 13% (95 th percentile). More than 82% (82 - 91%) of participant laboratories two types of CVs met 1/3 TEa except for CA 19-9. The percentiles of current CVs were smaller than cumulative CVs. A number of 1240 laboratories (76%) reported their principles and systems used. The electrochemiluminescence was the most used principle (45%) and had the smallest CVs. The performance of laboratories for TMs IQC has yet to be improved. On the basis of the obtained results, 1/3 TEa would be realistic and attainable quality specification for TMs IQC for clinical laboratories in China.

Remote sensing of effects of land-use practices on water quality. [environmental surveys using Landsat satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, D. H.

1975-01-01

Research efforts are presented for the use of remote sensing in environmental surveys in Kentucky. Ground truth parameters were established that represent the vegetative cover of disturbed and undisturbed watersheds in the Cumberland Plateau of eastern Kentucky. Several water quality parameters were monitored of the watersheds utilized in the establishment of ground truth data. The capabilities of multistage-multispectral aerial photography and satellite imagery were evaluated in detecting various land use practices. The use of photographic signatures of known land use areas utilizing manually-operated spot densitometers was studied. The correlation of imagery signature data to water quality data was examined. Potential water quality predictions were developed from forested and nonforested watersheds based upon the above correlations. The cost effectiveness of predicting water quality values was evaluated using multistage and satellite imagery sampling techniques.

Evaluation of a computerized field data collection system for health surveys.

PubMed Central

Forster, D.; Behrens, R. H.; Campbell, H.; Byass, P.

1991-01-01

A customized field data collection system (FDCS) has been developed for a hand-held computer to collect and check questionnaire data. The data quality, preparation time, and user acceptability of the system were evaluated during a malaria morbidity survey in Bakau, the Gambia. Eight field-workers collected data with either the FDCS or on paper questionnaire forms in alternate weeks over a 6-week period. Significantly fewer item errors occurred with the FDCS, and by the end of the survey period interview times were significantly less with the FDCS than with the paper and pencil questionnaire. Advanced appropriate technology may have a useful role in providing accurate and rapid information, particularly in overcoming bottlenecks in data processing, and in obviating the need for costly expertise and equipment. In developing countries this could help to improve the quality of data on health care. Images Fig. 1 PMID:2054915

Evaluation of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems In-Center Hemodialysis Survey

PubMed Central

Paoli, Carly J.; Hays, Ron D.; Taylor-Stokes, Gavin; Piercy, James; Gitlin, Matthew

2014-01-01

Background and objectives The US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) End Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System and Quality Incentive Program requires that dialysis centers meet predefined criteria for quality of patient care to ensure future funding. The CMS selected the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems In-Center Hemodialysis (CAHPS-ICH) survey for the assessment of patient experience of care. This analysis evaluated the psychometric properties of the CAHPS-ICH survey in a sample of hemodialysis patients. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Data were drawn from the Adelphi CKD Disease Specific Program (a retrospective, cross-sectional survey of nephrologists and patients). Selected United States–based nephrologists treating patients receiving hemodialysis completed patient record forms and provided information on their dialysis center. Patients (n=404) completed the CAHPS-ICH survey (comprising 58 questions) providing six scores for the assessment of patient experience of care. CAHPS-ICH item-scale convergence, discrimination, and reliability were evaluated for multi-item scales. Floor and ceiling effects were estimated for all six scores. Patient (demographics, dialysis history, vascular access method) and facility characteristics (size, ratio of patients-to-physicians, nurses, and technicians) associated with the CAHPS-ICH scores were also evaluated. Results Item-scale correlations and internal consistency reliability estimates provided support for the nephrologists’ communication (range, 0.16–0.71; α=0.81) and quality of care (range, 0.16–0.76; α=0.90) composites. However, the patient information composite had low internal consistency reliability (α=0.55). Provider-to-patient ratios (range, 2.37 for facilities with >36 patients per physician to 2.8 for those with <8 patients per physician) and time spent in the waiting room (3.44 for >15 minutes of waiting time to 3.75 for 5 to <10 minutes) were

40 CFR 35.927-2 - Sewer system evaluation survey.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Sewer system evaluation survey. 35.927... § 35.927-2 Sewer system evaluation survey. (a) The sewer system evaluation survey shall identify the... results of the sewer system evaluation survey. In addition, the report shall include: (1) A justification...

40 CFR 35.927-2 - Sewer system evaluation survey.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sewer system evaluation survey. 35.927... § 35.927-2 Sewer system evaluation survey. (a) The sewer system evaluation survey shall identify the... results of the sewer system evaluation survey. In addition, the report shall include: (1) A justification...

40 CFR 35.927-2 - Sewer system evaluation survey.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Sewer system evaluation survey. 35.927... § 35.927-2 Sewer system evaluation survey. (a) The sewer system evaluation survey shall identify the... results of the sewer system evaluation survey. In addition, the report shall include: (1) A justification...

40 CFR 35.927-2 - Sewer system evaluation survey.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Sewer system evaluation survey. 35.927... § 35.927-2 Sewer system evaluation survey. (a) The sewer system evaluation survey shall identify the... results of the sewer system evaluation survey. In addition, the report shall include: (1) A justification...

Survey of On-Orbit Sleep Quality: Short-Duration Flyers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Locke, J.; Leveton, L.; Keeton, K.; Whitmire, A.; Patterson, H.; Faulk, J.

2010-01-01

The NASA Human Research Program (HRP) Behavioral Health and Performance Element (BHP), in conjunction with the NASA Space Medicine Division, is currently completing the largest systematic, subjective assessment of shuttle astronauts sleep behaviors and sleep quality on Earth, during training periods, and during space flight missions. Since July 2009, a total of 66 astronauts have completed a secure online survey regarding specific sleep strategies, crew policies, and mitigation effectiveness. In addition to the survey, each astronaut participant met individually with trained BHP and SD representatives for a structured, follow-up interview. Data are currently being assessed and the study s principal investigator will be providing some preliminary findings at the Investigators Workshop. Additional analyses will be conducted in the following months to examine predictors of optimal sleep in space, and to evaluate the differences in countermeasure effectiveness between groups based on their sleep experience on the ground and on orbit. A revised survey for a subsequent investigation on the experiences of long-duration flyers will be developed in the Spring and implemented in the Summer of 2010. Findings from both of these investigations will inform countermeasure strategies for astronauts, medical operations, and habitat designers for future exploration missions, as well as upcoming shuttle and ISS missions.

Patient Experience Assessment is a Requisite for Quality Evaluation: A Discussion of the In-Center Hemodialysis Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems (ICH CAHPS) Survey.

PubMed

Cavanaugh, Kerri L

2016-01-01

Patient experience surveys provide a critical and unique perspective on the quality of patient-centered healthcare delivery. These surveys provide a mechanism to systematically express patients' voice on topics valued by patients to make decisions about choices in care. They also provide an assessment to healthcare organizations about their service that cannot be obtained from any other source. Regulatory agencies have mandated the assessment of patients' experience as part of healthcare value based purchasing programs and weighted the results to account for up to 30% of the total scoring. This is a testimony to the accepted importance of this metric as a fundamental assessment of quality. After more than a decade of rigorous research, there is a significant body of growing evidence supporting specifically the validity and use of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys, including a version specific to in-center hemodialysis (ICH CAHPS). This review will focus on the ICH CAHPS survey including a review of its development, content, administration, and also a discussion of common criticisms. Although it is suggested that the survey assesses activities and experiences that are not modifiable by the healthcare organization (or the dialysis facility in our case) emerging evidence suggests otherwise. Dialysis providers have an exclusive opportunity to lead the advancement of understanding the implications and serviceability of the evaluation of the patient experience in health care. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Establishing nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the operating room: A cross-sectional Delphi survey conducted in China.

PubMed

Wu, Qi; Huang, Li-Hua; Xing, Mei-Yuan; Feng, Zhi-Xian; Shao, Le-Wen; Zhang, Mei-Yun; Shao, Rong-Ya

2017-01-01

Nursing-sensitive quality indicators comprise principles, procedures, and assessments to quantify the level of nursing quality in hospital departments. Although studies have demonstrated that quality indicators are essential for monitoring nursing practice in the operating room (OR), nursing quality in China is highly subjective and localised OR nursing-sensitive quality indicators are lacking. This study aimed to establish scientific, objective and comprehensive nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the OR to evaluate and monitor OR nursing care quality in China. Literature search for relevant evidence-based studies was performed using Cochrane, Medline, PubMed, Embase, and other databases, followed by literature review and group discussion by the expert panel. Two successive rounds of Delphi surveys were conducted using questionnaires completed by the expert panel to reach consensus and define nursing-sensitive quality indicators for the OR. Two rounds of Delphi surveys each had 100% questionnaire retrieval rate, with Kendall W coordination coefficients ranging from 0.096 to 0.263 (P<0.001). In round 1 of expert evaluation of 26 indicators, Kendall's W was 0.263 for importance, 0.126 for rationality, and 0.125 for feasibility of data collection (all P<0.001). After round 2, 23 items were established as OR nursing-sensitive quality indicators, including rates of work time wastage, surgery start-time delay, OR turnover time between surgeries, same-day surgery cancellation, and number of monthly surgeries in each OR; checking surgical patients, surgery site marking, allergy history, and antibiotics use 60min before incision; and also assessing expected surgical time, sterilisation indicator results, availability of surgical instruments and materials, and instrument count. Scientific, practical, and reliable OR nursing-sensitive quality indicators can be established based on evidence-based studies and expert consensus using the Delphi method. The quality

A Survey Data Quality Strategy: The Institutional Research Perspective. IR Applications, Volume 34

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Qin

2012-01-01

This discussion constructs a survey data quality strategy for institutional researchers in higher education in light of total survey error theory. It starts with describing the characteristics of institutional research and identifying the gaps in literature regarding survey data quality issues in institutional research and then introduces the…

Quality-assurance data for routine water analysis in the National Water-Quality Laboratory of the US Geological Survey for water year 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lucey, K.J.

1989-01-01

The US Geological Survey maintains a quality assurance program based on the analysis of reference samples for its National Water Quality Laboratory located in Denver, Colorado. Reference samples containing selected inorganic, nutrient, and precipitation (low-level concentration) constituents are prepared at the Survey 's Water Quality Services Unit in Ocala, Florida, disguised as routine samples, and sent daily or weekly, as appropriate, to the laboratory through other Survey offices. The results are stored permanently in the National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System (WATSTORE), the Survey 's database for all water data. These data are analyzed statistically for precision and bias. An overall evaluation of the inorganic major ion and trace metal constituent data for water year 1988 indicated a lack of precision in the National Water Quality Laboratory for the determination of 8 out of 58 constituents: calcium (inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry), fluoride, iron (atomic absorption spectrometry), iron (total recoverable), magnesium (atomic absorption spectrometry), manganese (total recoverable), potassium, and sodium (inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry). The results for 31 constituents had positive or negative bias during water year 1988. A lack of precision was indicated in the determination of three of the six nutrient constituents: nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen as nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen as nitrogen, and orthophosphate as phosphorus. A biased condition was indicated in the determination of ammonia nitrogen as nitrogen, ammonia plus organic nitrogen as nitrogen, and nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen as nitrogen. There was acceptable precision in the determination of all 10 constituents contained in precipitation samples. Results for ammonia nitrogen as nitrogen, sodium, and fluoride indicated a biased condition. (Author 's abstract)

Evaluation of selected surface-water-quality stations in Wyoming

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rucker, S.J.; DeLong, L.L.

1987-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, has conducted a surface-water-quality program in Wyoming since 1965. The purpose has been to determine the chemical quality of the water in terms of the major dissolved constituents (salinity). Changing agricultural techniques and energy development have stimulated a need for an expanded program involving additional types of data. This report determines the adequacy of the data collected thus far to describe the chemical quality. The sampling program was evaluated by determining how well the data describe the dissolved-solids load of the streams. Monthly mean loads were estimated at 16 stations throughout the network where daily streamflow and daily specific conductance were available. Monthly loads were then compared with loads estimated from daily streamflow and data derived from analyses of samples collected on a monthly basis at these same stations. Agreement was good. Solute-load hydrographs were constructed for 37 stations and from some reaches where streamflow records were available. Because stations where no discharge records are available are not amenable to this type of analysis, data collected at these stations are of limited usefulness. This report covers analyses of data for all qualifying sites in Wyoming except those in the Green River Basin, which were analyzed in U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 77-103. The salinity in most of the streams evaluated is adequately described by the data collected. Reduced sampling is feasible, and time and money can be diverted to collecting other data. (USGS)

Economic and environmental evaluations of extractable coal resources conducted by the U. S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ellis, M.S.; Rohrbacher, T.J.; Carter, M.D.; Molnia, C.L.; Osmonson, L.M.; Scott, D.C.

2001-01-01

The Economic and Environmental Evaluations of Extractable Coal Resources (E4CR) project integrates economic analyses of extractable coal resources with environmental and coal quality considerations in order to better understand the contribution that coal resources can make to help meet the Nation’s future energy needs. The project utilizes coal resource information derived from the recent National Coal Resource Assessment (NCRA), National Oil and Gas Assessment (NOGA), and Coal Availability and Recoverability Studies (CARS) conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey and other State and Federal cooperating agencies. The E4CR evaluations are designed to augment economic models created by the U.S. Geological Survey CARS and NCRA projects and by the Department of Energy/Energy Information Administration (DOE/EIA). E4CR evaluations are conducted on potentially minable coal beds within selected coalfields in the United States. Emphasis is placed on coalfields containing Federally owned coal and within or adjacent to Federal lands, as shown in U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheets 012-98, 145-99, and 011-00 (U.S. Geological Survey, 1998, 1999, 2000). Other considerations for the selection of study areas include coal quality, potential environmental impact of coal production activities and coal utilization, the potential for coalbed methane development from the coal, and projected potential for future mining. Completion dates for the E4CR studies loosely follow the schedule for analogous NOGA studies to allow for a comparison of different energy resources in similar geographic areas.

Evaluation of sleep quality in subjects with chronic nononcologic pain.

PubMed

Covarrubias-Gomez, Alfredo; Mendoza-Reyes, Jonathan J

2013-08-01

A survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that 20% of Americans have sleep disorders and 45% experience chronic pain. Several authors evaluated the interrelationship between these functions using various instruments such the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and identified that 34% of subjects in the general population have a poor quality of sleep, but there are few studies that assess the quality of sleep in patients with chronic pain of nonmalignant origin. We undertook this study to evaluate the quality of sleep using the PSQI in patients with chronic pain unrelated to cancer. We conducted a clinical, nonrandomized, uncontrolled, descriptive, and prospective study, applying the PSQI through a direct one-time interview to 311 subjects with chronic pain unrelated to cancer. According to the categorization of the PSQI between good and poor sleepers, 89% of the subjects were poor sleepers (n = 276). There are significant differences in pain intensity according to the categorization of the PSQI, with a higher intensity shown in the "poor sleepers" (analysis of variance [ANOVA], P = .030). Using a linear regression model to estimate the curve, a higher score is rated on the PSQI global score (ANOVA, P = .000, R(2) = .46) with the increase of the intensity of the pain. We conclude that "poor sleepers" or those who considered their sleep as "poor quality" have significantly higher pain intensity. This suggests that intensity of pain plays a role in evaluating the quality of sleep in the subjective perception of sleep and instruments that assess quality.

U.S. Geological Survey Standard Reference Sample Project: Performance Evaluation of Analytical Laboratories

USGS Publications Warehouse

Long, H. Keith; Daddow, Richard L.; Farrar, Jerry W.

1998-01-01

Since 1962, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has operated the Standard Reference Sample Project to evaluate the performance of USGS, cooperator, and contractor analytical laboratories that analyze chemical constituents of environmental samples. The laboratories are evaluated by using performance evaluation samples, called Standard Reference Samples (SRSs). SRSs are submitted to laboratories semi-annually for round-robin laboratory performance comparison purposes. Currently, approximately 100 laboratories are evaluated for their analytical performance on six SRSs for inorganic and nutrient constituents. As part of the SRS Project, a surplus of homogeneous, stable SRSs is maintained for purchase by USGS offices and participating laboratories for use in continuing quality-assurance and quality-control activities. Statistical evaluation of the laboratories results provides information to compare the analytical performance of the laboratories and to determine possible analytical deficiences and problems. SRS results also provide information on the bias and variability of different analytical methods used in the SRS analyses.

An algorithm to assess methodological quality of nutrition and mortality cross-sectional surveys: development and application to surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan.

PubMed

Prudhon, Claudine; de Radiguès, Xavier; Dale, Nancy; Checchi, Francesco

2011-11-09

Nutrition and mortality surveys are the main tools whereby evidence on the health status of populations affected by disasters and armed conflict is quantified and monitored over time. Several reviews have consistently revealed a lack of rigor in many surveys. We describe an algorithm for analyzing nutritional and mortality survey reports to identify a comprehensive range of errors that may result in sampling, response, or measurement biases and score quality. We apply the algorithm to surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan. We developed an algorithm based on internationally agreed upon methods and best practices. Penalties are attributed for a list of errors, and an overall score is built from the summation of penalties accrued by the survey as a whole. To test the algorithm reproducibility, it was independently applied by three raters on 30 randomly selected survey reports. The algorithm was further applied to more than 100 surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan. The Intra Class Correlation coefficient was 0.79 for mortality surveys and 0.78 for nutrition surveys. The overall median quality score and range of about 100 surveys conducted in Darfur were 0.60 (0.12-0.93) and 0.675 (0.23-0.86) for mortality and nutrition surveys, respectively. They varied between the organizations conducting the surveys, with no major trend over time. Our study suggests that it is possible to systematically assess quality of surveys and reveals considerable problems with the quality of nutritional and particularly mortality surveys conducted in the Darfur crisis.

Quality of life at sea in Polish seafarer's evaluation.

PubMed

Jeżewska, Maria; Grubman-Nowak, Marta; Moryś, Joanna

2015-01-01

Work at sea is highly burdening, hazardous and stressful. Environmental, physical, and psychosociological factors have a great impact on the seafarer's quality of life and work. The research is a part of a broader psychological project performed on people working at sea in Poland during a period of 2011-2014. This report presents the self-evaluation of life quality conducted by a total of 1,700 Polish seafarers who took part in the study. The average age of the group was 45. Following methods were used: WHOQOL-BREF and the "Survey for people working at sea". Polish seafarers gave the highest rates to their social relationships (16.27), then the psychological functioning (15.62), and environment (15.51). The physical domain gave the lowest rates (14.63). The results have shown that quality of life of Polish seafarers is quite high.

Validity of the Family Quality of Life Survey-2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Adrienne; Isaacs, Barry

2015-01-01

Background: Family Quality of Life (FQOL) is an important construct in the Intellectual Disabilities field. Several measures exist, including one developed by an international group, the Family Quality of Life Survey-2006 (FQOLS-2006; Brown et al.2006). However, the psychometric properties of this measure have yet to be fully investigated. This…

Software component quality evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clough, A. J.

1991-01-01

The paper describes a software inspection process that can be used to evaluate the quality of software components. Quality criteria, process application, independent testing of the process and proposed associated tool support are covered. Early results indicate that this technique is well suited for assessing software component quality in a standardized fashion. With automated machine assistance to facilitate both the evaluation and selection of software components, such a technique should promote effective reuse of software components.

Quality evaluation on an e-learning system in continuing professional education of nurses.

PubMed

Lin, I-Chun; Chien, Yu-Mei; Chang, I-Chiu

2006-01-01

Maintaining high quality in Web-based learning is a powerful means of increasing the overall efficiency and effectiveness of distance learning. Many studies have evaluated Web-based learning but seldom evaluate from the information systems (IS) perspective. This study applied the famous IS Success model in measuring the quality of a Web-based learning system using a Web-based questionnaire for data collection. One hundred and fifty four nurses participated in the survey. Based on confirmatory factor analysis, the variables of the research model fit for measuring the quality of a Web-based learning system. As Web-based education continues to grow worldwide, the results of this study may assist the system adopter (hospital executives), the learner (nurses), and the system designers in making reasonable and informed judgments with regard to the quality of Web-based learning system in continuing professional education.

An algorithm to assess methodological quality of nutrition and mortality cross-sectional surveys: development and application to surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Nutrition and mortality surveys are the main tools whereby evidence on the health status of populations affected by disasters and armed conflict is quantified and monitored over time. Several reviews have consistently revealed a lack of rigor in many surveys. We describe an algorithm for analyzing nutritional and mortality survey reports to identify a comprehensive range of errors that may result in sampling, response, or measurement biases and score quality. We apply the algorithm to surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan. Methods We developed an algorithm based on internationally agreed upon methods and best practices. Penalties are attributed for a list of errors, and an overall score is built from the summation of penalties accrued by the survey as a whole. To test the algorithm reproducibility, it was independently applied by three raters on 30 randomly selected survey reports. The algorithm was further applied to more than 100 surveys conducted in Darfur, Sudan. Results The Intra Class Correlation coefficient was 0.79 for mortality surveys and 0.78 for nutrition surveys. The overall median quality score and range of about 100 surveys conducted in Darfur were 0.60 (0.12-0.93) and 0.675 (0.23-0.86) for mortality and nutrition surveys, respectively. They varied between the organizations conducting the surveys, with no major trend over time. Conclusion Our study suggests that it is possible to systematically assess quality of surveys and reveals considerable problems with the quality of nutritional and particularly mortality surveys conducted in the Darfur crisis. PMID:22071133

Standardised survey method for identifying catchment risks to water quality.

PubMed

Baker, D L; Ferguson, C M; Chier, P; Warnecke, M; Watkinson, A

2016-06-01

This paper describes the development and application of a systematic methodology to identify and quantify risks in drinking water and recreational catchments. The methodology assesses microbial and chemical contaminants from both diffuse and point sources within a catchment using Escherichia coli, protozoan pathogens and chemicals (including fuel and pesticides) as index contaminants. Hazard source information is gathered by a defined sanitary survey process involving use of a software tool which groups hazards into six types: sewage infrastructure, on-site sewage systems, industrial, stormwater, agriculture and recreational sites. The survey estimates the likelihood of the site affecting catchment water quality, and the potential consequences, enabling the calculation of risk for individual sites. These risks are integrated to calculate a cumulative risk for each sub-catchment and the whole catchment. The cumulative risks process accounts for the proportion of potential input sources surveyed and for transfer of contaminants from upstream to downstream sub-catchments. The output risk matrices show the relative risk sources for each of the index contaminants, highlighting those with the greatest impact on water quality at a sub-catchment and catchment level. Verification of the sanitary survey assessments and prioritisation is achieved by comparison with water quality data and microbial source tracking.

Quality-of-life survey for patients diagnosed with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer.

PubMed

Abáigar-Pedraza, I; Megías-Garrigós, J; Sánchez-Payá, J

2016-05-01

To determine the reliability and validity of a quality-of-life survey for patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer. A total of 180 patients were included in the study. We developed a survey with 21 questions grouped into 5 areas. The patients filled in this survey and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - Bladder Cancer (FACT-BL) survey. To assess reliability, we calculated Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the kappa index. To determine criterion validity, we studied the association between the scores obtained from our survey and those from the FACT-BL survey using the Pearson correlation coefficient. To determine the construct validity (factorial and discriminatory), we performed a factor analysis, comparing it with Student's t-test for the scores obtained according to the tumour characteristics of reduced quality of life (e.g., malignancies located at the trigone of the bladder). Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient was .83, and the kappa index varied between .7 and 1. For the association study between the new survey and the FACT-BL survey, we measured an r=.82 for the overall score and between r=.68 (disease) and r=.97 (sex life) in the various measures. In the factor analysis, we measured a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index of .77 and performed the Barlett test (P<.001). The comparison between the scores, in the presence or absence of certain tumour characteristics, has shown a reduced quality of life when those characteristics are present, which was statistically significant (P<.05) in the majority of cases. Our survey to measure the quality of life of patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer is reliable and valid. Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Surveying Consumer Satisfaction to Assess Managed-Care Quality: Current Practices

PubMed Central

Gold, Marsha; Wooldridge, Judith

1995-01-01

Growing interest in using consumer satisfaction information to enhance quality of care and promote informed consumer choice has accompanied recent expansions in managed care. This article synthesizes information about consumer satisfaction surveys conducted by managed-care plans, government and other agencies, community groups, and purchasers of care. We discuss survey content, methods, and use of consumer survey information. Differences in the use of consumer surveys preclude one instrument or methodology from meeting all needs. The effectiveness of plan-based surveys could be enhanced by increased information on alternative survey instruments and methods and new methodological studies, such as ones developing risk-adjustment methods. PMID:10151887

ARM User Survey Report: Data Access, Quality, and Delivery

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mather, JH; Roeder, LR; Sivaraman, C

The objective of this survey was to obtain user feedback to determine how users of the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Climate Research Facility Data Archive interact with the more than 2000 available types of datastreams. The survey also gathered information about data discovery and data quality. The Market and Competitive Analysis group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory worked with web administrators to develop a landing page from which users could access the survey. A survey invitation was sent by ARM via email to about 6100 users on February 22, 2012. The invitation was also posted on the ARM website andmore » Facebook page. Reminders were sent via e-mail and posted on Facebook while the survey was open, February 22-March 23, 2012.« less

Air Command Staff College AY98 Quality of Life Survey

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-01

This research project concentrated on a study of ACSC student perceptions concerning Quality of Life (QOL). The research team used a survey...program fails to provide a quality of life consistent with student expectations. The research team conducted secondary research to select valid and

Quality of Life in Individuals with Erythematotelangiectatic and Papulopustular Rosacea: Findings From a Web-based Survey.

PubMed

Zeichner, Joshua A; Eichenfield, Lawrence F; Feldman, Steven R; Kasteler, J Scott; Ferrusi, Ilia L

2018-02-01

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of rosacea on self-perception, emotional, social, and overall well-being and quality of life in individuals with erythematotelangiectatic rosacea (ETR) and papulopustular rosacea (PPR). DESIGN: We distributed a cross-sectional email invitation for participants in the United States to fill out a web-based survey. PARTICIPANTS: We included adults who reported having previously received a diagnosis of erythematotelangiectatic rosacea or papulopustular rosacea. MEASUREMENTS: Questionnaires measured the psychosocial aspects of rosacea, including the Satisfaction With Appearance Scale and modified Satisfaction With Appearance Scale questionnaires, Impact Assessment for Rosacea Facial Redness, Rosacea-Specific Quality-of-Life questionnaire, and RAND 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. The Impact Assessment for Rosacea Facial Bumps or Pimples was administered to the papulopustular rosacea cohort. RESULTS: Six hundred participants enrolled and completed the survey, with most rating their rosacea as mild or moderate (ETR: 95.6%; PPR: 93.7%). In the erythematotelangiectatic rosacea and papulopustular rosacea cohorts, respectively, 45 and 53 percent disagreed/strongly disagreed that they were satisfied with their appearance due to rosacea; 42 and 27 percent agreed/strongly agreed that they "worry how people will react when they see my rosacea"; and 43 and 59 percent agreed/strongly agreed that they feel their rosacea is unattractive to others. Rosacea-Specific Quality-of-Life total and domain scores indicated negative impact of rosacea for both cohorts. Both cohorts reported worse 36-item Short Form Health Survey overall and domain scores than population norms in the United States. CONCLUSION: Rosacea had wide-ranging, negative effects on self-perceptions and emotional, social, and overall well-being as well as rosacea-specific quality of life. Overall, both erythematotelangiectatic rosacea and papulopustular

Nuclear Medicine Technologists' Perception and Current Assessment of Quality: A Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section Survey.

PubMed

Mann, April; Farrell, Mary Beth; Williams, Jessica; Basso, Danny

2017-06-01

In 2015, the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS) launched a multiyear quality initiative to help prepare the technologist workforce for an evidence-based health-care delivery system that focuses on quality. To best implement the quality strategy, the SNMMI-TS first surveyed technologists to ascertain their perception of quality and current measurement of quality indicators. Methods: An internet survey was sent to 27,989 e-mail contacts. Questions related to demographic data, perceptions of quality, quality measurement, and opinions on the minimum level of education are discussed in this article. Results: A total of 4,007 (14.3%) responses were received. When asked to list 3 words or phrases that represent quality, there were a plethora of different responses. The top 3 responses were image quality, quality control, and technologist education or competency. Surveying patient satisfaction was the most common quality measure (80.9%), followed by evaluation of image quality (78.2%). Evaluation of image quality (90.3%) and equipment functionality (89.4%) were considered the most effective measures. Technologists' differentiation between quality, quality improvement, quality control, quality assurance, and quality assessment seemed ambiguous. Respondents were confident in their ability to assess and improve quality at their workplace (91.9%) and agreed their colleagues were committed to delivering quality work. Of note, 70.7% of respondents believed that quality is directly related to the technologist's level of education. Correspondingly, respondents felt there should be a minimum level of education (99.5%) and that certification or registry should be required (74.4%). Most respondents (59.6%) felt that a Bachelor's degree should be the minimum level of education, followed by an Associate's degree (40.4%). Conclusion: To best help nuclear medicine technologists provide quality care, the SNMMI-TS queried technologists to

Financial Record Checking in Surveys: Do Prompts Improve Data Quality?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Joe; Rosen, Jeffrey; Richards, Ashley; Riley, Sarah; Peytchev, Andy; Lindblad, Mark

2016-01-01

Self-reports of financial information in surveys, such as wealth, income, and assets, are particularly prone to inaccuracy. We sought to improve the quality of financial information captured in a survey conducted by phone and in person by encouraging respondents to check records when reporting on income and assets. We investigated whether…

Change in quality of malnutrition surveys between 1986 and 2015.

PubMed

Grellety, Emmanuel; Golden, Michael H

2018-01-01

Representative surveys collecting weight, height and MUAC are used to estimate the prevalence of acute malnutrition. The results are then used to assess the scale of malnutrition in a population and type of nutritional intervention required. There have been changes in methodology over recent decades; the objective of this study was to determine if these have resulted in higher quality surveys. In order to examine the change in reliability of such surveys we have analysed the statistical distributions of the derived anthropometric parameters from 1843 surveys conducted by 19 agencies between 1986 and 2015. With the introduction of standardised guidelines and software by 2003 and their more general application from 2007 the mean standard deviation, kurtosis and skewness of the parameters used to assess nutritional status have each moved to now approximate the distribution of the WHO standards when the exclusion of outliers from analysis is based upon SMART flagging procedure. Where WHO flags, that only exclude data incompatible with life, are used the quality of anthropometric surveys has improved and the results now approach those seen with SMART flags and the WHO standards distribution. Agencies vary in their uptake and adherence to standard guidelines. Those agencies that fully implement the guidelines achieve the most consistently reliable results. Standard methods should be universally used to produce reliable data and tests of data quality and SMART type flagging procedures should be applied and reported to ensure that the data are credible and therefore inform appropriate intervention. Use of SMART guidelines has coincided with reliable anthropometric data since 2007.

A new tool to evaluate postgraduate training posts: the Job Evaluation Survey Tool (JEST).

PubMed

Wall, David; Goodyear, Helen; Singh, Baldev; Whitehouse, Andrew; Hughes, Elizabeth; Howes, Jonathan

2014-10-02

Three reports in 2013 about healthcare and patient safety in the UK, namely Berwick, Francis and Keogh have highlighted the need for junior doctors' views about their training experience to be heard. In the UK, the General Medical Council (GMC) quality assures medical training programmes and requires postgraduate deaneries to undertake quality management and monitoring of all training posts in their area. The aim of this study was to develop a simple trainee questionnaire for evaluation of postgraduate training posts based on the GMC, UK standards and to look at the reliability and validity including comparison with a well-established and internationally validated tool, the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM). The Job Evaluation Survey Tool (JEST), a fifteen item job evaluation questionnaire was drawn up in 2006, piloted with Foundation doctors (2007), field tested with specialist paediatric registrars (2008) and used over a three year period (2008-11) by Foundation Doctors. Statistical analyses including descriptives, reliability, correlation and factor analysis were undertaken and JEST compared with PHEEM. The JEST had a reliability of 0.91 in the pilot study of 76 Foundation doctors, 0.88 in field testing of 173 Paediatric specialist registrars and 0.91 in three years of general use in foundation training with 3367 doctors completing JEST. Correlation of JEST with PHEEM was 0.80 (p < 0.001). Factor analysis showed two factors, a teaching factor and a social and lifestyle one. The JEST has proved to be a simple, valid and reliable evaluation tool in the monitoring and evaluation of postgraduate hospital training posts.

Field methods and quality-assurance plan for water-quality activities and water-level measurements, U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartholomay, Roy C.; Maimer, Neil V.; Wehnke, Amy J.

2014-01-01

Water-quality activities and water-level measurements by the personnel of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Project Office coincide with the USGS mission of appraising the quantity and quality of the Nation’s water resources. The activities are carried out in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Idaho Operations Office. Results of the water-quality and hydraulic head investigations are presented in various USGS publications or in refereed scientific journals and the data are stored in the National Water Information System (NWIS) database. The results of the studies are used by researchers, regulatory and managerial agencies, and interested civic groups. In the broadest sense, quality assurance refers to doing the job right the first time. It includes the functions of planning for products, review and acceptance of the products, and an audit designed to evaluate the system that produces the products. Quality control and quality assurance differ in that quality control ensures that things are done correctly given the “state-of-the-art” technology, and quality assurance ensures that quality control is maintained within specified limits.

Child anthropometry data quality from Demographic and Health Surveys, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, and National Nutrition Surveys in the West Central Africa region: are we comparing apples and oranges?

PubMed Central

Corsi, Daniel J.; Perkins, Jessica M.; Subramanian, S. V.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: There has been limited work comparing survey characteristics and assessing the quality of child anthropometric data from population-based surveys. Objective: To investigate survey characteristics and indicators of quality of anthropometric data in children aged 0–59 months from 23 countries in the West Central Africa region. Methods: Using established methodologies and criteria to examine child age, sex, height, and weight, we conducted a comprehensive assessment and scoring of the quality of anthropometric data collected in 100 national surveys. Results: The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) collected data from a greater number of younger children than older children while the opposite was found for the National Nutrition Surveys (NNS). Missing or implausible height/weight data proportions were 12% and 8% in MICS and DHS compared to 3% in NNS. Average data quality scores were 14 in NNS, 33 in DHS, and 41 in MICS. Conclusions: Although our metric of data quality suggests that data from the NNS appear more consistent and robust, it is equally important to consider its disadvantages related to access and lack of broader socioeconomic information. In comparison, the DHS and MICS are publicly-accessable for research and provide socioeconomic context essential for assessing and addressing the burden of undernutrition within and between countries. The strengths and weaknesses of data from these three sources should be carefully considered when seeking to determine the burden of child undernutrition and its variation within countries. PMID:28641057

Child anthropometry data quality from Demographic and Health Surveys, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, and National Nutrition Surveys in the West Central Africa region: are we comparing apples and oranges?

PubMed

Corsi, Daniel J; Perkins, Jessica M; Subramanian, S V

2017-01-01

There has been limited work comparing survey characteristics and assessing the quality of child anthropometric data from population-based surveys. To investigate survey characteristics and indicators of quality of anthropometric data in children aged 0-59 months from 23 countries in the West Central Africa region. Using established methodologies and criteria to examine child age, sex, height, and weight, we conducted a comprehensive assessment and scoring of the quality of anthropometric data collected in 100 national surveys. The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) collected data from a greater number of younger children than older children while the opposite was found for the National Nutrition Surveys (NNS). Missing or implausible height/weight data proportions were 12% and 8% in MICS and DHS compared to 3% in NNS. Average data quality scores were 14 in NNS, 33 in DHS, and 41 in MICS. Although our metric of data quality suggests that data from the NNS appear more consistent and robust, it is equally important to consider its disadvantages related to access and lack of broader socioeconomic information. In comparison, the DHS and MICS are publicly-accessable for research and provide socioeconomic context essential for assessing and addressing the burden of undernutrition within and between countries. The strengths and weaknesses of data from these three sources should be carefully considered when seeking to determine the burden of child undernutrition and its variation within countries.

Influence of volunteer and project characteristics on data quality of biological surveys.

PubMed

Lewandowski, Eva; Specht, Hannah

2015-06-01

Volunteer involvement in biological surveys is becoming common in conservation and ecology, prompting questions on the quality of data collected in such surveys. In a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature on the quality of data collected by volunteers, we examined the characteristics of volunteers (e.g., age, prior knowledge) and projects (e.g., systematic vs. opportunistic monitoring schemes) that affect data quality with regards to standardization of sampling, accuracy and precision of data collection, spatial and temporal representation of data, and sample size. Most studies (70%, n = 71) focused on the act of data collection. The majority of assessments of volunteer characteristics (58%, n = 93) examined the effect of prior knowledge and experience on quality of the data collected, often by comparing volunteers with experts or professionals, who were usually assumed to collect higher quality data. However, when both groups' data were compared with the same accuracy standard, professional data were more accurate in only 4 of 7 cases. The few studies that measured precision of volunteer and professional data did not conclusively show that professional data were less variable than volunteer data. To improve data quality, studies recommended changes to survey protocols, volunteer training, statistical analyses, and project structure (e.g., volunteer recruitment and retention). © 2015, Society for Conservation Biology.

Evaluation of service quality of hospital outpatient department services.

PubMed

Chakravarty, Abhijit

2011-07-01

It has become essential for hospital managers to understand and measure consumer perspectives and service quality gaps, so that any perceived gap in delivery of service is identified and suitably addressed. A study was conducted at a peripheral service hospital to ascertain any service gap between consumer expectations and perceptions in respect of the hospital outpatient department (OPD) services. A cross-sectional study was conducted using SERVQUAL as the survey instrument, the instrument being validated for use in the hospital environment. Consumer ratings across 22 items of the survey instrument were collected in paired expectation and perception scores and then service quality gaps were identified and statistically analysed. Service quality gaps were identified to exist across all the five dimensions of the survey instrument, with statistically significant gaps across the dimensions of 'tangibles' and 'responsiveness.' The quality gaps were further validated by a total unweighted SERVQUAL score of (-) 1.63. The study concludes that significant service quality gaps existed in the delivery of the hospital OPD services, which need to be addressed by focused improvement efforts by the hospital management.

Assuring Quality in Education Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trochim, William M. K.; Visco, Ronald J.

1986-01-01

A number of quality assurance educational evaluation methods are illustrated. Evaluation data obtained from the Providence, Rhode Island, school district are used. The methods are: (1) from auditing, internal control; (2) from accounting, double bookkeeping; and (3) from industrial quality control, acceptance sampling and cumulative percentage…

A survey of Canadian medical physicists: software quality assurance of in-house software.

PubMed

Salomons, Greg J; Kelly, Diane

2015-01-05

This paper reports on a survey of medical physicists who write and use in-house written software as part of their professional work. The goal of the survey was to assess the extent of in-house software usage and the desire or need for related software quality guidelines. The survey contained eight multiple-choice questions, a ranking question, and seven free text questions. The survey was sent to medical physicists associated with cancer centers across Canada. The respondents to the survey expressed interest in having guidelines to help them in their software-related work, but also demonstrated extensive skills in the area of testing, safety, and communication. These existing skills form a basis for medical physicists to establish a set of software quality guidelines.

Quality dimensions in health evaluation: manager's conceptions.

PubMed

Bosi, Maria Lúcia Magalhães; Pontes, Ricardo José Soares; Vasconcelos, Suziana Martins de

2010-04-01

To understand manager's perceptions and experiences in regards to qualitative evaluations in basic health care. A qualitative study, based on the critical interpretive approach, was performed in 2006, in the city of Fortaleza, Northeastern Brazil. The sample consisted of the group responsible for planning basic health care at the state level. In order to obtain the empirical data, the focus group technique was utilized. Two central themes emerged concerning the perceptions about quality and the dimensions of quality employed in health evaluations, which were revealed in distinct ways. The concepts of quality evaluation and qualitative evaluation did not appear clearly understood, confusing qualitative evaluation with formal quality evaluations. Likewise, the inherent multidimensionality of quality was not recognized. Despite the criticism expressed by the participants regarding the improper quantification of certain dimensions, the necessary technical skills and understanding were not observed for the approach to include the distinct dimensions of quality in the evaluation process. The conceptions of managers responsible for the planning of basic health care at the state level revealed an important disassociation from the premises of qualitative evaluation, especially those evaluations oriented by the fourth generation approach. Therefore, the model adopted by these actors for the evaluation of program and service quality did not consider their multidimensionality.

Measuring quality of care: considering conceptual approaches to quality indicator development and evaluation.

PubMed

Stelfox, Henry T; Straus, Sharon E

2013-12-01

In this article, we describe one approach for developing and evaluating quality indicators. We focus on describing different conceptual approaches to quality indicator development, review one approach for developing quality indicators, outline how to evaluate quality indicators once developed, and discuss quality indicator maintenance. The key steps for developing quality indicators include specifying a clear goal for the indicators; using methodologies to incorporate evidence, expertise, and patient perspectives; and considering contextual factors and logistics of implementation. The Strategic Framework Board and the National Quality Measure Clearinghouse have developed criteria for evaluating quality indicators that complement traditional psychometric evaluations. Optimal strategies for quality indicator maintenance and dissemination have not been determined, but experiences with clinical guideline maintenance may be informative. For quality indicators to effectively guide quality improvement efforts, they must be developed, evaluated, maintained, and implemented using rigorous evidence-informed practices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Quality of Competency Assessment in Pharmacy: A Framework for Workplace Learning.

PubMed

Shah, Shailly; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E; Eckel, Stephen F; Mangun, Jesica; Hawes, Emily

2016-01-19

Demonstration of achieved competencies is critical in the pharmacy workplace. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of the competency assessment program for pharmacy residents at an academic medical center. The competency assessment program (CAP) survey is a validated, 48-item instrument that evaluates the quality of an assessment program based on 12 criteria, each measured by four questions on a scale of 0 to 100. The CAP was completed by residents ( n = 23) and preceptors ( n = 28) from the pharmacy residency program between 2010 and 2013. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha, and non-parametric tests. Educational Consequences was the only quality criteria falling below the standard for "good quality." Participants that completed residency training elsewhere rated the Comparability (0.04) and Meaningfulness (0.01) of the assessment program higher than those that completed residency at the academic medical center. There were no significant differences between resident and preceptor scores. Overall, the quality of the assessment program was rated highly by residents and preceptors. The process described here provides a useful framework for understanding the quality of workplace learning assessments in pharmacy practice.

Quality-assurance plan for water-quality activities in the U.S. Geological Survey Washington Water Science Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conn, Kathleen E.; Huffman, Raegan L.; Barton, Cynthia

2017-05-08

In accordance with guidelines set forth by the Office of Water Quality in the Water Mission Area of the U.S. Geological Survey, a quality-assurance plan has been created for use by the Washington Water Science Center (WAWSC) in conducting water-quality activities. This qualityassurance plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used by the WAWSC for activities related to the collection, processing, storage, analysis, and publication of water-quality data. The policies and procedures documented in this quality-assurance plan for water-quality activities complement the quality-assurance plans for surface-water and groundwater activities at the WAWSC.

A survey of innovative contracting for quality jobs and ecosystem management.

Treesearch

Cassandra Moseley

2002-01-01

This survey identifies and defines innovative contracting mechanisms developed in the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region and northern California. A survey of nine case studies reveals that several new mechanisms have facilitated ecosystem management, quality jobs, and administrative efficiencies, but at times innovation was hampered by Forest Service institutional...

The Examining Evaluator Feedback Survey. REL 2016-100

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherasaro, Trudy L.; Brodersen, R. Marc; Yanoski, David C.; Welp, Laura C.; Reale, Marianne L.

2015-01-01

This report presents a survey tool, developed by REL Central at Marzano Research, designed to gather information from teachers about their perceptions of and responses to evaluator feedback. District or state administrators can use this survey to systematically collect teacher perceptions on five key aspects of evaluation feedback: (1) feedback…

Survey of the prevalence and methodology of quality assurance for B-mode ultrasound image quality among veterinary sonographers.

PubMed

Hoscheit, Larry P; Heng, Hock Gan; Lim, Chee Kin; Weng, Hsin-Yi

2018-05-01

Image quality in B-mode ultrasound is important as it reflects the diagnostic accuracy and diagnostic information provided during clinical scanning. Quality assurance programs for B-mode ultrasound systems/components are comprised of initial quality acceptance testing and subsequent regularly scheduled quality control testing. The importance of quality assurance programs for B-mode ultrasound image quality using ultrasound phantoms is well documented in the human medical and medical physics literature. The purpose of this prospective, cross-sectional, survey study was to determine the prevalence and methodology of quality acceptance testing and quality control testing of image quality for ultrasound system/components among veterinary sonographers. An online electronic survey was sent to 1497 members of veterinary imaging organizations: the American College of Veterinary Radiology, the Veterinary Ultrasound Society, and the European Association of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging, and a total of 167 responses were received. The results showed that the percentages of veterinary sonographers performing quality acceptance testing and quality control testing are 42% (64/151; 95% confidence interval 34-52%) and 26% (40/156: 95% confidence interval 19-33%) respectively. Of the respondents who claimed to have quality acceptance testing or quality control testing of image quality in place for their ultrasound system/components, 0% have performed quality acceptance testing or quality control testing correctly (quality acceptance testing 95% confidence interval: 0-6%, quality control testing 95% confidence interval: 0-11%). Further education and guidelines are recommended for veterinary sonographers in the area of quality acceptance testing and quality control testing for B-mode ultrasound equipment/components. © 2018 American College of Veterinary Radiology.

Analysis of the Image Quality of no Ground Controlled Positioning Precision about Surveying and Mapping Satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y.; Hu, X.; Yang, X.; Xie, G.

2018-04-01

The image quality of the surveying camera will affect the stereoscopic positioning accuracy of the remote sensing satellite. The key factors closely related to the image quality are Modulation Transfer Function(MTF),Signal to Noise Ratio(SNR) and Quantization Bits(QB). In "Mapping Satellite-1" image as the background, research the effect of positioning precision about the image quality in no ground controlled conditions, and evaluate the quantitative relationship with the positioning precision. At last verify the validity of the experimental results by simulating three factors of the degraded data on orbit, and counting the number of matching points, the mismatch rate, and the matching residuals of the degraded data. The reason for the variety of the positioning precision was analyzed.

A survey of Canadian medical physicists: software quality assurance of in‐house software

PubMed Central

Kelly, Diane

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a survey of medical physicists who write and use in‐house written software as part of their professional work. The goal of the survey was to assess the extent of in‐house software usage and the desire or need for related software quality guidelines. The survey contained eight multiple‐choice questions, a ranking question, and seven free text questions. The survey was sent to medical physicists associated with cancer centers across Canada. The respondents to the survey expressed interest in having guidelines to help them in their software‐related work, but also demonstrated extensive skills in the area of testing, safety, and communication. These existing skills form a basis for medical physicists to establish a set of software quality guidelines. PACS number: 87.55.Qr PMID:25679168

Quality-Assurance Plan for Water-Quality Activities of the U.S. Geological Survey Montana Water Science Center

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lambing, John H.

2006-01-01

In accordance with guidelines set forth by the Office of Water Quality in the Water Resources Discipline of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a quality-assurance plan has been created for use by the USGS Montana Water Science Center in conducting water-quality activities. This quality-assurance plan documents the standards, policies, and procedures used by the USGS Montana Water Science Center for activities related to the collection, processing, storage, analysis, and publication of water-quality data. The policies and procedures presented in this quality-assurance plan for water-quality activities complement the quality-assurance plans for surface-water and ground-water activities and suspended-sediment analysis.

Quality of reporting of surveys in critical care journals: a methodologic review.

PubMed

Duffett, Mark; Burns, Karen E; Adhikari, Neill K; Arnold, Donald M; Lauzier, François; Kho, Michelle E; Meade, Maureen O; Hayani, Omar; Koo, Karen; Choong, Karen; Lamontagne, François; Zhou, Qi; Cook, Deborah J

2012-02-01

Adequate reporting is needed to judge methodologic quality and assess the risk of bias of surveys. The objective of this study is to describe the methodology and quality of reporting of surveys published in five critical care journals. All issues (1996-2009) of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care, Critical Care Medicine, Intensive Care Medicine, and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine. Two reviewers hand-searched all issues in duplicate. We included publications of self-administered questionnaires of health professionals and excluded surveys that were part of a multi-method study or measured the effect of an intervention. Data were abstracted in duplicate. We included 151 surveys. The frequency of survey publication increased at an average rate of 0.38 surveys per 1000 citations per year from 1996-2009 (p for trend = 0.001). The median number of respondents and reported response rates were 217 (interquartile range 90 to 402) and 63.3% (interquartile range 45.0% to 81.0%), respectively. Surveys originated predominantly from North America (United States [40.4%] and Canada [18.5%]). Surveys most frequently examined stated practice (78.8%), attitudes or opinions (60.3%), and less frequently knowledge (9.9%). The frequency of reporting on the survey design and methods were: 1) instrument development: domains (59.1%), item generation (33.1%), item reduction (12.6%); 2) instrument testing: pretesting or pilot testing (36.2%) and assessments of clarity (25.2%) or clinical sensibility (15.7%); and 3) clinimetric properties: qualitative or quantitative description of at least one of face, content, construct validity, intra- or inter-rater reliability, or consistency (28.5%). The reporting of five key elements of survey design and conduct did not significantly change over time. Surveys, primarily conducted in North America and focused on self-reported practice, are increasingly published in highly cited critical care journals. More

Examining the Role of Patient Experience Surveys in Measuring Health Care Quality

PubMed Central

Elliott, Marc N.; Zaslavsky, Alan M.; Hays, Ron D.; Lehrman, William G.; Rybowski, Lise; Edgman-Levitan, Susan; Cleary, Paul D.

2015-01-01

Patient care experience surveys evaluate the degree to which care is patient-centered. This article reviews the literature on the association between patient experiences and other measures of health care quality. Research indicates that better patient care experiences are associated with higher levels of adherence to recommended prevention and treatment processes, better clinical outcomes, better patient safety within hospitals, and less health care utilization. Patient experience measures that are collected using psychometrically sound instruments, employing recommended sample sizes and adjustment procedures, and implemented according to standard protocols are intrinsically meaningful and are appropriate complements for clinical process and outcome measures in public reporting and pay-for-performance programs. PMID:25027409

Process perspective on image quality evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leisti, Tuomas; Halonen, Raisa; Kokkonen, Anna; Weckman, Hanna; Mettänen, Marja; Lensu, Lasse; Ritala, Risto; Oittinen, Pirkko; Nyman, Göte

2008-01-01

The psychological complexity of multivariate image quality evaluation makes it difficult to develop general image quality metrics. Quality evaluation includes several mental processes and ignoring these processes and the use of a few test images can lead to biased results. By using a qualitative/quantitative (Interpretation Based Quality, IBQ) methodology, we examined the process of pair-wise comparison in a setting, where the quality of the images printed by laser printer on different paper grades was evaluated. Test image consisted of a picture of a table covered with several objects. Three other images were also used, photographs of a woman, cityscape and countryside. In addition to the pair-wise comparisons, observers (N=10) were interviewed about the subjective quality attributes they used in making their quality decisions. An examination of the individual pair-wise comparisons revealed serious inconsistencies in observers' evaluations on the test image content, but not on other contexts. The qualitative analysis showed that this inconsistency was due to the observers' focus of attention. The lack of easily recognizable context in the test image may have contributed to this inconsistency. To obtain reliable knowledge of the effect of image context or attention on subjective image quality, a qualitative methodology is needed.

Capturing the Palliative Home Care Experience From Bereaved Caregivers Through Qualitative Survey Data: Toward Informing Quality Improvement.

PubMed

Bainbridge, Daryl; Bryant, Deanna; Seow, Hsien

2017-02-01

Measuring palliative care experience using patient-reported outcomes is becoming important for assessing and improving quality, although most validated outcome tools solely use scaled questions. We analyzed open-text survey responses from bereaved caregivers to identify strengths and weaknesses in the quality of end-of-life care services and to assess the usefulness of qualitative survey data for quality improvement. This was a retrospective observational study involving bereaved caregivers of decedents who had received palliative home care services in one of six health care regions in Ontario, Canada. Using the U.K.'s validated Views of Informal Carers-Evaluation of Services survey, respondents were asked what was good and what was bad about the services provided in the last three months of life as separate open-text questions. A qualitative constant comparison approach was used to derive themes from the responses. Among 330 caregivers who completed the survey, 271 (82%) caregivers responded to the open-text questions: 93% of those commented on something that was good about care and 55% on something that was bad. The care experiences were generally positive, with the exception of specific individuals or settings that were perceived as adverse. The qualitative data were more informative about deficiencies in care compared with the quantitative data. The qualitative survey data in this study provided key recommendations toward making care more responsive to the needs of dying patients and their families. Capturing the narrative responses of bereaved caregivers is feasible and informative for palliative care program development. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Practical Guidelines for Evaluating Sampling Designs in Survey Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fan, Xitao; Wang, Lin

The popularity of sample surveys in evaluation and research makes it necessary for consumers to tell a good survey from a poor one. Several sources were identified that gave advice on how to evaluate a sample design used in a survey study. The sources are either too limited or too extensive to be useful practically. The purpose of this paper is to…

Hydrogeologic and water-quality data used to characterize the Management Systems Evaluation Area near Princeton, Minnesota, 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Delin, G.N.; Landon, M.K.; Lamb, J.A.; Anderson, J.L.

1994-01-01

The Minnesota Management Systems Evaluation Area project is part of a multi-scale, inter-agency initiative to evaluate the effects of agricultural management systems on water quality in the midwest corn belt. The research area is located in the Anoka Sand Plain about 5 kilometers southwest of Princeton, Minnesota. The ground-water-quality monitoring network within and immediately surrounding the research area consists of 29 observation wells and 22 multiport wells. Thirteen observation wells are also located outside the research area. The primary objectives of research by the U.S. Geological Survey at the Princeton Management Systems Evaluation Area are to: (1) determine the relation of the spatial and temporal distribution of agricultural chemicals in ground water to recharge, topography, and subsurface heterogeneities; and (2) determine the effects of the modified and prevailing farming systems on ground-water quality. This report presents geologic logs and water-quality data used to characterize the Princeton Management Systems Evaluation Area.

A Survey of Current Valued Academic Leadership Qualities in Nursing.

PubMed

Delgado, Cheryl; Mitchell, Maureen M

2016-01-01

An informal survey was used to identify nurse faculty leadership qualities currently valued and relevant. The accelerating retirement rate for seasoned leaders has created a need for nurse educators and academic leaders. Our school was concerned that we were not meeting students' needs for today's leadership challenges. We were also interested in the experiences of leadership preparation. This was a cross-sectional, online survey of faculty at top nursing schools as determined by US News & World Report. The top leadership qualities identified were integrity, communication clarity, and problem-solving ability. Current challenges for leaders were finding qualified faculty, obtaining resources, and team building. The results may guide curricular adjustments and the transition to a new generation of nurse academic leaders.

Photometric Redshifts with the LSST: Evaluating Survey Observing Strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graham, Melissa L.; Connolly, Andrew J.; Ivezić, Željko; Schmidt, Samuel J.; Jones, R. Lynne; Jurić, Mario; Daniel, Scott F.; Yoachim, Peter

2018-01-01

In this paper we present and characterize a nearest-neighbors color-matching photometric redshift estimator that features a direct relationship between the precision and accuracy of the input magnitudes and the output photometric redshifts. This aspect makes our estimator an ideal tool for evaluating the impact of changes to LSST survey parameters that affect the measurement errors of the photometry, which is the main motivation of our work (i.e., it is not intended to provide the “best” photometric redshifts for LSST data). We show how the photometric redshifts will improve with time over the 10 year LSST survey and confirm that the nominal distribution of visits per filter provides the most accurate photo-z results. The LSST survey strategy naturally produces observations over a range of airmass, which offers the opportunity of using an SED- and z-dependent atmospheric affect on the observed photometry as a color-independent redshift indicator. We show that measuring this airmass effect and including it as a prior has the potential to improve the photometric redshifts and can ameliorate extreme outliers, but that it will only be adequately measured for the brightest galaxies, which limits its overall impact on LSST photometric redshifts. We furthermore demonstrate how this airmass effect can induce a bias in the photo-z results, and caution against survey strategies that prioritize high-airmass observations for the purpose of improving this prior. Ultimately, we intend for this work to serve as a guide for the expectations and preparations of the LSST science community with regard to the minimum quality of photo-z as the survey progresses.

USGS Blind Sample Project: monitoring and evaluating laboratory analytical quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ludtke, Amy S.; Woodworth, Mark T.

1997-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collects and disseminates information about the Nation's water resources. Surface- and ground-water samples are collected and sent to USGS laboratories for chemical analyses. The laboratories identify and quantify the constituents in the water samples. Random and systematic errors occur during sample handling, chemical analysis, and data processing. Although all errors cannot be eliminated from measurements, the magnitude of their uncertainty can be estimated and tracked over time. Since 1981, the USGS has operated an independent, external, quality-assurance project called the Blind Sample Project (BSP). The purpose of the BSP is to monitor and evaluate the quality of laboratory analytical results through the use of double-blind quality-control (QC) samples. The information provided by the BSP assists the laboratories in detecting and correcting problems in the analytical procedures. The information also can aid laboratory users in estimating the extent that laboratory errors contribute to the overall errors in their environmental data.

Evaluation of image quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pavel, M.

1993-01-01

This presentation outlines in viewgraph format a general approach to the evaluation of display system quality for aviation applications. This approach is based on the assumption that it is possible to develop a model of the display which captures most of the significant properties of the display. The display characteristics should include spatial and temporal resolution, intensity quantizing effects, spatial sampling, delays, etc. The model must be sufficiently well specified to permit generation of stimuli that simulate the output of the display system. The first step in the evaluation of display quality is an analysis of the tasks to be performed using the display. Thus, for example, if a display is used by a pilot during a final approach, the aesthetic aspects of the display may be less relevant than its dynamic characteristics. The opposite task requirements may apply to imaging systems used for displaying navigation charts. Thus, display quality is defined with regard to one or more tasks. Given a set of relevant tasks, there are many ways to approach display evaluation. The range of evaluation approaches includes visual inspection, rapid evaluation, part-task simulation, and full mission simulation. The work described is focused on two complementary approaches to rapid evaluation. The first approach is based on a model of the human visual system. A model of the human visual system is used to predict the performance of the selected tasks. The model-based evaluation approach permits very rapid and inexpensive evaluation of various design decisions. The second rapid evaluation approach employs specifically designed critical tests that embody many important characteristics of actual tasks. These are used in situations where a validated model is not available. These rapid evaluation tests are being implemented in a workstation environment.

[Examination of diagnosis procedure combination survey data that influence function evaluation coefficient II].

PubMed

Nakajima, Hisato; Yano, Kouya; Nagasawa, Kaoko; Kobayashi, Eiji; Yokota, Kuninobu

2015-01-01

On the basis of Diagnosis Procedure Combination (DPC) survey data, the factors that increase the value of function evaluation coefficient II were considered. A total of 1,505 hospitals were divided into groups I, II, and III, and the following items were considered. 1. Significant differences in function evaluation coefficient II and DPC survey data. 2. Examination of using the Mahalanobis-Taguchi (MT) method. 3. Correlation between function evaluation coefficient II and each DPC survey data item. 1. Function evaluation coefficient II was highest in group II. Group I hospitals showed the highest bed capacity, and numbers of hospitalization days, operations, chemotherapies, radiotherapies and general anesthesia procedures. 2. Using the MT method, we found that the number of ambulance conveyances was effective factor in group I hospitals, the number of general anesthesia procedures was effective factor in group II hospitals, and the bed capacity was effective factor in group III hospitals. 3. In group I hospitals, function evaluation coefficient II significantly correlated to the numbers of ambulance conveyances and chemotherapies. In group II hospitals, function evaluation coefficient II significantly correlated to bed capacity, the numbers of ambulance conveyances, hospitalization days, operations, general anesthesia procedures, and mean hospitalization days. In group III hospitals, function evaluation coefficient II significantly correlated to all items. The factors that improve the value of function evaluation coefficient II were the increases in the numbers of ambulance conveyances, chemotherapies and radiotherapies in group I hospitals, increases in the numbers of hospitalization days, operations, ambulance conveyances and general anesthesia procedures in group II hospitals, and increases in the numbers of hospitalization days, operations and ambulance conveyances. These results indicate that the profit of a hospital will increase, which will lead to medical

Can Sanitary Surveys Replace Water Quality Testing? Evidence from Kisii, Kenya.

PubMed

Misati, Aaron Gichaba; Ogendi, George; Peletz, Rachel; Khush, Ranjiv; Kumpel, Emily

2017-02-07

Information about the quality of rural drinking water sources can be used to manage their safety and mitigate risks to health. Sanitary surveys, which are observational checklists to assess hazards present at water sources, are simpler to conduct than microbial tests. We assessed whether sanitary survey results were associated with measured indicator bacteria levels in rural drinking water sources in Kisii Central, Kenya. Overall, thermotolerant coliform (TTC) levels were high: all of the samples from the 20 tested dug wells, almost all (95%) of the samples from the 25 tested springs, and 61% of the samples from the 16 tested rainwater harvesting systems were contaminated with TTC. There were no significant associations between TTC levels and overall sanitary survey scores or their individual components. Contamination by TTC was associated with source type (dug wells and springs were more contaminated than rainwater systems). While sanitary surveys cannot be substituted for microbial water quality results in this context, they could be used to identify potential hazards and contribute to a comprehensive risk management approach.

Can Sanitary Surveys Replace Water Quality Testing? Evidence from Kisii, Kenya

PubMed Central

Misati, Aaron Gichaba; Ogendi, George; Peletz, Rachel; Khush, Ranjiv; Kumpel, Emily

2017-01-01

Information about the quality of rural drinking water sources can be used to manage their safety and mitigate risks to health. Sanitary surveys, which are observational checklists to assess hazards present at water sources, are simpler to conduct than microbial tests. We assessed whether sanitary survey results were associated with measured indicator bacteria levels in rural drinking water sources in Kisii Central, Kenya. Overall, thermotolerant coliform (TTC) levels were high: all of the samples from the 20 tested dug wells, almost all (95%) of the samples from the 25 tested springs, and 61% of the samples from the 16 tested rainwater harvesting systems were contaminated with TTC. There were no significant associations between TTC levels and overall sanitary survey scores or their individual components. Contamination by TTC was associated with source type (dug wells and springs were more contaminated than rainwater systems). While sanitary surveys cannot be substituted for microbial water quality results in this context, they could be used to identify potential hazards and contribute to a comprehensive risk management approach. PMID:28178226

How should the completeness and quality of curated nanomaterial data be evaluated?†

PubMed Central

Marchese Robinson, Richard L.; Lynch, Iseult; Peijnenburg, Willie; Rumble, John; Klaessig, Fred; Marquardt, Clarissa; Rauscher, Hubert; Puzyn, Tomasz; Purian, Ronit; Åberg, Christoffer; Karcher, Sandra; Vriens, Hanne; Hoet, Peter; Hoover, Mark D.; Hendren, Christine Ogilvie; Harper, Stacey L.

2016-01-01

Nanotechnology is of increasing significance. Curation of nanomaterial data into electronic databases offers opportunities to better understand and predict nanomaterials’ behaviour. This supports innovation in, and regulation of, nanotechnology. It is commonly understood that curated data need to be sufficiently complete and of sufficient quality to serve their intended purpose. However, assessing data completeness and quality is non-trivial in general and is arguably especially difficult in the nanoscience area, given its highly multidisciplinary nature. The current article, part of the Nanomaterial Data Curation Initiative series, addresses how to assess the completeness and quality of (curated) nanomaterial data. In order to address this key challenge, a variety of related issues are discussed: the meaning and importance of data completeness and quality, existing approaches to their assessment and the key challenges associated with evaluating the completeness and quality of curated nanomaterial data. Considerations which are specific to the nanoscience area and lessons which can be learned from other relevant scientific disciplines are considered. Hence, the scope of this discussion ranges from physicochemical characterisation requirements for nanomaterials and interference of nanomaterials with nanotoxicology assays to broader issues such as minimum information checklists, toxicology data quality schemes and computational approaches that facilitate evaluation of the completeness and quality of (curated) data. This discussion is informed by a literature review and a survey of key nanomaterial data curation stakeholders. Finally, drawing upon this discussion, recommendations are presented concerning the central question: how should the completeness and quality of curated nanomaterial data be evaluated? PMID:27143028

Data extraction from electronic health records (EHRs) for quality measurement of the physical therapy process: comparison between EHR data and survey data.

PubMed

Scholte, Marijn; van Dulmen, Simone A; Neeleman-Van der Steen, Catherina W M; van der Wees, Philip J; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; Braspenning, Jozé

2016-11-08

With the emergence of the electronic health records (EHRs) as a pervasive healthcare information technology, new opportunities and challenges for use of clinical data for quality measurements arise with respect to data quality, data availability and comparability. The objective of this study is to test whether data extracted from electronic health records (EHRs) was of comparable quality as survey data for the calculation of quality indicators. Data from surveys describing patient cases and filled out by physiotherapists in 2009-2010 were used to calculate scores on eight quality indicators (QIs) to measure the quality of physiotherapy care. In 2011, data was extracted directly from EHRs. The data collection methods were evaluated for comparability. EHR data was compared to survey data on completeness and correctness. Five of the eight QIs could be extracted from the EHRs. Three were omitted from the indicator set, as they proved too difficult to be extracted from the EHRs. Another QI proved incomparable due to errors in the extraction software of some of the EHRs. Three out of four comparable QIs performed better (p < 0.001) in EHR data on completeness. EHR data also proved to be correct; the relative change in indicator scores between EHR and survey data were small (<5 %) in three out of four QIs. Data quality of EHRs was sufficient to be used for the calculation of QIs, although comparability to survey data was problematic. Standardization is needed, not only to be able to compare different data collection methods properly, but also to compare between practices with different EHRs. EHRs have the option to administrate narrative data, but natural language processing tools are needed to quantify these text boxes. Such development, can narrow the comparability gap between scoring QIs based on EHR data and based on survey data. EHRs have the potential to provide real time feedback to professionals and quality measurements for research, but more effort is needed

Nondestructive evaluation: A survey of NASA contributions, chapter 1, Chapter 11, cover page, acknowledgements, and contents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

A survey of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technology, which is discussed in terms of popular demands for a greater degree of quality, reliability, and safety in industrial products, is presented as an overview of the NDE field to serve the needs of middle management. Three NDE methods are presented: acoustic emission, the use of coherent (laser)light, and ultrasonic holography.

Application of a Modified Universal Design Survey for Evaluation of Ares 1 Ground Crew Worksites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blume, Jennifer L.

2010-01-01

Operability is a driving requirement for NASA's Ares 1 launch vehicle. Launch site ground operations include several operator tasks to prepare the vehicle for launch or to perform maintenance. Ensuring that components requiring operator interaction at the launch site are designed for optimal human use is a high priority for operability. To support design evaluation, the Ares 1 Upper Stage (US) element Human Factors Engineering (HFE) group developed a survey based on the Universal Design approach. Universal Design is a process to create products that can be used effectively by as many people as possible. Universal Design per se is not a priority for Ares 1 because launch vehicle processing is a specialized skill and not akin to a consumer product that should be used by all people of all abilities. However, applying principles of Universal Design will increase the probability of an error free and efficient design which is a priority for Ares 1. The Design Quality Evaluation Survey centers on the following seven principles: (1) Equitable use, (2) Flexibility in use, (3) Simple and intuitive use, (4) Perceptible information, (5) Tolerance for error, (6) Low physical effort, (7) Size and space for approach and use. Each principle is associated with multiple evaluation criteria which were rated with the degree to which the statement is true. All statements are phrased in the utmost positive, or the design goal so that the degree to which judgments tend toward "completely agree" directly reflects the degree to which the design is good. The Design Quality Evaluation Survey was employed for several US analyses. The tool was found to be most useful for comparative judgments as opposed to an assessment of a single design option. It provided a useful piece of additional data when assessing possible operator interfaces or worksites for operability

Quality Matters[TM] Accessibility Survey: Institutional Practices and Policies for Online Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frey, Barbara A.; King, Denise K.

2011-01-01

Quality Matters (QM) is a professional organization that offers a faculty-centered, peer review process to certify the quality of online and blended courses. The purpose of this white paper is to share the results of a Quality Matters accessibility benchmarking study administered to 84 subscriber institutions. The primary goal of the survey was to…

Assessing the potential to combine attitude tracking and health campaign evaluation surveys.

PubMed

Hollier, Lauren P; Pettigrew, Simone; Minto, Carolyn; Slevin, Terry; Strickland, Mark

2016-04-06

Issue addressed: Online surveys are becoming increasingly popular in health research because of the low cost and fast completion time. A large proportion of online survey costs are allocated to setup and administration expenses, which suggests that conducting fewer, longer surveys would be a cost-effective approach. The current study assessed whether the incorporation of a health campaign evaluation survey within a longitudinal attitudes and behaviours tracking survey produced different outcomes compared with the separate administration of the evaluation survey. Methods: Data were collected via an online panel, with 688 respondents completing the combined survey and 657 respondents completing the evaluation-only survey. Regression analyses were conducted to examine whether survey type was related to the campaign evaluation results. Results: Those who completed the combined survey perceived the campaign advertisement to be more personally relevant than those completing the evaluation-only survey. There were no differences in results relating to campaign awareness and reported behavioural change as a result of campaign exposure. Conclusions: There were minimal differences between results obtained from combining an attitude/behaviour tracking survey with a campaign evaluation survey. Any priming or order effects were limited to respondents' cognitive responses to the advertisement. So what?: The results suggest that health practitioners with limited resources available for tracking and evaluation research may be able to maximise outcomes by administering fewer, longer surveys.

[Patient satisfaction survey and the place of users in the Oran university hospital quality project].

PubMed

Chougrani, Saada; Ouhadj, Salah

2014-01-01

Quality of care is a strategic priority of any management approach in order to meet users' expectations of health care systems. This study tried to define the role of patient satisfaction surveys and the place of user in the quality of care project. The results of patient satisfaction surveys conducted between 2010 and 2012 and the draft quality of care project were analysed. Patient satisfaction surveys from 2010 to 2012 focused on logistic shortcomings. No comment was formulated about health care. Comments and suggestions did not provide any contribution in terms of patient involvement in the health care process. The multiple perspectives of quality of care include clinical care and other social objectives of respect for the individual and attention to the patient. User satisfaction as assessed by patient satisfaction surveys or patients' experiences only reflect the health professionals' representation. However, the objective is to measure what the user perceives and feels and his/her representation of the attention provided. These approaches, conducted outside of the quality of care strategic plan, only provide a basis for actions with limited or no effectiveness.

Using the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory LT-MDL to Evaluate and Analyze Data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonn, Bernadine A.

2008-01-01

A long-term method detection level (LT-MDL) and laboratory reporting level (LRL) are used by the U.S. Geological Survey?s National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) when reporting results from most chemical analyses of water samples. Changing to this method provided data users with additional information about their data and often resulted in more reported values in the low concentration range. Before this method was implemented, many of these values would have been censored. The use of the LT-MDL and LRL presents some challenges for the data user. Interpreting data in the low concentration range increases the need for adequate quality assurance because even small contamination or recovery problems can be relatively large compared to concentrations near the LT-MDL and LRL. In addition, the definition of the LT-MDL, as well as the inclusion of low values, can result in complex data sets with multiple censoring levels and reported values that are less than a censoring level. Improper interpretation or statistical manipulation of low-range results in these data sets can result in bias and incorrect conclusions. This document is designed to help data users use and interpret data reported with the LTMDL/ LRL method. The calculation and application of the LT-MDL and LRL are described. This document shows how to extract statistical information from the LT-MDL and LRL and how to use that information in USGS investigations, such as assessing the quality of field data, interpreting field data, and planning data collection for new projects. A set of 19 detailed examples are included in this document to help data users think about their data and properly interpret lowrange data without introducing bias. Although this document is not meant to be a comprehensive resource of statistical methods, several useful methods of analyzing censored data are demonstrated, including Regression on Order Statistics and Kaplan-Meier Estimation. These two statistical methods handle complex

Amount, Source, and Quality of Support as Predictors of Women's Birth Evaluations.

PubMed

Simon, Richard M; Johnson, Katherine M; Liddell, Jessica

2016-09-01

This paper examines the separate effects of the perceived amount, source, and quality of support during labor and delivery on women's positive and negative evaluations of their birth experiences. Data come from the Listening to Mothers I and II (LTM) surveys (n = 2,765). Women's perception of support was regressed separately onto indices of positive and negative words that women associated with their labor and delivery. The total number of support sources, type of support person, and quality of support all impacted women's birth evaluations across different regression models, controlling for demographics, birth interventions, and other birth characteristics. Support overall had a greater effect on increasing women's positive evaluations, but was not as protective against negative evaluations. Support from medical and birth professionals (doctors, nurses, doulas) had the greatest effect on women's positive evaluations. Good partner support was complexly related: it was associated with less positive evaluations but also appeared to have a protective effect against negative birth evaluations. Support in childbirth is a complex concept with multiple dimensions that matter for women's birth evaluations. Support from nursing staff, doctors, and doulas is important for enabling positive evaluations while support from partners is more complexly related to women's evaluations. Research on support for laboring women should more extensively address the division of labor between different sources of support. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A descriptive survey study to evaluate the relationship between socio-demographic factors and quality of life in patients with a permanent colostomy.

PubMed

Kement, Metin; Gezen, Cem; Aydin, Halime; Haksal, Mustafa; Can, Ugur; Aksakal, Nihat; Öncel, Mustafa

2014-10-01

The impact of having a stoma on quality of life is increasingly recognized and studied. A descriptive survey study was conducted between January 2006 and December 2011 among 44 patients (18 women, 26 men) with a permanent stoma receiving care at the Kartal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, to evaluate socio-demographic factors that may affect the quality of life in Turkish Muslim patients with an enteral stoma. A socio-demographic questionnaire, a 10- item Religious Orientation Scale (Modified Allport-Ross ROS), and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 Quality of Life survey were administered by a stoma therapy nurse at least 6 months after completion of all surgical and oncological treatments. The mean follow-up period was 15.3 ± 9.7 (range 6-44) months since completion of all treatments. Data were collected using paper/pencil instruments and entered for data analysis using Student's t-tests or one-way ANOVA univariate and multivariate analyses. No significant differences were observed for income, education level, surgical history, or religion score. Gender, geographic region, and household status were found independently related to quality of life in stoma patients. Female patients had significantly lower scores than males in general health perception (P = 0.049), role emotion (P = 0.02), mental health perception (P = 0.026), and mental component (P = 0.007). Patients living in a village (four) had significantly lower scores than patients living in a big city (33) in all scales (P <0.05 for all comparisons). Village-dwelling patents also had significantly lower scores than patients living in a town (seven) in physical function (P = 0.001), vitality (P = 0.012), social function (P = 0.003), and mental component scores (P = 0.021). Patients living alone (seven) had significantly lower scores than patients living with a partner (11) in three of eight scales (physical functioning [P <0.001], role-physical [P = 0.047], and bodily pain [P = 0

Developing a Survey Instrument for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Data Management Training Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hou, C. Y.; Soyka, H.; Hutchison, V.; Budden, A. E.

2016-12-01

Education and training resources that focus on best practices and guidelines for working with data such as: data management, data sharing, quality metadata creation, and maintenance for reuse, have vital importance not only to the users of Data Observation Network for Earth (DataONE), but also to the broader scientific, research, and academic communities. However, creating and maintaining relevant training/educational materials that remain sensitive and responsive to community needs is dependent upon careful evaluations of the current landscape in order to promote and support thoughtful development of new resources. Using DataONE's existing training/educational resources as the basis for this project, the authors have worked to develop an evaluation instrument that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of data management training/education resources. The evaluation instrument is in the form of a digital questionnaire/survey. The evaluation instrument also includes the structure and content as recommended by the best practices/guidelines of questionnaire/survey design, based on a review of the literature. Additionally, the evaluation instrument can be customized to evaluate various training/education modalities and be implemented using a web-based questionnaire/survey platform. Finally, the evaluation instrument can be used for site-wide evaluation of DataONE teaching materials and resources, and once made publicly available and openly accessible, other organizations may also utilize the instrument. One key outcome of developing the evaluation instrument is to help in increasing the effectiveness of data management training/education resources across the Earth/Geoscience community. Through this presentation, the authors will provide the full background and motivations for creating an instrument for evaluating the effectiveness of data management training/education resources. The presentation will also discuss in detail the process and results of the current

Water quality assessment of Australian ports using water quality evaluation indices

PubMed Central

Jahan, Sayka

2017-01-01

Australian ports serve diverse and extensive activities, such as shipping, tourism and fisheries, which may all impact the quality of port water. In this work water quality monitoring at different ports using a range of water quality evaluation indices was applied to assess the port water quality. Seawater samples at 30 stations in the year 2016–2017 from six ports in NSW, Australia, namely Port Jackson, Botany, Kembla, Newcastle, Yamba and Eden, were investigated to determine the physicochemical and biological variables that affect the port water quality. The large datasets obtained were designed to determine the Water Quality Index, Heavy metal Evaluation Index, Contamination Index and newly developed Environmental Water Quality Index. The study revealed medium water quality index and high and medium heavy metal evaluation index at three of the study ports and high contamination index in almost all study ports. Low level dissolved oxygen and higher level of total dissolved solids, turbidity, fecal coliforms, copper, iron, lead, zinc, manganese, cadmium and cobalt are mainly responsible for the poor water qualities of the port areas. Good water quality at the background samples indicated that various port activities are the likely cause for poor water quality inside the port area. PMID:29244876

A quality improvement initiative using a novel travel survey to promote patient-centered counseling.

PubMed

Mackaness, Craig A; Osborne, Allison; Verma, Deepti; Templer, Suzanne; Weiss, Michael J; Knouse, Mark C

2013-01-01

We sought to evaluate and provide better itinerary-specific care to precounseled travelers and to assess diseases occurring while traveling abroad by surveying a community population. An additional quality improvement initiative was to expand our post-travel survey to be a more valuable tool in gathering high-quality quantitative data. From de-identified data collected via post-travel surveys, we identified a cohort of 525 patients for a retrospective observational analysis. We analyzed illness encountered while abroad, medication use, and whether a physician was consulted. We also examined itinerary variables, including continents and countries visited. The 525 post-travel surveys collected showed that the majority of respondents traveled to Asia (31%) or Africa (30%). The mean number of travel days was 21.3 (median, 14). Univariate analysis demonstrated a statistically significant increase of risk for general illness when comparing travel duration of less than 14 days to greater than 14 days (11.3% vs 27.7%, p < 0.001). Duration of travel was also significant with regard to development of traveler's diarrhea (TD) (p = 0.0015). Destination of travel and development of traveler's diarrhea trended toward significance. Serious illness requiring a physician visit was infrequent, as were vaccine-related complications. Despite pre-travel counseling, traveler's diarrhea was the most common illness in our cohort; expanded prevention strategies will be necessary to lower the impact that diarrheal illness has on generally healthy travelers. Overall rates of illness did not vary by destination; however, there was a strong association between duration of travel and likelihood of illness. To further identify specific variables contributing to travel-related disease, including patient co-morbidities, reason for travel, and accommodations, the post-travel survey has been modified and expanded. A limitation of this study was the low survey response rate (18%); to improve

An Integrational Model of Quality of Life in Older Age. Results from the Esrc/mrc Hsrc Quality of Life Survey in Britain.(author Abstract)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowling, Ann; Gabriel, Zahava

2004-01-01

This paper is based on the results of a national survey of the quality of life of 999 randomly sampled people aged 65 and over, living at home in Britain. The survey was semi-structured, and a sample of survey respondents was followed up and interviewed in-depth in order to explore their perceptions of quality of life in full. Comparisons are made…

Spanish Adaptation and Validation of the Family Quality of Life Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verdugo, M. A.; Cordoba, L.; Gomez, J.

2005-01-01

Background: Assessing the quality of life (QOL) for families that include a person with a disability have recently become a major emphasis in cross-cultural QOL studies. The present study examined the reliability and validity of the Family Quality of Life Survey (FQOL) on a Spanish sample. Method and Results: The sample comprised 385 families who…

Listening to the occupants: a Web-based indoor environmental quality survey.

PubMed

Zagreus, Leah; Huizenga, Charlie; Arens, Edward; Lehrer, David

2004-01-01

Building occupants are a rich source of information about indoor environmental quality and its effect on comfort and productivity. The Center for the Built Environment has developed a Web-based survey and accompanying online reporting tools to quickly and inexpensively gather, process and present this information. The core questions assess occupant satisfaction with the following IEQ areas: office layout, office furnishings, thermal comfort, indoor air quality, lighting, acoustics, and building cleanliness and maintenance. The survey can be used to assess the performance of a building, identify areas needing improvement, and provide useful feedback to designers and operators about specific aspects of building design features and operating strategies. The survey has been extensively tested and refined and has been conducted in more than 70 buildings, creating a rapidly growing database of standardized survey data that is used for benchmarking. We present three case studies that demonstrate different applications of the survey: a pre/post analysis of occupants moving to a new building, a survey used in conjunction with physical measurements to determine how environmental factors affect occupants' perceived comfort and productivity levels, and a benchmarking example of using the survey to establish how new buildings are meeting a client's design objectives. In addition to its use in benchmarking a building's performance against other buildings, the CBE survey can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify specific problems and their sources. Whenever a respondent indicates dissatisfaction with an aspect of building performance, a branching page follows with more detailed questions about the nature of the problem. This systematically collected information provides a good resource for solving indoor environmental problems in the building. By repeating the survey after a problem has been corrected it is also possible to assess the effectiveness of the solution.

Household Microbial Water Quality Testing in a Peruvian Demographic and Health Survey: Evaluation of the Compartment Bag Test for Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Wang, Alice; McMahan, Lanakila; Rutstein, Shea; Stauber, Christine; Reyes, Jorge; Sobsey, Mark D

2017-04-01

AbstractThe Joint Monitoring Program relies on household surveys to classify access to improved water sources instead of measuring microbiological quality. The aim of this research was to pilot a novel test for Escherichia coli quantification of household drinking water in the 2011 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Peru. In the Compartment Bag Test (CBT), a 100-mL water sample is supplemented with chromogenic medium to support the growth of E. coli , poured into a bag with compartments, and incubated. A color change indicates E. coli growth, and the concentration of E. coli /100 mL is estimated as a most probable number. Triplicate water samples from 704 households were collected; one sample was analyzed in the field using the CBT, another replicate sample using the CBT was analyzed by reference laboratories, and one sample using membrane filtration (MF) was analyzed by reference laboratories. There were no statistically significant differences in E. coli concentrations between the field and laboratory CBT results, or when compared with MF results. These results suggest that the CBT for E. coli is an effective method to quantify fecal bacteria in household drinking water. The CBT can be incorporated into DHS and other national household surveys as a direct measure of drinking water safety based on microbial quality to better document access to safe drinking water.

Household Microbial Water Quality Testing in a Peruvian Demographic and Health Survey: Evaluation of the Compartment Bag Test for Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Wang, Alice; McMahan, Lanakila; Rutstein, Shea; Stauber, Christine; Reyes, Jorge; Sobsey, Mark D.

2017-01-01

The Joint Monitoring Program relies on household surveys to classify access to improved water sources instead of measuring microbiological quality. The aim of this research was to pilot a novel test for Escherichia coli quantification of household drinking water in the 2011 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in Peru. In the Compartment Bag Test (CBT), a 100-mL water sample is supplemented with chromogenic medium to support the growth of E. coli, poured into a bag with compartments, and incubated. A color change indicates E. coli growth, and the concentration of E. coli/100 mL is estimated as a most probable number. Triplicate water samples from 704 households were collected; one sample was analyzed in the field using the CBT, another replicate sample using the CBT was analyzed by reference laboratories, and one sample using membrane filtration (MF) was analyzed by reference laboratories. There were no statistically significant differences in E. coli concentrations between the field and laboratory CBT results, or when compared with MF results. These results suggest that the CBT for E. coli is an effective method to quantify fecal bacteria in household drinking water. The CBT can be incorporated into DHS and other national household surveys as a direct measure of drinking water safety based on microbial quality to better document access to safe drinking water. PMID:28500818

48 CFR 246.470-2 - Quality evaluation data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 246.470-2 Quality evaluation data. The contract administration office shall establish a system for the collection, evaluation, and use of the types of quality evaluation data specified in PGI 246.470-2. [71 FR... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Quality evaluation data...

48 CFR 246.470-2 - Quality evaluation data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 246.470-2 Quality evaluation data. The contract administration office shall establish a system for the collection, evaluation, and use of the types of quality evaluation data specified in PGI 246.470-2. [71 FR... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Quality evaluation data...

48 CFR 246.470-2 - Quality evaluation data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 246.470-2 Quality evaluation data. The contract administration office shall establish a system for the collection, evaluation, and use of the types of quality evaluation data specified in PGI 246.470-2. [71 FR... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Quality evaluation data...

48 CFR 246.470-2 - Quality evaluation data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 246.470-2 Quality evaluation data. The contract administration office shall establish a system for the collection, evaluation, and use of the types of quality evaluation data specified in PGI 246.470-2. [71 FR... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Quality evaluation data...

Decision dissonance: evaluating an approach to measuring the quality of surgical decision making.

PubMed

Fowler, Floyd J; Gallagher, Patricia M; Drake, Keith M; Sepucha, Karen R

2013-03-01

Good decision making has been increasingly cited as a core component of good medical care, and shared decision making is one means of achieving high decision quality. If it is to be a standard, good measures and protocols are needed for assessing the quality of decisions. Consistency with patient goals and concerns is one defining characteristic of a good decision. A new method for evaluating decision quality for major surgical decisions was examined, and a methodology for collecting the needed data was developed. For a national probability sample of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who had a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), a lumpectomy or a mastectomy for breast cancer, or surgery for prostate cancer during the last half of 2008, a mail-survey of selected patients was carried out about one year after the procedures. Patients' goals and concerns, knowledge, key aspects of interactions with clinicians, and feelings about the decisions were assessed. A decision dissonance score was created that measured the extent to which patient ratings of goals ran counter to the treatment received. The construct and predictive validity of the decision dissonance score was then assessed. When data were averaged across all four procedures, patients with more knowledge and those who reported more involvement reported significantly lower Decision Dissonance Scores. Patients with lower Decision Dissonance Scores also reported more confidence in their decisions and feeling more positively about how the treatment turned out, and they were more likely to say that they would make the same decision again. Surveying discharged surgery patients is a feasible way to evaluate decision making, and Decision Dissonance appears to be a promising approach to validly measuring decision quality.

Patient Satisfaction Survey, 1989-1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

Health Association of America was helpful in providing the GHAA Consumer Satisfaction Survey items. iv PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEY Background The patient ...Ware, J. E., Jr. (1988). Involving consumers in quality of care assessment. Health Affairs, 2, 33-48. Fisher, A. W. (1971). Patients ’ evaluation of...of America (GHAA) Consumer Satisfaction Survey. Patient Satisfaction Surveys were mailed to 9,000 eligible beneficiaries at 37 Army medical treatment

Image quality evaluation of full reference algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Nannan; Xie, Kai; Li, Tong; Ye, Yushan

2018-03-01

Image quality evaluation is a classic research topic, the goal is to design the algorithm, given the subjective feelings consistent with the evaluation value. This paper mainly introduces several typical reference methods of Mean Squared Error(MSE), Peak Signal to Noise Rate(PSNR), Structural Similarity Image Metric(SSIM) and feature similarity(FSIM) of objective evaluation methods. The different evaluation methods are tested by Matlab, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods are obtained by analyzing and comparing them.MSE and PSNR are simple, but they are not considered to introduce HVS characteristics into image quality evaluation. The evaluation result is not ideal. SSIM has a good correlation and simple calculation ,because it is considered to the human visual effect into image quality evaluation,However the SSIM method is based on a hypothesis,The evaluation result is limited. The FSIM method can be used for test of gray image and color image test, and the result is better. Experimental results show that the new image quality evaluation algorithm based on FSIM is more accurate.

Quality measures for nurse practitioner practice evaluation.

PubMed

Kleinpell, Ruth; Kapu, April N

2017-08-01

Evaluating the impact of nurse practitioner (NP) practice has become a priority area of focus for demonstrating outcomes. A number of quality measures are available to enable practice-specific evaluation of NP roles and initiatives. This article reviews sources of quality measures that can be used to facilitate quantifying the outcomes of NP practice as part of an overall evaluation agenda. National resources and published literature on NP quality measures were reviewed. Various resources and toolkits exist to assist NPs in identifying outcomes of practice using quality measures. The need to demonstrate outcomes of NP practice remains an ongoing priority area regardless of the clinical practice setting. A variety of sources of quality measures exist that can be used to showcase the effect of NP care. The use of quality measures can be effectively integrated into evaluation of NP role and NP-directed initiatives to demonstrate impact, and enhance the conduct of an NP outcomes assessment. The use of organizational, NP-specific, and national-related quality measures can help to showcase how NP care improves the quality, safety, and costs of health care. ©2017 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

New York harbor water quality survey, 1993. (Includes appendices). Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brosnan, T.M.; O`Shea, M.L.

1994-11-30

The 84th Water Quality Survey of New York Harbor was performed by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection in 1993. Common indicators of water quality which were monitored include human health indicators, such as the sewage-related coliform bacteria, and environmental health indicators such as dissolved oxygen, the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, and phytoplankton densities as estimated from chlorophyll `a`.

Rurality and nursing home quality: evidence from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey.

PubMed

Kang, Yu; Meng, Hongdao; Miller, Nancy A

2011-12-01

To evaluate the impact of rural geographic location on nursing home quality of care in the United States. The study used cross-sectional observational design. We obtained resident- and facility-level data from 12,507 residents in 1,174 nursing homes from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey. We used multilevel regression models to predict risk-adjusted rates of hospitalization, influenza and pneumococcal vaccination, and moderate to severe pain while controlling for resident and facility characteristics. Adjusting for covariates, residents in rural facilities were more likely to experience hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] = 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16-1.94) and moderate to severe pain (OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.35-2.09). Significant facility-level predictors of higher quality included higher percentage of Medicaid beneficiaries, accreditation status, and special care programs. Medicare payment findings were mixed. Significant resident-level predictors included dementia diagnosis and being a "long-stay" resident. Rural residents were more likely to reside in facilities without accreditations or special care programs, factors that increased their odds of receiving poorer quality of care. Policy efforts to enhance Medicare payment approaches as well as increase rural facilities' accreditation status and provision of special care programs will likely reduce quality of care disparities in facilities.

Standard procedures and quality-control practices for the U.S. Geological Survey National Field Quality Assurance Program from 1982 through 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, D.L.

1995-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operates the National Field Quality Assurance Program to provide quality- assurance reference samples to field personnel who make water-quality field measurements. The program monitors the accuracy and precision of pH, specific conductance, and alkalinity field measurements. This report documents the operational procedures and quality-control techniques used in operating the quality-assurance program.

Formal intergenerational mentoring at Australian Men's Sheds: a targeted survey about mentees, mentors, programmes and quality.

PubMed

Cordier, Reinie; Wilson, Nathan J; Stancliffe, Roger J; MacCallum, Judith; Vaz, Sharmila; Buchanan, Angus; Ciccarelli, Marina; Falkmer, Torbjorn S

2016-11-01

Intergenerational mentoring enables a purposeful exchange of skills and knowledge to enhance individual and social outcomes for sub-groups at risk of health and social disparities. Male intergenerational mentoring may be an approach to help address these disparities in young men. Over 1000 Men's Sheds operate in Australia with 39% providing some form of mentoring mainly to youth. Yet, little is known about the variables intrinsic to creating and running quality programmes. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of formal intergenerational mentoring programmes, review their quality against the Australian Youth Mentoring Network (AYMN) quality benchmarks, and identify the factors that predict quality in these programmes. All known Australian Men's Sheds were invited to participate in an online cross-sectional survey. Forty sheds with formal mentor programmes completed the survey for a total of 387 mentees (mean = 9.7 mentees/programme), the majority being male. The majority of mentor programme facilitators were unpaid male volunteers aged 61 years and older, and programmes were unfunded. Promoting social and emotional well-being of the mentees was the primary focus in more than half of the programmes, and working on a shared construction project was the most common activity. Respondents rated the three most important factors that influenced programme effectiveness as being: (i) meaningful activities; (ii) mentors' approach; and (iii) a safe environment. Univariate analyses revealed that mentoring programmes that had a system in place for screening mentors, trained mentors and evaluated the programme were most likely to rate highly against the AYMN quality benchmarks. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluating quality in endoscopy.

PubMed

Pohl, Heiko

2017-06-01

Despite an increasing number of publications and suggested quality measures, evaluating quality in endoscopy remains a challenge. Most quality measures are process measures and lack evidence for an association with clinically important outcomes. Furthermore, most measure focus on procedural aspects. Patients' expectations, cultural values, and work setting also affect quality, but are less often considered. The aim of this article is to broaden the view on quality assessment. Here, quality is viewed from four perspectives: an individual patient perspective, which considers expectations and personal values; a cultural perspective, which encompasses cultural values and norms; an individual care perspective, which includes how an individual patient is being treated; and a societal perspective, which sets the stage for provided care. The article concludes with a proposal to consider bundled composite measures as a path to a simple yet comprehensive approach to assessing and measuring quality in endoscopy. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Student evaluations of a year-long mentorship program: a quality improvement initiative.

PubMed

van Eps, Mary Ann; Cooke, Marie; Creedy, Debra K; Walker, Rachel

2006-08-01

Mentoring is an important teaching-learning process in undergraduate nursing curricula. There are relatively few studies specifically evaluating nursing students' perceptions of mentorship. In the period 1999-2002, 39 students were mentored during a year-long program. This descriptive, exploratory study used a quality improvement framework informed by the Deming cycle of Plan, Do, Check and Act [Deming, W.E., 1982. Quality, Productivity and Competitive Position. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge] to evaluate the mentorship program from the students' perspective. Information was gathered through surveys, focus group discussions and interviews and analyzed to identify themes of responses. Identified themes were 'The doing of nursing', 'The thinking of nursing' and 'Being a nurse'. The study confirmed the value of mentorship in undergraduate nursing and highlighted the importance of skill competence as a basis for professional role identity by graduating students. The benefits of mentorship were derived from a long term, supportive relationship with the same registered nurse who was committed to the student's professional development.

Quality-assurance results for routine water analysis in US Geological Survey laboratories, water year 1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maloney, T.J.; Ludtke, A.S.; Krizman, T.L.

1994-01-01

The US. Geological Survey operates a quality- assurance program based on the analyses of reference samples for the National Water Quality Laboratory in Arvada, Colorado, and the Quality of Water Service Unit in Ocala, Florida. Reference samples containing selected inorganic, nutrient, and low ionic-strength constituents are prepared and disguised as routine samples. The program goal is to determine precision and bias for as many analytical methods offered by the participating laboratories as possible. The samples typically are submitted at a rate of approximately 5 percent of the annual environmental sample load for each constituent. The samples are distributed to the laboratories throughout the year. Analytical data for these reference samples reflect the quality of environmental sample data produced by the laboratories because the samples are processed in the same manner for all steps from sample login through data release. The results are stored permanently in the National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System. During water year 1991, 86 analytical procedures were evaluated at the National Water Quality Laboratory and 37 analytical procedures were evaluated at the Quality of Water Service Unit. An overall evaluation of the inorganic (major ion and trace metal) constituent data for water year 1991 indicated analytical imprecision in the National Water Quality Laboratory for 5 of 67 analytical procedures: aluminum (whole-water recoverable, atomic emission spectrometric, direct-current plasma); calcium (atomic emission spectrometric, direct); fluoride (ion-exchange chromatographic); iron (whole-water recoverable, atomic absorption spectrometric, direct); and sulfate (ion-exchange chromatographic). The results for 11 of 67 analytical procedures had positive or negative bias during water year 1991. Analytical imprecision was indicated in the determination of two of the five National Water Quality Laboratory nutrient constituents: orthophosphate as phosphorus and

Qualities of a Psychiatric Mentor: A Quantitative Singaporean Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tor, Phern-Chern; Goh, Lee-Gan; Ang, Yong-Guan; Lim, Leslie; Winslow, Rasaiah-Munidasa; Ng, Beng-Yeong; Wong, Sze-Tai; Ng, Tse-Pin; Kia, Ee-Heok

2011-01-01

Objective: Psychiatric mentors are an important part of the new, seamless training program in Singapore. There is a need to assess the qualities of a good psychiatric mentor vis-a-vis those of a good psychiatrist. Method: An anonymous survey was sent out to all psychiatry trainees and psychiatrists in Singapore to assess quantitatively the…

External quality-assurance programs managed by the U.S. Geological Survey in support of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Latysh, Natalie E.; Wetherbee, Gregory A.

2005-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, Branch of Quality Systems, operates the external quality-assurance programs for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network (NADP/NTN). Beginning in 1978, six different programs have been implemented?the intersite-comparison program, the blind-audit program, the sample-handling evaluation program, the field-audit program, the interlaboratory-comparison program, and the collocated-sampler program. Each program was designed to measure error contributed by specific components in the data-collection process. The intersite-comparison program, which was discontinued in 2004, was designed to assess the accuracy and reliability of field pH and specific-conductance measurements made by site operators. The blind-audit and sample-handling evaluation programs, which also were discontinued in 2002 and 2004, respectively, assessed contamination that may result from sampling equipment and routine handling and processing of the wet-deposition samples. The field-audit program assesses the effects of sample handling, processing, and field exposure. The interlaboratory-comparison program evaluates bias and precision of analytical results produced by the contract laboratory for NADP, the Illinois State Water Survey, Central Analytical Laboratory, and compares its performance with the performance of international laboratories. The collocated-sampler program assesses the overall precision of wet-deposition data collected by NADP/NTN. This report documents historical operations and the operating procedures for each of these external quality-assurance programs. USGS quality-assurance information allows NADP/NTN data users to discern between actual environmental trends and inherent measurement variability.

Redesign of the System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities in Anesthesiology Residency Training (SETQ Smart).

PubMed

Lombarts, Kiki M J M H; Ferguson, Andrew; Hollmann, Markus W; Malling, Bente; Arah, Onyebuchi A

2016-11-01

Given the increasing international recognition of clinical teaching as a competency and regulation of residency training, evaluation of anesthesiology faculty teaching is needed. The System for Evaluating Teaching Qualities (SETQ) Smart questionnaires were developed for assessing teaching performance of faculty in residency training programs in different countries. This study investigated (1) the structure, (2) the psychometric qualities of the new tools, and (3) the number of residents' evaluations needed per anesthesiology faculty to use the instruments reliably. Two SETQ Smart questionnaires-for faculty self-evaluation and for resident evaluation of faculty-were developed. A multicenter survey was conducted among 399 anesthesiology faculty and 430 residents in six countries. Statistical analyses included exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis using Cronbach α, item-total scale correlations, interscale correlations, comparison of composite scales to global ratings, and generalizability analysis to assess residents' evaluations needed per faculty. In total, 240 residents completed 1,622 evaluations of 247 faculty. The SETQ Smart questionnaires revealed six teaching qualities consisting of 25 items. Cronbach α's were very high (greater than 0.95) for the overall SETQ Smart questionnaires and high (greater than 0.80) for the separate teaching qualities. Interscale correlations were all within the acceptable range of moderate correlation. Overall, questionnaire and scale scores correlated moderately to highly with the global ratings. For reliable feedback to individual faculty, three to five resident evaluations are needed. The first internationally piloted questionnaires for evaluating individual anesthesiology faculty teaching performance can be reliably, validly, and feasibly used for formative purposes in residency training.

The influence of quality criteria on parents' evaluation of medical web-pages: an Italian randomised trial.

PubMed

Currò, Vincenzo; Buonuomo, Paola Sabrina; Zambiano, Annaluce; Vituzzi, Andrea; Onesimo, Roberta; D'Atri, Alessandro

2007-01-01

The aim of this study is to verify the usefulness for parents of a web evaluation framework composed of ten quality criteria to improve their ability to assess the quality level of medical web sites. We conducted a randomised controlled trial that included two groups of parents who independently evaluated five paediatric web sites by filling out two distinct questionnaires: group A with the evaluation framework, group B without it. 40 volunteers were recruited from parents referring to the General Paediatrics Out-patients Department who satisfied the following eligibility criteria: Internet users, at least 1 child under 12 months old, no professional skill in Internet and medicine. The survey was taken between February 2, 2000 and March 22, 2000. Parents evaluated each web site and assigned a score, compared with a gold standard created by a group of experts. Suggesting evaluation criteria to parents seem useful for an improvement of their ability to evaluate web sites.

[Evaluation of quality of HIV diagnostic procedures in Poland].

PubMed

Parczewski, Miłosz; Madaliński, Kazimierz; Leszczyszyn-Pynka, Magdalena; Boroń-Kaczmarska, Anna

2010-01-01

The aim of this work was quality assessment of HIV diagnostic procedures in Poland, including human and technical resources as well as laboratory practice. Sixty questionnaires were distributed among diagnostic centers to obtain qualitative data. Basing on the survey data serological control using coded panels of HIV-1/2 samples was performed. Thirty-one filled questionnaires were received (50.8%). Surveyed laboratories perform from 350 to 5500 serological screening tests per year. In most of laboratories fourth generation assays are available, while Blood Donation Centers screen the blood both with serological assays and by HIV-RNA detection. Sanitary and Epidemiological Stations and academic laboratories hold the ISO/IEC 17025 or IS0 9001:2001 accreditation, five of the surveyed centers participate in Labquality assurance and two in Quality Control in Molecular Diagnostics programs. Data of control serological testing were received from 21 centers. In the quality control assessment 194 analyses were performed with 91 true negative, 2 false negative, 96 true positive and 5 false positive results. False negative rate of % and false positive rate of 5.2% was noted for this study. Currently, virtually no guidelines related to the HIV-diagnostics quality assurance and control in Poland are in delineated. Development of the national unified quality control system, basing on the central institution is highly desirable. National certification within the frames of the quality control and assurance program should be mandatory for all the diagnostic labs, and aim at improvement of reliability of the result distributed among clinicians and patients.

48 CFR 246.470-2 - Quality evaluation data.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Quality evaluation data... SYSTEM, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE Government Contract Quality Assurance 246.470-2 Quality evaluation data. The contract administration office shall establish a system for the...

Survey evaluation and design (SED): A case study in Garden Banks, Gulf of Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, G.; Hannan, A.; Mann, A.D.

1995-12-31

Hydrocarbon exploration in the Gulf of Mexico has reached its mature stages. Exploration objectives such as deep stratigraphic and pre-salt traps are becoming more dominant. As the exploration targets change, earlier 3D seismic surveys, designed for different objectives, become less able to meet the demands of the present day explorations. Some areas of the Gulf of Mexico will require reacquisition of new 3D seismic data, redesigned to meet new objectives. Garden Banks is one such area. A major advantage of performing a survey evaluation design (SED) in a mature area is the amount and diversity of available data. Geological profiles,more » reservoir characterizations, borehole wireline and surface seismic data, all serve to aid in the survey design. Given the exploration history and geological objectives, the geophysical analyses of resolution, signal loss, noise, fold, acquisition geometry, migration aperture, velocity anisotropy and others, may now be carried out in a much more specific manner. A thorough SED ensures that overall survey objectives will be met and reduces the possibility of over design on critical parameters. This generates the highest quality seismic survey for the most reasonable cost.« less

Children's perception on obesity and quality of life: a Mexican survey.

PubMed

Rendón-Macías, Mario-Enrique; Rosas-Vargas, Haydeé; Villasís-Keever, Miguel-Ángel; Pérez-García, Celia

2014-05-29

Child obesity has become a major health problem worldwide. In order to design successful intervention strategies, it is necessary to understand how children perceive obesity and its consequences. With the aim to evaluate scholar children perception of obesity as a significant factor on the quality of life, we developed and validated the "Obesity impact on the quality of life perception-questionnaire" (ObI-Q). We surveyed 1335 healthy children aged 6-12 years, randomly selected from elementary schools in Mexico City. The ObI-Q comprises eight multiple-choice items that explore aspects related to the quality of life during adult life; such as health, life span, emotional status, lifestyle, social recognition and economic status. In order to identify perceptional modifier factors, results were analyzed through multivariable logistic regression. Variables included gender, age, and child nutritional status, as well as the child's perception of parental nutritional status. ObI-Q results showed that most children (64.71%) considered obesity as a negative condition that influences health and social performance. This perception was inversely related to age (OR = 0.64, p = 0.003), as well as to the perception of their mother nutritional status (OR = 0.47, p = 0.01). This study provides an overview of children's perception on obesity and its consequences. Because the high proportion of schoolchildren who do not view obesity as an adverse consequence to the quality of life, then the results of this study could be used as part of strategies for the prevention of overweight and obesity.

Quality in-training initiative--a solution to the need for education in quality improvement: results from a survey of program directors.

PubMed

Kelz, Rachel R; Sellers, Morgan M; Reinke, Caroline E; Medbery, Rachel L; Morris, Jon; Ko, Clifford

2013-12-01

The Next Accreditation System and the Clinical Learning Environment Review Program will emphasize practice-based learning and improvement and systems-based practice. We present the results of a survey of general surgery program directors to characterize the current state of quality improvement in graduate surgical education and introduce the Quality In-Training Initiative (QITI). In 2012, a 20-item survey was distributed to 118 surgical residency program directors from ACS NSQIP-affiliated hospitals. The survey content was developed in collaboration with the QITI to identify program director opinions regarding education in practice-based learning and improvement and systems-based practice, to investigate the status of quality improvement education in their respective programs, and to quantify the extent of resident participation in quality improvement. There was a 57% response rate. Eighty-five percent of program directors (n = 57) reported that education in quality improvement is essential to future professional work in the field of surgery. Only 28% (n = 18) of programs reported that at least 50% of their residents track and analyze their patient outcomes, compare them with norms/benchmarks/published standards, and identify opportunities to make practice improvements. Program directors recognize the importance of quality improvement efforts in surgical practice. Subpar participation in basic practice-based learning and improvement activities at the resident level reflects the need for support of these educational goals. The QITI will facilitate programmatic compliance with goals for quality improvement education. Copyright © 2013 American College of Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of quality improvement programmes

PubMed Central

Ovretveit, J; Gustafson, D

2002-01-01



 In response to increasing concerns about quality, many countries are carrying out large scale programmes which include national quality strategies, hospital programmes, and quality accreditation, assessment and review processes. Increasing amounts of resources are being devoted to these interventions, but do they ensure or improve quality of care? There is little research evidence as to their effectiveness or the conditions for maximum effectiveness. Reasons for the lack of evaluation research include the methodological challenges of measuring outcomes and attributing causality to these complex, changing, long term social interventions to organisations or health systems, which themselves are complex and changing. However, methods are available which can be used to evaluate these programmes and which can provide decision makers with research based guidance on how to plan and implement them. This paper describes the research challenges, the methods which can be used, and gives examples and guidance for future research. It emphasises the important contribution which such research can make to improving the effectiveness of these programmes and to developing the science of quality improvement. PMID:12486994

Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Resource for Public Health Practitioners

PubMed Central

Marcial, Laura H.; Brown, Stephen; Throop, Cynthia; Pina, Jamie

2017-01-01

Objectives: Quality improvement is a critical mechanism to manage public health agency performance and to strengthen accountability for public funds. The objective of this study was to evaluate a relatively new quality improvement resource, the Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange (PHQIX), a free online communication platform dedicated to making public health quality improvement information accessible to practitioners. Methods: We conducted an internet-based survey of registered PHQIX users (n = 536 respondents) in 2013 and key informant interviews with PHQIX frequent users (n = 21) in 2014, in the United States. We assessed use of the PHQIX website, user engagement and satisfaction, communication and knowledge exchange, use of information, and impact on quality improvement capacity and accreditation readiness. Results: Of 462 respondents, 369 (79.9%) browsed quality improvement initiatives, making it the most commonly used site feature, and respondents described PHQIX as a near-unique source for real-world quality improvement examples. Respondents were satisfied with the quality and breadth of topics and relevance to their settings (average satisfaction scores, 3.9-4.1 [where 5 was the most satisfied]). Of 407 respondents, 237 (58.2%) said that they had put into practice information learned on PHQIX, and 209 of 405 (51.6%) said that PHQIX had helped to improve quality improvement capacity. Fewer than half of respondents used the commenting function, the Community Forum, and the Ask an Expert feature. Conclusions: Findings suggest that PHQIX, particularly descriptions of the quality improvement initiatives, is a valued resource for public health practitioners. Users reported sharing information with colleagues and applying what they learned to their own work. These findings may relate to other efforts to disseminate quality improvement knowledge. PMID:28135430

Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Resource for Public Health Practitioners.

PubMed

Porterfield, Deborah S; Marcial, Laura H; Brown, Stephen; Throop, Cynthia; Pina, Jamie

Quality improvement is a critical mechanism to manage public health agency performance and to strengthen accountability for public funds. The objective of this study was to evaluate a relatively new quality improvement resource, the Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange (PHQIX), a free online communication platform dedicated to making public health quality improvement information accessible to practitioners. We conducted an internet-based survey of registered PHQIX users (n = 536 respondents) in 2013 and key informant interviews with PHQIX frequent users (n = 21) in 2014, in the United States. We assessed use of the PHQIX website, user engagement and satisfaction, communication and knowledge exchange, use of information, and impact on quality improvement capacity and accreditation readiness. Of 462 respondents, 369 (79.9%) browsed quality improvement initiatives, making it the most commonly used site feature, and respondents described PHQIX as a near-unique source for real-world quality improvement examples. Respondents were satisfied with the quality and breadth of topics and relevance to their settings (average satisfaction scores, 3.9-4.1 [where 5 was the most satisfied]). Of 407 respondents, 237 (58.2%) said that they had put into practice information learned on PHQIX, and 209 of 405 (51.6%) said that PHQIX had helped to improve quality improvement capacity. Fewer than half of respondents used the commenting function, the Community Forum, and the Ask an Expert feature. Findings suggest that PHQIX, particularly descriptions of the quality improvement initiatives, is a valued resource for public health practitioners. Users reported sharing information with colleagues and applying what they learned to their own work. These findings may relate to other efforts to disseminate quality improvement knowledge.

The Quality of Rare Disease Registries: Evaluation and Characterization.

PubMed

Coi, Alessio; Santoro, Michele; Villaverde-Hueso, Ana; Lipucci Di Paola, Michele; Gainotti, Sabina; Taruscio, Domenica; Posada de la Paz, Manuel; Bianchi, Fabrizio

2016-01-01

The focus on the quality of the procedures for data collection, storing, and analysis in the definition and implementation of a rare disease registry (RDR) is the basis for developing a valid and long-term sustainable tool. The aim of this study was to provide useful information for characterizing a quality profile for RDRs using an analytical approach applied to RDRs participating in the European Platform for Rare Disease Registries 2011-2014 (EPIRARE) survey. An indicator of quality was defined by choosing a small set of quality-related variables derived from the survey. The random forest method was used to identify the variables best defining a quality profile for RDRs. Fisher's exact test was employed to assess the association with the indicator of quality, and the Cochran-Armitage test was used to check the presence of a linear trend along different levels of quality. The set of variables found to characterize high-quality RDRs focused on ethical and legal issues, governance, communication of activities and results, established procedures to regulate access to data and security, and established plans to ensure long-term sustainability. The quality of RDRs is usually associated with a good oversight and governance mechanism and with durable funding. The results suggest that RDRs would benefit from support in management, information technology, epidemiology, and statistics. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Causal Effect of Survey Mode on Students' Evaluations of Teaching: Empirical Evidence from Three Field Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treischl, Edgar; Wolbring, Tobias

2017-01-01

In recent years many universities switched from paper- to online-based student evaluation of teaching (SET) without knowing the consequences for data quality. Based on a series of three consecutive field experiments--a split-half design, twin courses, and pre-post-measurements--this paper examines the effects of survey mode on SET. First, all…

User-Centered Evaluation of the Quality of Blogs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chuenchom, Sutthinan

2011-01-01

Blogs serve multiple purposes, resulting in several types of blogs that vary greatly in terms of quality and content. It is important to evaluate the quality of blogs, which requires appropriate evaluation criteria. Unfortunately, there are minimal studies on framework and the specific criteria and indicators for evaluating the quality of blogs.…

Quality of doctoral nursing education in the United Kingdom: exploring the views of doctoral students and staff based on a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

PubMed

McKenna, Hugh; Keeney, Sinead; Kim, Mi Ja; Park, Chang Gi

2014-07-01

To evaluate the quality of doctoral education in nursing in the United Kingdom. In recent decades, doctoral education programmes in nursing are increasing worldwide. There are many reasons for this and concerns have been raised regarding the quality of provision in and across countries. To date, the quality of doctoral education on a global level has not been reported in the literature. This United Kingdom study is part of a seven country investigation into the quality of doctoral education in nursing (Australia, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States of America). A quantitative study using a cross-sectional comparative survey design. An online survey was administered to collect the views of doctoral students and staff members on four domains: programme, faculty/staff, resource and evaluation. The study was carried out between 2010-2012. In most cases, staff perceived these more positively than students and the differences in perception were often statistically significant. Interestingly, many students rated the quality of supervision as excellent, whereas no staff member rated supervision this highly. The crucial importance of resources was confirmed in the path analysis of the four Quality of Doctoral Nursing Education domains. This demonstrates that investment in resources is much more cost-effective than investment in the other domains in relation to improving the overall quality of doctoral education in nursing. This study has wide-ranging implications for how the quality of doctoral education is monitored and enhanced. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Psychometric evaluation of an inpatient consumer survey measuring satisfaction with psychiatric care.

PubMed

Ortiz, Glorimar; Schacht, Lucille

2012-01-01

Measurement of consumers' satisfaction in psychiatric settings is important because it has been correlated with improved clinical outcomes and administrative measures of high-quality care. These consumer satisfaction measurements are actively used as performance measures required by the accreditation process and for quality improvement activities. Our objectives were (i) to re-evaluate, through exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the structure of an instrument intended to measure consumers' satisfaction with care in psychiatric settings and (ii) to examine and publish the psychometric characteristics, validity and reliability, of the Inpatient Consumer Survey (ICS). To psychometrically test the structure of the ICS, 34 878 survey results, submitted by 90 psychiatric hospitals in 2008, were extracted from the Behavioral Healthcare Performance Measurement System (BHPMS). Basic descriptive item-response and correlation analyses were performed for total surveys. Two datasets were randomly created for analysis. A random sample of 8229 survey results was used for EFA. Another random sample of 8261 consumer survey results was used for CFA. This same sample was used to perform validity and reliability analyses. The item-response analysis showed that the mean range for a disagree/agree five-point scale was 3.10-3.94. Correlation analysis showed a strong relationship between items. Six domains (dignity, rights, environment, empowerment, participation, and outcome) with internal reliabilities between good to moderate (0.87-0.73) were shown to be related to overall care satisfaction. Overall reliability for the instrument was excellent (0.94). Results from CFA provided support for the domains structure of the ICS proposed through EFA. The overall findings from this study provide evidence that the ICS is a reliable measure of consumer satisfaction in psychiatric inpatient settings. The analysis has shown the ICS to provide valid and

Decision Dissonance: Evaluating an Approach to Measuring the Quality of Surgical Decision Making

PubMed Central

Fowler, Floyd J.; Gallagher, Patricia M.; Drake, Keith M.; Sepucha, Karen R.

2013-01-01

Background Good decision making has been increasingly cited as a core component of good medical care, and shared decision making is one means of achieving high decision quality. If it is to be a standard, good measures and protocols are needed for assessing the quality of decisions. Consistency with patient goals and concerns is one defining characteristic of a good decision. A new method for evaluating decision quality for major surgical decisions was examined, and a methodology for collecting the needed data was developed. Methods For a national probability sample of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who had a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), a lumpectomy or a mastectomy for breast cancer, or surgery for prostate cancer during the last half of 2008, a mail survey of selected patients was carried out about one year after the procedures. Patients’ goals and concerns, knowledge, key aspects of interactions with clinicians, and feelings about the decisions were assessed. A Decision Dissonance Score was created that measured the extent to which patient ratings of goals ran counter to the treatment received. The construct and predictive validity of the Decision Dissonance Score was then assessed. Results When data were averaged across all four procedures, patients with more knowledge and those who reported more involvement reported significantly lower Decision Dissonance Scores. Patients with lower Decision Dissonance Scores also reported more confidence in their decisions and feeling more positively about how the treatment turned out, and they were more likely to say that they would make the same decision again. Conclusions Surveying discharged surgery patients is a feasible way to evaluate decision making, and Decision Dissonance appears to be a promising approach to validly measuring decision quality. PMID:23516764

Quality of reporting web-based and non-web-based survey studies: What authors, reviewers and consumers should consider.

PubMed

Turk, Tarek; Elhady, Mohamed Tamer; Rashed, Sherwet; Abdelkhalek, Mariam; Nasef, Somia Ahmed; Khallaf, Ashraf Mohamed; Mohammed, Abdelrahman Tarek; Attia, Andrew Wassef; Adhikari, Purushottam; Amin, Mohamed Alsabbahi; Hirayama, Kenji; Huy, Nguyen Tien

2018-01-01

Several influential aspects of survey research have been under-investigated and there is a lack of guidance on reporting survey studies, especially web-based projects. In this review, we aim to investigate the reporting practices and quality of both web- and non-web-based survey studies to enhance the quality of reporting medical evidence that is derived from survey studies and to maximize the efficiency of its consumption. Reporting practices and quality of 100 random web- and 100 random non-web-based articles published from 2004 to 2016 were assessed using the SUrvey Reporting GuidelinE (SURGE). The CHERRIES guideline was also used to assess the reporting quality of Web-based studies. Our results revealed a potential gap in the reporting of many necessary checklist items in both web-based and non-web-based survey studies including development, description and testing of the questionnaire, the advertisement and administration of the questionnaire, sample representativeness and response rates, incentives, informed consent, and methods of statistical analysis. Our findings confirm the presence of major discrepancies in reporting results of survey-based studies. This can be attributed to the lack of availability of updated universal checklists for quality of reporting standards. We have summarized our findings in a table that may serve as a roadmap for future guidelines and checklists, which will hopefully include all types and all aspects of survey research.

Validating a Theory-Based Survey to Evaluate Teaching Effectiveness in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amrein-Beardsley, A.; Haladyna, T.

2012-01-01

Surveys to evaluate instructor effectiveness are commonly used in higher education. Yet the survey items included are often drawn from other surveys without reference to a theory of adult learning. The authors present the results from a validation study of such a theory-based survey. They evidence that an evaluation survey based on a theory that…

Qualities of a psychiatric mentor: a quantitative Singaporean survey.

PubMed

Tor, Phern-Chern; Goh, Lee-Gan; Ang, Yong-Guan; Lim, Leslie; Winslow, Rasaiah-Munidasa; Ng, Beng-Yeong; Wong, Sze-Tai; Ng, Tse-Pin; Kia, Ee-Heok

2011-11-01

Psychiatric mentors are an important part of the new, seamless training program in Singapore. There is a need to assess the qualities of a good psychiatric mentor vis-à-vis those of a good psychiatrist. An anonymous survey was sent out to all psychiatry trainees and psychiatrists in Singapore to assess quantitatively the relative importance of 40 qualities for a good psychiatrist and a good mentor. The response rate was 48.7% (74/152). Factor analysis showed four themes among the qualities assessed (professional, personal values, relationship, academic-executive). A good mentor is defined by professional, relationship, and personal-values qualities. Mentors have significantly higher scores than psychiatrists for two themes (relationship and academic-executive). Being a good mentor, in Asia, means being a good psychiatrist first and foremost but also requires additional relationship and academic-executive skills. Mentors should be formally trained in these additional skills that were not part of the psychiatric curriculum.

Evaluating the Service Quality of the Hotel Establishments in Sports Tourism with Regard to the Athletes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osmanoglu, Hasan; Üzüm, Hanifi

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the service quality of the hotels which are provided sport tourism by athletes according to some variables. The research was conducted with cross-sectional research method as one of the general survey models and relational screening model. Target group of the study also constituted the sample group. This…

Report on Survey of Industry Needs for Quality. Summary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neylon, Kevin; And Others

The TAFE (Technical and Further Education) National Centre for Research and Development conducted a survey to determine industry needs for quality training in Australia. Interviews were conducted with managers in manufacturing and tourism/hospitality companies throughout Australia, especially with firms with a high reputation. Interview forms were…

Academic research groups: evaluation of their quality and quality of their evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berche, Bertrand; Holovatch, Yuri; Kenna, Ralph; Mryglod, Olesya

2016-02-01

In recent years, evaluation of the quality of academic research has become an increasingly important and influential business. It determines, often to a large extent, the amount of research funding flowing into universities and similar institutes from governmental agencies and it impacts upon academic careers. Policy makers are becoming increasingly reliant upon, and influenced by, the outcomes of such evaluations. In response, university managers are increasingly attracted to simple metrics as guides to the dynamics of the positions of their various institutions in league tables. However, these league tables are invariably drawn up by inexpert bodies such as newspapers and magazines, using arbitrary measures and criteria. Terms such as “critical mass” and “h-index” are bandied about without understanding of what they actually mean. Rather than accepting the rise and fall of universities, departments and individuals on a turbulent sea of arbitrary measures, we suggest it is incumbent upon the scientific community itself to clarify their nature. Here we report on recent attempts to do that by properly defining critical mass and showing how group size influences research quality. We also examine currently predominant metrics and show that these fail as reliable indicators of group research quality.

Evaluating integration of inland bathymetry in the U.S. Geological Survey 3D Elevation Program, 2014

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller-Corbett, Cynthia

2016-09-01

Inland bathymetry survey collections, survey data types, features, sources, availability, and the effort required to integrate inland bathymetric data into the U.S. Geological Survey 3D Elevation Program are assessed to help determine the feasibility of integrating three-dimensional water feature elevation data into The National Map. Available data from wading, acoustic, light detection and ranging, and combined technique surveys are provided by the U.S. Geological Survey, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other sources. Inland bathymetric data accessed through Web-hosted resources or contacts provide useful baseline parameters for evaluating survey types and techniques used for collection and processing, and serve as a basis for comparing survey methods and the quality of results. Historically, boat-mounted acoustic surveys have provided most inland bathymetry data. Light detection and ranging techniques that are beneficial in areas hard to reach by boat, that can collect dense data in shallow water to provide comprehensive coverage, and that can be cost effective for surveying large areas with good water clarity are becoming more common; however, optimal conditions and techniques for collecting and processing light detection and ranging inland bathymetry surveys are not yet well defined.Assessment of site condition parameters important for understanding inland bathymetry survey issues and results, and an evaluation of existing inland bathymetry survey coverage are proposed as steps to develop criteria for implementing a useful and successful inland bathymetry survey plan in the 3D Elevation Program. These survey parameters would also serve as input for an inland bathymetry survey data baseline. Integration and interpolation techniques are important factors to consider in developing a robust plan; however, available survey data are usually in a triangulated irregular network format or other format compatible with

Utility of Follow-Up Skeletal Surveys in Suspected Child Physical Abuse Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Stephanie; Makoroff, Kathi; Care, Marguerite; Thomas, Amy; Shapiro, Robert

2005-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the utility of a follow-up skeletal survey in suspected child physical abuse evaluations. Methods: In this prospective study, follow-up skeletal surveys were recommended for 74 children who, after an initial skeletal survey and evaluation by the Child Abuse Team, were suspected victims of physical abuse. The number and…

Preface; Water quality of large U.S. rivers; results from the U.S. Geological Survey's National Stream Quality Accounting Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hirsch, Robert M.; Hooper, Richard P.; Kelly, Valerie J.

2001-01-01

The mission of the US Geological Survey (USGS) is to assess the quantity and quality of the earth resources of the USA and to provide information that will assist resource managers and policymakers at federal, state and local levels in making sound decisions. Characterizing the water quality of the largest rivers of the USA is a daunting prospect, especially given the resources available for the task. The most effective approach is uncertain and is legitimately a research topic. The National Stream Quality Accounting Network (NASQAN) was redesigned in 1995 to estimate the annual mass flux of constituents at a network of fixed stations in the Mississippi, Rio Grande, Colorado, and Columbia River basins. This special volume of Hydrological Processes contains a series of papers evaluating the data collected by NASQAN during its first 3 years of operation under this design. The NASQAN network complements other USGS national programs that are designed to address water quality at different scales. The National Water-Quality Assessment Program (Hirsch et al., 1988) is designed around river basins of 10 000 to 100 000 km2 (versus these NASQAN basins, which are 650 000 to 3 100 000 km2 at their most downstream stations). The USGS also operates the Hydrologic Benchmark Network that is focused on relatively pristine basins of only 10 to 100 km2 (Mast and Turk, 1999a,b; Clark et al., 2000; Mast et al., 2000).

Survey Says: Using Teacher Feedback to Bolster Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiener, Ross; Lundy, Kasia

2014-01-01

Many of the leading private sector organizations have for years embraced a survey approach to improving products, services, and internal policies and processes. Like these successful private sector businesses, school systems can utilize a similar survey-based approach to improving teacher evaluation. Here, the authors provide and outline some…

Survey on Monitoring and Quality Controlling of the Mobile Biosignal Delivery.

PubMed

Pawar, Pravin A; Edla, Damodar R; Edoh, Thierry; Shinde, Vijay; van Beijnum, Bert-Jan

2017-10-31

A Mobile Patient Monitoring System (MPMS) acquires patient's biosignals and transmits them using wireless network connection to the decision-making module or healthcare professional for the assessment of patient's condition. A variety of wireless network technologies such as wireless personal area networks (e.g., Bluetooth), mobile ad-hoc networks (MANET), and infrastructure-based networks (e.g., WLAN and cellular networks) are in practice for biosignals delivery. The wireless network quality-of-service (QoS) requirements of biosignals delivery are mainly specified in terms of required bandwidth, acceptable delay, and tolerable error rate. An important research challenge in the MPMS is how to satisfy QoS requirements of biosignals delivery in the environment characterized by patient mobility, deployment of multiple wireless network technologies, and variable QoS characteristics of the wireless networks. QoS requirements are mainly application specific, while available QoS is largely dependent on QoS provided by wireless network in use. QoS provisioning refers to providing support for improving QoS experience of networked applications. In resource poor conditions, application adaptation may also be required to make maximum use of available wireless network QoS. This survey paper presents a survey of recent developments in the area of QoS provisioning for MPMS. In particular, our contributions are as follows: (1) overview of wireless networks and network QoS requirements of biosignals delivery; (2) survey of wireless networks' QoS performance evaluation for the transmission of biosignals; and (3) survey of QoS provisioning mechanisms for biosignals delivery in MPMS. We also propose integrating end-to-end QoS monitoring and QoS provisioning strategies in a mobile patient monitoring system infrastructure to support optimal delivery of biosignals to the healthcare professionals.

The Advisor Quality Survey: Good College Advisors Are Available, Knowledgeable, and Autonomy Supportive

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheldon, Kennon M.; Garton, Bryan; Orr, Rachael; Smith, Amy

2015-01-01

Most US institutions of higher education do not assess advisor quality. We report a scale development effort informed by the developmental prescriptions of self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985, 2000). The 15-item Missouri Advisor Quality Survey assesses advisor knowledge, advisor availability, and advisor autonomy supportiveness.…

Effect of paper quality on the response rate to a postal survey: A randomised controlled trial. [ISRCTN32032031

PubMed Central

Clark, T Justin; Khan, Khalid S; Gupta, Janesh K

2001-01-01

Background Response rates to surveys are declining and this threatens the validity and generalisability of their findings. We wanted to determine whether paper quality influences the response rate to postal surveys Methods A postal questionnaire was sent to all members of the British Society of Gynaecological Endoscopy (BSGE). Recipients were randomised to receiving the questionnaire printed on standard quality paper or high quality paper. Results The response rate for the recipients of high quality paper was 43/195 (22%) and 57/194 (29%) for standard quality paper (relative rate of response 0.75, 95% CI 0.33–1.05, p = 0.1 Conclusion The use of high quality paper did not increase response rates to a questionnaire survey of gynaecologists affiliated to an endoscopic society. PMID:11782286

Improved quality and more attractive work by applying EBM in disability evaluations: a qualitative survey.

PubMed

Hoving, Jan L; Kok, Rob; Ketelaar, Sarah M; Smits, Paul B A; van Dijk, Frank J H; Verbeek, Jos H

2016-02-29

The uptake of evidence in practice by physicians, even if they are trained in the systematic method of evidence-based medicine (EBM), remains difficult to improve. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions and experiences of physicians doing disability evaluations regarding motivators and preconditions for the implementation of EBM in daily practice. This qualitative study was nested in a cluster randomized controlled trial (Trial registration NTR1767; 20-apr-2009) evaluating the effects of training in EBM. The 45 physicians that participated received a comprehensive 6-months training program in EBM of which the last course day included audio-recorded interviews in groups. During these interviews participating physicians discussed perceptions and experiences regarding EBM application in daily practice. In an iterative process we searched for common motivators or preconditions for the implementation of EBM. Three main concepts or themes emerged after analyzing the transcriptions of the discussions: 1) improved quality of physicians' actions, such as clients benefiting from the application of EBM; 2) improved work attractiveness of physicians; and 3) preconditions that have to be met in order to work in an evidence-based manner including professional competence, facilitating material conditions and organizational support and demands. Physicians trained in EBM are motivated to use EBM because they perceive it as a factor improving the quality of their work and making their work more attractive. In addition to personal investments and gains, organizational support should further facilitate the uptake of evidence in practice.

Global review of health care surveys using lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS), 1984-2004.

PubMed

Robertson, Susan E; Valadez, Joseph J

2006-09-01

We conducted a global review on the use of lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) to assess health care services, health behaviors, and disease burden. Publications and reports on LQAS surveys were sought from Medline and five other electronic databases; the World Health Organization; the World Bank; governments, nongovernmental organizations, and individual scientists. We identified a total of 805 LQAS surveys conducted by different management groups during January 1984 through December 2004. There was a striking increase in the annual number of LQAS surveys conducted in 2000-2004 (128/year) compared with 1984-1999 (10/year). Surveys were conducted in 55 countries, and in 12 of these countries there were 10 or more LQAS surveys. Geographically, 317 surveys (39.4%) were conducted in Africa, 197 (28.5%) in the Americas, 115 (14.3%) in the Eastern Mediterranean, 114 (14.2%) in South-East Asia, 48 (6.0%) in Europe, and 14 (1.8%) in the Western Pacific. Health care parameters varied, and some surveys assessed more than one parameter. There were 320 surveys about risk factors for HIV/AIDS/sexually transmitted infections; 266 surveys on immunization coverage, 240 surveys post-disasters, 224 surveys on women's health, 142 surveys on growth and nutrition, 136 surveys on diarrheal disease control, and 88 surveys on quality management. LQAS surveys to assess disease burden included 23 neonatal tetanus mortality surveys and 12 surveys on other diseases. LQAS is a practical field method which increasingly is being applied in assessment of preventive and curative health services, and may offer new research opportunities to social scientists. When LQAS data are collected recurrently at multiple time points, they can be used to measure the spatial variation in behavior change. Such data provide insight into understanding relationships between various investments in social, human, and physical capital, and into the effectiveness of different public health strategies in achieving

Using Quality of Student Life Indicators at Three Cooperating Colleges: The Cycles Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royer, Paula Nassif; Kegan, Daniel

The problems of developing a low cost, quality institutional research program capable of longitudinal research, continuous broad bandwidth monitoring and data comparisons with other institutions, led to the development of the Hampshire Cycles Survey as an initial set of student quality of life indicators. Cycles is a multidimensional survey…

Quality-assurance plan and field methods for quality-of-water activities, U.S. Geological Survey, Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Idaho

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mann, L.J.

1996-10-01

Water-quality activities at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Project Office are part of the US Geological Survey`s (USGS) Water Resources Division (WRD) mission of appraising the quantity and quality of the Nation`s water resources. The purpose of the Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) for water-quality activities performed by the INEL Project Office is to maintain and improve the quality of technical products, and to provide a formal standardization, documentation, and review of the activities that lead to these products. The principles of this plan are as follows: (1) water-quality programs will be planned in a competent manner and activities willmore » be monitored for compliance with stated objectives and approaches; (2) field, laboratory, and office activities will be performed in a conscientious and professional manner in accordance with specified WRD practices and procedures by qualified and experienced employees who are well trained and supervised, if or when, WRD practices and procedures are inadequate, data will be collected in a manner that its quality will be documented; (3) all water-quality activities will be reviewed for completeness, reliability, credibility, and conformance to specified standards and guidelines; (4) a record of actions will be kept to document the activity and the assigned responsibility; (5) remedial action will be taken to correct activities that are deficient.« less

Quality of surgical care in hospitals providing internship training in Kenya: a cross sectional survey.

PubMed

Mwinga, Stephen; Kulohoma, Colette; Mwaniki, Paul; Idowu, Rachel; Masasabi, John; English, Mike

2015-02-01

To evaluate services in hospitals providing internship training to graduate doctors in Kenya. A survey of 22 internship training hospitals was conducted. Availability of key resources spanning infrastructure, personnel, equipment and drugs was assessed by observation. Outcomes and process of care for pre-specified priority conditions (head injury, chest injury, fractures, burns and acute abdomen) were evaluated by auditing case records. Each hospital had at least one consultant surgeon. Scheduled surgical outpatient clinics, major ward rounds and elective (half day) theatre lists were provided once per week in 91%, 55% and 9%, respectively. In all other hospitals, these were conducted twice weekly. Basic drugs were not always available (e.g. gentamicin, morphine and pethidine in 50%, injectable antistaphylococcal penicillins in 5% hospitals). Fewer than half of hospitals had all resources needed to provide oxygen. One hundred and forty-five of 956 cases evaluated underwent operations under general or spinal anaesthesia. We found operation notes for 99% and anaesthetic records for 72%. Pre-operatively measured vital signs were recorded in 80% of cases, and evidence of consent to operation was found in 78%. Blood loss was documented in only one case and sponge and instrument counts in 7%. Evaluation of surgical services would be improved by development and dissemination of clear standards of care. This survey suggests that internship hospitals may be poorly equipped and documented care suggests inadequacies in quality and training. © 2014 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluating Quality Management in University Departments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becket, Nina; Brookes, Maureen

2006-01-01

Purpose: Despite the abundance of research on quality management there is no universal consensus on how best to measure quality in higher education. This paper undertakes a critical evaluation of the different methods used to assess the quality of provision in higher education departments in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing on relevant…

Updated operational protocols for the U.S. Geological Survey Precipitation Chemistry Quality Assurance Project in support of the National Atmospheric Deposition Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wetherbee, Gregory A.; Martin, RoseAnn

2017-02-06

The U.S. Geological Survey Branch of Quality Systems operates the Precipitation Chemistry Quality Assurance Project (PCQA) for the National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) and National Atmospheric Deposition Program/Mercury Deposition Network (NADP/MDN). Since 1978, various programs have been implemented by the PCQA to estimate data variability and bias contributed by changing protocols, equipment, and sample submission schemes within NADP networks. These programs independently measure the field and laboratory components which contribute to the overall variability of NADP wet-deposition chemistry and precipitation depth measurements. The PCQA evaluates the quality of analyte-specific chemical analyses from the two, currently (2016) contracted NADP laboratories, Central Analytical Laboratory and Mercury Analytical Laboratory, by comparing laboratory performance among participating national and international laboratories. Sample contamination and stability are evaluated for NTN and MDN by using externally field-processed blank samples provided by the Branch of Quality Systems. A colocated sampler program evaluates the overall variability of NTN measurements and bias between dissimilar precipitation gages and sample collectors.This report documents historical PCQA operations and general procedures for each of the external quality-assurance programs from 2007 to 2016.

Evaluation Use: Results from a Survey of U.S. American Evaluation Association Members

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fleischer, Dreolin N.; Christie, Christina A.

2009-01-01

This paper presents the results of a cross-sectional survey on evaluation use completed by 1,140 U.S. American Evaluation Association members. This study had three foci: evaluators' current attitudes, perceptions, and experiences related to evaluation use theory and practice, how these data are similar to those reported in a previous study…

Improving the Quality of Web Surveys: The Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES)

PubMed Central

2004-01-01

Analogous to checklists of recommendations such as the CONSORT statement (for randomized trials), or the QUORUM statement (for systematic reviews), which are designed to ensure the quality of reports in the medical literature, a checklist of recommendations for authors is being presented by the Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR) in an effort to ensure complete descriptions of Web-based surveys. Papers on Web-based surveys reported according to the CHERRIES statement will give readers a better understanding of the sample (self-)selection and its possible differences from a “representative” sample. It is hoped that author adherence to the checklist will increase the usefulness of such reports. PMID:15471760

Water-quality data-collection activities in Colorado and Ohio; Phase II, Evaluation of 1984 field and laboratory quality-assurance practices

USGS Publications Warehouse

Childress, Carolyn J. Oblinger; Chaney, Thomas H.; Myers, Donna; Norris, J. Michael; Hren, Janet

1987-01-01

Serious questions have been raised by Congress about the usefulness of water-quality data for addressing issues of regional and national scope and, especially, for characterizing the current quality of the Nation's streams and ground water. In response, the U.S. Geological Survey has undertaken a pilot study in Colorado and Ohio to (1) determine the characteristics of current (1984) water-quality data-collection activities of Federal, regional, State, and local agencies, and academic institutions; and (2) determine how well the data from these activities, collected for various purposes and using different procedures, can be used to improve our ability to answer major broad-scope questions, such as:A. What are (or were) natural or near-natural water-quality conditions?B. What are existing water-quality conditions?C. How has water quality changed, and how do the changes relate to human activities?Colorado and Ohio were chosen for the pilot study largely because they represent regions with different types of waterquality concerns and programs. The study has been divided into three phases, the objectives of which are: Phase I--Inventory water-quality data-collection programs, including costs, and identify those programs that met a set of broad criteria for producing data that are potentially appropriate for water-quality assessments of regional and national scope. Phase II--Evaluate the quality assurance of field and laboratory procedures used in producing the data from programs that met the broad criteria of Phase I. Phase III--Compile the qualifying data and evaluate the adequacy of this data base for addressing selected water-quality questions of regional and national scope.Water-quality data are collected by a large number of organizations for diverse purposes ranging from meeting statutory requirements to research on water chemistry. Combining these individual data bases is an appealing and potentially cost-effective way to attempt to develop a data base adequate

An Underwater Color Image Quality Evaluation Metric.

PubMed

Yang, Miao; Sowmya, Arcot

2015-12-01

Quality evaluation of underwater images is a key goal of underwater video image retrieval and intelligent processing. To date, no metric has been proposed for underwater color image quality evaluation (UCIQE). The special absorption and scattering characteristics of the water medium do not allow direct application of natural color image quality metrics especially to different underwater environments. In this paper, subjective testing for underwater image quality has been organized. The statistical distribution of the underwater image pixels in the CIELab color space related to subjective evaluation indicates the sharpness and colorful factors correlate well with subjective image quality perception. Based on these, a new UCIQE metric, which is a linear combination of chroma, saturation, and contrast, is proposed to quantify the non-uniform color cast, blurring, and low-contrast that characterize underwater engineering and monitoring images. Experiments are conducted to illustrate the performance of the proposed UCIQE metric and its capability to measure the underwater image enhancement results. They show that the proposed metric has comparable performance to the leading natural color image quality metrics and the underwater grayscale image quality metrics available in the literature, and can predict with higher accuracy the relative amount of degradation with similar image content in underwater environments. Importantly, UCIQE is a simple and fast solution for real-time underwater video processing. The effectiveness of the presented measure is also demonstrated by subjective evaluation. The results show better correlation between the UCIQE and the subjective mean opinion score.

Quality of Life Among Dental Students: A Survey Study.

PubMed

Andre, Amanda; Pierre, Gaelle C; McAndrew, Maureen

2017-10-01

Quality of life is a complex construct that affects the overall life satisfaction, emotional well-being, and functioning of individuals. The aim of our study was to assess the quality of life of dental students at one U.S. dental school, using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF, a multi-dimensional, cross-cultural, validated, and reliable survey instrument. Of the 1,437 students invited to participate, 401 students responded, but 17 were excluded because of missing data. The final sample consisted of 384 students for an overall response rate of 27%: response rates by year were first year 32.6%, second year 16.9%, third year 26.6%, and fourth year 24.0%. The results showed that the responding students rated their overall quality of life as good. The Physical Health domain had the highest mean score, while the Psychological domain had the lowest. Females reported higher quality of life than males in the Social Relationships domain. Single students were found to have a lower perceived quality of life than married students. Older students were found to have lower perceived quality of life in the Physical Health and Environment domains. Physical Health domain scores were significantly higher for fourth-year than first-year respondents, while Psychological domain scores were significantly lower for third-year than first-year respondents. Further research is needed to explore the effect of dental school on the quality of life of dental students. Targeted programs to impact students' quality of life at various points in the curriculum may be beneficial.

Service quality and perceived value of technology-based service encounters: evaluation of clinical staff satisfaction in Taiwan.

PubMed

Hung, Chung-Jye; Chang, Hsin Hsin; Eng, Cheng Joo; Wong, Kit Hong

Previous research has evaluated technology-based service encounters (TBSEs) in the delivery of health care by assessing patient satisfaction. This study examined service quality and perceived value of TBSEs used in health organisations from the perspective of clinical staff, with staff technology readiness as a moderator. A quantitative survey was conducted in Taiwan, across private and public healthcare organisations. Results showed that TBSEs had a direct effect on service quality and perceived value, which in turn had a direct effect on staff satisfaction in using TBSEs. However, service quality had no effect on perceived value when moderated by technology readiness. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.

The impact of economic evaluation on quality management in spine surgery

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Health care expenditures are substantially increasing within the last two decades prompting the imperative need for economic evaluations in health care. Historically, economic evaluations in health care have been carried out by four approaches: (1) the human-capital approach (HCA), (2) cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), (3) cost-utility analysis (CUA) and (4) cost-benefit analysis (CBA). While the HCA cannot be recommended because of methodological shortcomings, CEA and CUA have been used frequently in healthcare. In CEA, costs are measured in monetary terms and health effects are measured in a non-monetary unit, e.g. number of successfully treated patients. In an attempt to develop an effectiveness measure that incorporates effects on both quantity and quality of life, so-called Quality Adjusted Life Years (QUALYs) were introduced. Contingent valuation surveys are used in cost-benefit analyses (CBA) to elicit the consumer’s monetary valuations for program benefits by applying the willingness-to-pay approach. A distinguished feature of CBA is that costs and benefits are expressed in the same units of value, i.e. money. Only recently, economic evaluations have started to explore various spinal interventions particularly the very expensive fusion operations. While most of the studies used CEA or CUA approaches, CBAs are still rare. Most studies fail to show that sophisticated spinal interventions are more cost-effective than conventional treatments. In spite of the lack of therapeutic or cost-effectiveness for most spinal surgeries, there is rapidly growing spinal implant market demonstrating market imperfection and information asymmetry. A change can only be anticipated when physicians start to focus on the improvement of health care quality as documented by outcome research and economic evaluations of cost-effectiveness and net benefits. PMID:19337760

The impact of economic evaluation on quality management in spine surgery.

PubMed

Boos, Norbert

2009-08-01

Health care expenditures are substantially increasing within the last two decades prompting the imperative need for economic evaluations in health care. Historically, economic evaluations in health care have been carried out by four approaches: (1) the human-capital approach (HCA), (2) cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), (3) cost-utility analysis (CUA) and (4) cost-benefit analysis (CBA). While the HCA cannot be recommended because of methodological shortcomings, CEA and CUA have been used frequently in healthcare. In CEA, costs are measured in monetary terms and health effects are measured in a non-monetary unit, e.g. number of successfully treated patients. In an attempt to develop an effectiveness measure that incorporates effects on both quantity and quality of life, so-called Quality Adjusted Life Years (QUALYs) were introduced. Contingent valuation surveys are used in cost-benefit analyses (CBA) to elicit the consumer's monetary valuations for program benefits by applying the willingness-to-pay approach. A distinguished feature of CBA is that costs and benefits are expressed in the same units of value, i.e. money. Only recently, economic evaluations have started to explore various spinal interventions particularly the very expensive fusion operations. While most of the studies used CEA or CUA approaches, CBAs are still rare. Most studies fail to show that sophisticated spinal interventions are more cost-effective than conventional treatments. In spite of the lack of therapeutic or cost-effectiveness for most spinal surgeries, there is rapidly growing spinal implant market demonstrating market imperfection and information asymmetry. A change can only be anticipated when physicians start to focus on the improvement of health care quality as documented by outcome research and economic evaluations of cost-effectiveness and net benefits.

The use of data from national and other large-scale user experience surveys in local quality work: a systematic review.

PubMed

Haugum, Mona; Danielsen, Kirsten; Iversen, Hilde Hestad; Bjertnaes, Oyvind

2014-12-01

An important goal for national and large-scale surveys of user experiences is quality improvement. However, large-scale surveys are normally conducted by a professional external surveyor, creating an institutionalized division between the measurement of user experiences and the quality work that is performed locally. The aim of this study was to identify and describe scientific studies related to the use of national and large-scale surveys of user experiences in local quality work. Ovid EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid PsycINFO and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Scientific publications about user experiences and satisfaction about the extent to which data from national and other large-scale user experience surveys are used for local quality work in the health services. Themes of interest were identified and a narrative analysis was undertaken. Thirteen publications were included, all differed substantially in several characteristics. The results show that large-scale surveys of user experiences are used in local quality work. The types of follow-up activity varied considerably from conducting a follow-up analysis of user experience survey data to information sharing and more-systematic efforts to use the data as a basis for improving the quality of care. This review shows that large-scale surveys of user experiences are used in local quality work. However, there is a need for more, better and standardized research in this field. The considerable variation in follow-up activities points to the need for systematic guidance on how to use data in local quality work. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care; all rights reserved.

Evaluating supplier quality performance using analytical hierarchy process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalimuthu Rajoo, Shanmugam Sundram; Kasim, Maznah Mat; Ahmad, Nazihah

2013-09-01

This paper elaborates the importance of evaluating supplier quality performance to an organization. Supplier quality performance evaluation reflects the actual performance of the supplier exhibited at customer's end. It is critical in enabling the organization to determine the area of improvement and thereafter works with supplier to close the gaps. Success of the customer partly depends on supplier's quality performance. Key criteria as quality, cost, delivery, technology support and customer service are categorized as main factors in contributing to supplier's quality performance. 18 suppliers' who were manufacturing automotive application parts evaluated in year 2010 using weight point system. There were few suppliers with common rating which led to common ranking observed by few suppliers'. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a user friendly decision making tool for complex and multi criteria problems was used to evaluate the supplier's quality performance challenging the weight point system that was used for 18 suppliers'. The consistency ratio was checked for criteria and sub-criteria. Final results of AHP obtained with no overlap ratings, therefore yielded a better decision making methodology as compared to weight point rating system.

Retrospective and Prospective Evaluations of Environmental Quality under Urban Renewal as Determinants of Residents' Subjective Quality of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheung, Chau-kiu; Leung, Kwan-kwok

2008-01-01

Claims about the impacts of environmental quality associated with urban renewal on the resident's subjective quality of life are more speculative than empirically grounded. To clarify the impacts of environmental quality under urban renewal, this study surveyed 876 residents living in housing surrounding seven urban renewal sites in Hong Kong. It…

Ontology Based Quality Evaluation for Spatial Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yılmaz, C.; Cömert, Ç.

2015-08-01

Many institutions will be providing data to the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Current technical background of the NSDI is based on syntactic web services. It is expected that this will be replaced by semantic web services. The quality of the data provided is important in terms of the decision-making process and the accuracy of transactions. Therefore, the data quality needs to be tested. This topic has been neglected in Turkey. Data quality control for NSDI may be done by private or public "data accreditation" institutions. A methodology is required for data quality evaluation. There are studies for data quality including ISO standards, academic studies and software to evaluate spatial data quality. ISO 19157 standard defines the data quality elements. Proprietary software such as, 1Spatial's 1Validate and ESRI's Data Reviewer offers quality evaluation based on their own classification of rules. Commonly, rule based approaches are used for geospatial data quality check. In this study, we look for the technical components to devise and implement a rule based approach with ontologies using free and open source software in semantic web context. Semantic web uses ontologies to deliver well-defined web resources and make them accessible to end-users and processes. We have created an ontology conforming to the geospatial data and defined some sample rules to show how to test data with respect to data quality elements including; attribute, topo-semantic and geometrical consistency using free and open source software. To test data against rules, sample GeoSPARQL queries are created, associated with specifications.

Reasons anglers did not respond to an internet survey and evaluation of data quality

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gigliotti, Larry M.; Henderson, Kjetil R.

2015-01-01

Natural resource management agencies have traditionally used statewide mail surveys to gather information from anglers, but cost savings and faster returns occur using the internet. This study examined mail or internet fishery survey return rates and associated data by license type of South Dakota resident anglers. Junior anglers (ages 16-18; Junior Combination license) had the lowest internet and mail survey return rates (20% and 28%, respectively), followed by adult anglers (ages 19-64; Adult Fishing and Adult Combination licenses; 30% and 39%, respectively), and senior anglers (ages 65+; Senior Fishing and Senior Combination licenses; 42% and 66%, respectively). The three age groups were significantly different on three email use characteristics (shared email, frequency of use, and comfort level). The primary reason for not responding to the internet survey was not receiving or noticing the email request, and secondarily, being too busy to respond. Although having a relatively low response rate, data collected by the internet compared to follow-up mail surveys of internet non-respondents were similar.

Evaluation of hospital staff's perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services.

PubMed

McKeown, Sandra; Konrad, Shauna-Lee; McTavish, Jill; Boyce, Erin

2017-04-01

The research evaluated the perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services at one of Canada's largest acute care teaching hospitals for the purpose of continuous quality improvement and investigation of relationships between variables that can impact user satisfaction. An online survey was constructed using evidence-based methodologies. A systematic sample of staff and physicians requesting literature searches at London Health Sciences Centre were invited to participate in the study over a one-year period. Data analyses included descriptive statistics of closed-ended questions and coding of open-ended questions. A range of staff including clinicians, researchers, educators, leaders, and analysts submitted a total of 137 surveys, representing a response rate of 71%. Staff requested literature searches for the following "primary" purposes: research or publication (34%), teaching or training (20%), informing a policy or standard practice (16%), patient care (15%), and "other" purposes (15%). While the majority of staff (76%) submitted search requests using methods of written communication, including email and search request forms, staff using methods of verbal communication, including face-to-face and telephone conversations, were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian's interpretation of the search request ( p =0.004) and to rate the perceived quality of the search results as excellent ( p =0.005). In most cases, librarians followed up with staff to clarify the details of their search requests (72%), and these staff were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian's interpretation of the search request ( p =0.002). Our results demonstrate the limitations of written communication in the context of librarian-mediated literature searching and suggest a multifaceted approach to quality improvement efforts.

Quality assurance in mammography: College of Radiology Survey in Malaysia.

PubMed

Ho, E L M; Ng, K H; Wong, J H D; Wang, H B

2006-06-01

Malaysia's mammography QA practice was surveyed based on the Malaysian Ministry of Health and the American College of Radiology (ACR) requirements. Data on mammography unit, processor, image receptor, exposure factors, mean glandular dose (MGD), sensitometry, image quality and viewbox luminance were obtained. Mean developer temperature and cycle time were 34.1 +/- 1.8degreesC and 107.7 +/- 33.2 seconds. Mean base+fog level, speed index and contrast index were 0.20+/-0.01, 1.20+/-0.01 and 1.33+/-0.26 respectively. Eighty-six percent of the fifty centres passed the image quality test while 12.5% complied with ACR recommended viewbox luminance. Average MGD was 1.0+/-0.4 mGy. Malaysia is on the right track for QA but with room for total quality improvement.

Joint CDRH (Center for Devices and Radiological Health) and state quality-assurance surveys in nuclear medicine: Phase 2 - radiopharmaceuticals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamilton, D.R.; Evans, C.D.

The report discusses survey results on aspects of the quality assurance of radio-pharmaceuticals from 180 nuclear-medicine facilities in the United States. Data were collected from facilities in 8 states. Demographic information about nuclear-medicine operations and quality-assurance programs was gathered by state radiation-control-program personnel. The data collected from the survey show an incomplete acceptance of quality-assurance practices for radiopharmaceuticals. Most of the facilities in the survey indicated that, because an inferior radiopharmaceutical was prepared so infrequently, they did not believe it was cost-effective to perform extensive quality-assurance testing. The Center for Devices and Radiological Health hopes that the information from themore » survey will stimulate nuclear-medicine professionals and their organizations to encourage appropriate testing of all radiopharmaceuticals.« less

Effect of the new contract on GPs' working lives and perceptions of quality of care: a longitudinal survey.

PubMed

Whalley, Diane; Gravelle, Hugh; Sibbald, Bonnie

2008-01-01

An ambitious pay-for-performance system was implemented in UK general practice in 2004 amid doubts that it could improve both the working lives of doctors and quality of care. To evaluate doctors' perceptions of their working lives and quality of care before and after the new contract. Longitudinal questionnaire survey. England, UK. A longitudinal postal survey of English GPs in February 2004 and September 2005. Measures included reported job satisfaction (7-point scale), hours worked, income, and impact of the contract. Responses were available from 2105 doctors in 2004 and 1349 in 2005. Mean overall job satisfaction increased from 4.58 out of 7 in 2004 to 5.17 in 2005. The greatest improvements in satisfaction were with remuneration and hours of work. Mean reported hours worked fell from 44.5 to 40.8. Mean income increased from an estimated 73,400 pounds in 2004 to 92,600 pounds in 2005. Most GPs reported that the new contract had increased their income (88%), but decreased their professional autonomy (71%), and increased their administrative (94%) and clinical (86%) workloads. After the introduction of the contract doctors were more positive than they had anticipated about its impact on quality of care. GPs' job satisfaction increased after the introduction of the new contract, despite perceptions of negative consequences for workload and autonomy. GPs reported working fewer hours with a higher income, and their expectations regarding the impact of the contract on quality of care had been exceeded.

The economic impact of poor sample quality in clinical chemistry laboratories: results from a global survey.

PubMed

Erdal, Erik P; Mitra, Debanjali; Khangulov, Victor S; Church, Stephen; Plokhoy, Elizabeth

2017-03-01

Background Despite advances in clinical chemistry testing, poor blood sample quality continues to impact laboratory operations and the quality of results. While previous studies have identified the preanalytical causes of lower sample quality, few studies have examined the economic impact of poor sample quality on the laboratory. Specifically, the costs associated with workarounds related to fibrin and gel contaminants remain largely unexplored. Methods A quantitative survey of clinical chemistry laboratory stakeholders across 10 international regions, including countries in North America, Europe and Oceania, was conducted to examine current blood sample testing practices, sample quality issues and practices to remediate poor sample quality. Survey data were used to estimate costs incurred by laboratories to mitigate sample quality issues. Results Responses from 164 participants were included in the analysis, which was focused on three specific issues: fibrin strands, fibrin masses and gel globules. Fibrin strands were the most commonly reported issue, with an overall incidence rate of ∼3%. Further, 65% of respondents indicated that these issues contribute to analyzer probe clogging, and the majority of laboratories had visual inspection and manual remediation practices in place to address fibrin- and gel-related quality problems (55% and 70%, respectively). Probe maintenance/replacement, visual inspection and manual remediation were estimated to carry significant costs for the laboratories surveyed. Annual cost associated with lower sample quality and remediation related to fibrin and/or gel globules for an average US laboratory was estimated to be $100,247. Conclusions Measures to improve blood sample quality present an important step towards improved laboratory operations.

Quality-assurance plan for the analysis of fluvial sediment by laboratories of the U.S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matthes, Wilbur J.; Sholar, Clyde J.; George, John R.

1992-01-01

This report describes procedures used by the Iowa District sediment laboratory of the U.S. Geological Survey to assure the quality of sediment-laboratory data. These procedures can be used by other U.S. Geological Survey laboratories regardless of size and type of operation for quality assurance and quality control of specific sediment-laboratory processes. Also described are the equipment, specifications, calibration and maintenance, and the protocol for methods used in the analyses of fluvial sediment for concentration or particle size.

Defining and evaluating quality for ambulatory care educational programs.

PubMed

Bowen, J L; Stearns, J A; Dohner, C; Blackman, J; Simpson, D

1997-06-01

As the training of medical students and residents increasingly moves to ambulatory care settings, clerkship and program directors must find a way to use their limited resources to guide the development and evaluation of the quality of these ambulatory-based learning experiences. To evaluate quality, directors must first define, in operational and measurable terms, what is meant by the term "quality" as it is applied to ambulatory-based education. Using educational theories and the definition of quality used by health care systems, the authors propose an operational definition of quality for guiding the planning, implementation, and evaluation of ambulatory care educational programs. They assert that quality is achieved through the interaction of an optimal learning environment, defined educational goals and positive outcomes, participant satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. By describing the components of quality along with examples of measurable indicators, the authors provide a foundation for the evaluation and improvement of instructional innovations in ambulatory care education for the benefit of teachers, learners, and patients.

Evaluation of Adherence to Quality Measures for Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy in the United States: Results from the Quality Research in Radiation Oncology (QRRO) Survey

PubMed Central

Zelefsky, Michael J.; Lee, W. Robert; Zietman, Anthony; Khalid, Najma; Crozier, Cheryl; Owen, Jean; Wilson, J. Frank

2012-01-01

Purpose To test the feasibility of using proposed quality indicators to assess radiotherapy quality in prostate cancer management based on a 2007 stratified random survey of treating academic and non-academic US institutions. Methods and Materials 414 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy were selected from 45 institutions. Indicators used as specific measurable clinical performance measures to represent surrogates for quality of radiotherapy delivery included established measures, such as the use of prescription doses ≥75 Gy for intermediate- and high-risk EBRT patients and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in conjunction with EBRT for patients with high-risk disease, and emerging measures, including daily target localization (image-guidance) to correct for organ motion for EBRT patients. Results 167 patients (47%) were treated with 6 MV photons, 31 (9%) were treated with 10 MV, 65 (18%) received 15 MV, and the remaining 90 (26%) 16–23 MV. For intermediate- plus high-risk patients (n=181), 78% were treated to ≥75 Gy. Among favorable-risk patients, 72% were treated to ≥75 Gy. Among high-risk EBRT patients, 60 (87%) were treated with ADT in conjunction with EBRT and 13% (n=9) with radiotherapy alone. Among low- and intermediate-risk patients, 10% and 42%, respectively, were treated with ADT plus EBRT. For 24% of EBRT patients (85/354), weekly electronic portal imaging was obtained as verification films without daily target localization and the remaining 76% were treated with daily localization of the target using various methods. Conclusions Adherence to defined quality indicators was observed in a majority of patients. ≈90% of high-risk patients are treated with ADT plus EBRT and ≈80% of intermediate- and high-risk patients receive prescription doses >=75 Gy, consistent with the published results of randomized trials. PMID:23471563

Evaluation of Adherence to Quality Measures for Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy in the United States: Results from the Quality Research in Radiation Oncology (QRRO) Survey.

PubMed

Zelefsky, Michael J; Lee, W Robert; Zietman, Anthony; Khalid, Najma; Crozier, Cheryl; Owen, Jean; Wilson, J Frank

2013-01-01

To test the feasibility of using proposed quality indicators to assess radiotherapy quality in prostate cancer management based on a 2007 stratified random survey of treating academic and non-academic US institutions. 414 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy were selected from 45 institutions. Indicators used as specific measurable clinical performance measures to represent surrogates for quality of radiotherapy delivery included established measures, such as the use of prescription doses ≥75 Gy for intermediate- and high-risk EBRT patients and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) in conjunction with EBRT for patients with high-risk disease, and emerging measures, including daily target localization (image-guidance) to correct for organ motion for EBRT patients. 167 patients (47%) were treated with 6 MV photons, 31 (9%) were treated with 10 MV, 65 (18%) received 15 MV, and the remaining 90 (26%) 16-23 MV. For intermediate- plus high-risk patients (n=181), 78% were treated to ≥75 Gy. Among favorable-risk patients, 72% were treated to ≥75 Gy. Among high-risk EBRT patients, 60 (87%) were treated with ADT in conjunction with EBRT and 13% (n=9) with radiotherapy alone. Among low- and intermediate-risk patients, 10% and 42%, respectively, were treated with ADT plus EBRT. For 24% of EBRT patients (85/354), weekly electronic portal imaging was obtained as verification films without daily target localization and the remaining 76% were treated with daily localization of the target using various methods. Adherence to defined quality indicators was observed in a majority of patients. ≈90% of high-risk patients are treated with ADT plus EBRT and ≈80% of intermediate- and high-risk patients receive prescription doses >=75 Gy, consistent with the published results of randomized trials.

A Systematic Review of Primary Care Safety Climate Survey Instruments: Their Origins, Psychometric Properties, Quality, and Usage.

PubMed

Curran, Ciara; Lydon, Sinéad; Kelly, Maureen; Murphy, Andrew; Walsh, Chloe; OʼConnor, Paul

2018-06-01

Safety climate (SC) measurement is a common and feasible method of proactive safety assessment in primary care. However, there is no consensus on which instrument is "best" to use. The aim of the study was to identify the origins, psychometric properties, quality, and SC domains measured by survey instruments used to assess SC in primary care settings. Systematic searches were conducted using Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycInfo in February 2016. English-language, peer-reviewed studies that reported the development and/or use of a SC survey in a primary care setting were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data (survey characteristics, origins, and psychometric properties) from studies and applied the Quality Assessment Tool for Studies with Diverse Designs to assess methodological rigour. Safety climate domains within surveys were deductively analyzed and categorized into common healthcare SC themes. Seventeen SC surveys were identified, of which 16 had been adapted from 2 main U.S. hospital-based surveys. Only 1 survey was developed de novo for a primary care setting. The quantity and quality of psychometric testing varied considerably across the surveys. Management commitment to safety was the most frequently measured SC theme (87.5%). Workload was infrequently measured (25%). Valid and reliable instruments, which are context specific to the healthcare environment for intentional use, are essential to accurately assess SC. Key recommendations include further establishing the construct and criterion-related validity of existing instruments as opposed to developing additional surveys.

Ideology and Audit Culture: Standardized Service Quality Surveys in Academic Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lilburn, Jeff

2017-01-01

This article examines the relationship between the standardized service quality survey LibQUAL+ and the rise of audit culture. Recent scholarship examining assessment and accountability systems and the ideological principles driving their implementation in higher education raises concerns about the impact these systems have on teaching, learning,…

Perceptions of a Quality of Work-Life Survey from the Perspective of Employees in a Canadian Cancer Centre

PubMed Central

Sale, Joanna E.M.

2015-01-01

This qualitative (phenomenological) study explored the perceptions of a quality of work-life survey from the perspective of 10 employees from a variety of departments in a Canadian cancer centre. Data were collected through one-on-one interviews at the workplace. The interviews were conducted several months after the survey had been completed and the findings presented to staff. The following themes emerged from the analysis: 1) talking about the survey triggered discussions of quality of work-life issues most of which were not captured in the survey; 2) the impact of the survey was more important than the survey itself; and 3) participants were concerned that departments or groups of employees were labelled based on the survey results. Implications for researchers who wish to use surveys and standardized scales in health care settings are discussed. PMID:26523074

Quality of radiotherapy services in post-Soviet countries: An IAEA survey.

PubMed

Rosenblatt, Eduardo; Fidarova, Elena; Ghosh, Sunita; Zubizarreta, Eduardo; Unterkirhere, Olga; Semikoz, Natalia; Sinaika, Valery; Kim, Viktor; Karamyan, Nerses; Isayev, Isa; Akbarov, Kamal; Lomidze, Darejan; Bondareva, Oksana; Tuzlucov, Piotr; Zardodkhonova, Manzura; Tkachev, Sergey; Kislyakova, Marina; Alimov, Jamshid; Pidlubna, Tetiana; Barton, Michael; Mackillop, William

2018-04-25

The quality of radiotherapy services in post-Soviet countries has not yet been studied following a formal methodology. The IAEA conducted a survey using two sets of validated radiation oncology quality indicators (ROIs). Eleven post-Soviet countries were assessed. A coordinator was designated for each country and acted as the liaison between the country and the IAEA. The methodology was a one-time cross-sectional survey using a 58-question tool in Russian. The questionnaire was based on two validated sets of ROIs: for radiotherapy centres, the indicators proposed by Cionini et al., and for data at the country level, the Australasian ROIs. The overall response ratio was 66.3%, but for the Russian Federation, it was 24%. Data were updated on radiotherapy infrastructure and equipment. 256 radiotherapy centres are operating 275 linear accelerators and 337 Cobalt-60 units. 61% of teletherapy machines are older than ten years. Analysis of ROIs revealed significant differences between these countries and radiotherapy practices in the West. Naming, task profile and education programmes of radiotherapy professionals are different than in the West. Most countries need modernization of their radiotherapy infrastructure coupled with adequate staffing numbers and updated education programmes focusing on evidence-based medicine, quality, and safety. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing residents' evaluations of clinical faculty member teaching qualities and role model status.

PubMed

Arah, Onyebuchi A; Heineman, Maas J; Lombarts, Kiki M J M H

2012-04-01

  Evaluations of faculty members are widely used to identify excellent or substandard teaching performance. In order to enable such evaluations to be properly interpreted and used in faculty development, it is essential to understand the factors that influence resident doctors' (residents) evaluations of the teaching qualities of faculty members and their perceptions of faculty members as role-model specialists.   We carried out a cross-sectional survey within a longitudinal study of the System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities (SETQ) of clinical teachers. The study sample included 889 residents and 1014 faculty members in 61 teaching programmes spanning 22 specialties in 20 hospitals in the Netherlands. Main outcome measures included residents' (i) global and (ii) specific ratings of faculty member teaching qualities, and (iii) global ratings of faculty members as role-model specialists. Statistical analysis was conducted using adjusted multivariable logistic generalised estimating equations.   In total, 690 residents (77.6%) completed 6485 evaluations of 962 faculty members, 848 (83.6%) of whom also self-evaluated. More recently certified faculty members, those who had attended a teacher training programme, and those who spent more time teaching than seeing patients or conducting research were more likely to score highly on most teaching qualities. However, faculty members who had undergone teacher training were less likely to be seen as role models (odds ratio [OR] 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.88). In addition, faculty members were evaluated slightly higher by male than female residents on core teaching domains and overall teaching quality, but were less likely to be seen as role models by male residents (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.67-0.97). Lastly, faculty members had higher odds of receiving top scores in specific teaching domains from residents in the first 4 years of residency and were less likely to be considered as role models by more

An empirical review of antimalarial quality field surveys: the importance of characterising outcomes.

PubMed

Grech, James; Robertson, James; Thomas, Jackson; Cooper, Gabrielle; Naunton, Mark; Kelly, Tamsin

2018-01-05

For decades, thousands of people have been dying from malaria infections because of poor-quality medicines (PQMs). While numerous efforts have been initiated to reduce their presence, PQMs are still risking the lives of those seeking treatment. This review addresses the importance of characterising results of antimalarial medicine field surveys based upon the agreement of clearly defined definitions. Medicines found to be of poor quality can be falsified or counterfeit, substandard or degraded. The distinction between these categories is important as each category requires a different countermeasure. To observe the current trends in the reporting of field surveys, a systematic literature search of six academic databases resulted in the quantitative analysis of 61 full-text journal articles. Information including sample size, sampling method, geographical regions, analytical techniques, and characterisation conclusions was observed for each. The lack of an accepted uniform reporting system has resulted in varying, incomplete reports, which may not include important information that helps form effective countermeasures. The programmes influencing medicine quality such as prequalification, procurement services, awareness and education can be supported with the information derived from characterised results. The implementation of checklists such as the Medicine Quality Assessment Reporting Guidelines will further strengthen the battle against poor-quality antimalarials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Groundwater studies: principal aquifer surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Burow, Karen R.; Belitz, Kenneth

2014-01-01

In 1991, the U.S. Congress established the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to develop nationally consistent long-term datasets and provide information about the quality of the Nation’s streams and groundwater. The USGS uses objective and reliable data, water-quality models, and systematic scientific studies to assess current water-quality conditions, to identify changes in water quality over time, and to determine how natural factors and human activities affect the quality of streams and groundwater. NAWQA is the only non-regulatory Federal program to perform these types of studies; participation is voluntary. In the third decade (Cycle 3) of the NAWQA program (2013–2023), the USGS will evaluate the quality and availability of groundwater for drinking supply, improve our understanding of where and why water quality is degraded, and assess how groundwater quality could respond to changes in climate and land use. These goals will be addressed through the implementation of a new monitoring component in Cycle 3: Principal Aquifer Surveys.

A Comprehensive Quality Evaluation System for Complex Herbal Medicine Using PacBio Sequencing, PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, and Several Chemical Approaches

PubMed Central

Zheng, Xiasheng; Zhang, Peng; Liao, Baosheng; Li, Jing; Liu, Xingyun; Shi, Yuhua; Cheng, Jinle; Lai, Zhitian; Xu, Jiang; Chen, Shilin

2017-01-01

Herbal medicine is a major component of complementary and alternative medicine, contributing significantly to the health of many people and communities. Quality control of herbal medicine is crucial to ensure that it is safe and sound for use. Here, we investigated a comprehensive quality evaluation system for a classic herbal medicine, Danggui Buxue Formula, by applying genetic-based and analytical chemistry approaches to authenticate and evaluate the quality of its samples. For authenticity, we successfully applied two novel technologies, third-generation sequencing and PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis), to analyze the ingredient composition of the tested samples. For quality evaluation, we used high performance liquid chromatography assays to determine the content of chemical markers to help estimate the dosage relationship between its two raw materials, plant roots of Huangqi and Danggui. A series of surveys were then conducted against several exogenous contaminations, aiming to further access the efficacy and safety of the samples. In conclusion, the quality evaluation system demonstrated here can potentially address the authenticity, quality, and safety of herbal medicines, thus providing novel insight for enhancing their overall quality control. Highlight: We established a comprehensive quality evaluation system for herbal medicine, by combining two genetic-based approaches third-generation sequencing and DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) with analytical chemistry approaches to achieve the authentication and quality connotation of the samples. PMID:28955365

A Comprehensive Quality Evaluation System for Complex Herbal Medicine Using PacBio Sequencing, PCR-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis, and Several Chemical Approaches.

PubMed

Zheng, Xiasheng; Zhang, Peng; Liao, Baosheng; Li, Jing; Liu, Xingyun; Shi, Yuhua; Cheng, Jinle; Lai, Zhitian; Xu, Jiang; Chen, Shilin

2017-01-01

Herbal medicine is a major component of complementary and alternative medicine, contributing significantly to the health of many people and communities. Quality control of herbal medicine is crucial to ensure that it is safe and sound for use. Here, we investigated a comprehensive quality evaluation system for a classic herbal medicine, Danggui Buxue Formula, by applying genetic-based and analytical chemistry approaches to authenticate and evaluate the quality of its samples. For authenticity, we successfully applied two novel technologies, third-generation sequencing and PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis), to analyze the ingredient composition of the tested samples. For quality evaluation, we used high performance liquid chromatography assays to determine the content of chemical markers to help estimate the dosage relationship between its two raw materials, plant roots of Huangqi and Danggui. A series of surveys were then conducted against several exogenous contaminations, aiming to further access the efficacy and safety of the samples. In conclusion, the quality evaluation system demonstrated here can potentially address the authenticity, quality, and safety of herbal medicines, thus providing novel insight for enhancing their overall quality control. Highlight : We established a comprehensive quality evaluation system for herbal medicine, by combining two genetic-based approaches third-generation sequencing and DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) with analytical chemistry approaches to achieve the authentication and quality connotation of the samples.

Summary of the U.S. Geological Survey National Field Quality Assurance Program from 1979 through 1997

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stanley, D.L.; Boozer, T.M.; Schroder, L.J.

1998-01-01

Since the inception of the U.S. Geological Survey National Field Quality Assurance Program, over 85,000 proficiency samples have been analyzed by water-quality analysts. This includes more than 10,000 alkalinity samples, more than 15,000 pH samples, and more than 16,000 specific conductance samples, which were analyzed from 1990 through 1997, and a total of more than 43,000 proficiency samples analyzed from 1979 through 1989. The analyte values were evaluated to determine the fourth-spread, a measure of the width of the middle half of the data, and the F-pseudosigma, a robust replacement for the standard deviation, for each of the different measurement ranges. The result of the statistical evaluation showed that the vast majority of reference sample measurements made by water-quality analysts were within acceptable ranges. From 1990 to 1997, the measurement of pH had the highest level of acceptable results, 98.4 percent, followed by specific conductance with 95.2 percent acceptable results, and alkalinity with 88.6 percent acceptable results. The statistical summary of pH indicates the calculated fourth-spread values for the entire tested range is +0.06 pH units. For specific conductance, the magnitude of the fourth-spread increases as the magnitude of the specific conductance ranges increases. The average relative fourth-spread percent for all reported specific conductance values is +1.8 percent. From 1990 through 1997, the evaluation of the results for alkalinity measurement for the average fourth-spread was determined to be + 3.3 milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate.

Measuring decision quality: psychometric evaluation of a new instrument for breast cancer chemotherapy.

PubMed

Lee, Clara N; Wetschler, Matthew H; Chang, Yuchiao; Belkora, Jeffrey K; Moy, Beverly; Partridge, Ann; Sepucha, Karen R

2014-08-20

Women diagnosed with early stage (I or II) breast cancer face a highly challenging decision - whether or not to undergo adjuvant chemotherapy. We developed a decision quality instrument for chemotherapy for early stage breast cancer and sought to evaluate its performance. Cross-sectional, mailed survey of recent breast cancer survivors, providers, and healthy controls and a retest survey of survivors. The decision quality instrument includes questions on knowledge and personal goals. It results in a knowledge score and concordance score, which reflects the percentage of patients who received treatments that match their goals. Hypotheses related to acceptability, feasibility, validity, and reliability of the survey instrument were examined. Responses were received from 352 patients, 89 providers and 35 healthy controls. The decision quality instrument was feasible to implement with few missing data. The knowledge scores had good retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) =0.75). Knowledge scores discriminated between providers and patients (mean difference 31.1%, 95% CI 26.9, 35.3) and between patients and healthy controls (mean difference 11.2, 95% CI 5.4, 17.1). Most providers reported that the knowledge items covered essential content. Two of the five goal items had a ceiling effect, and one goal had low content validity. The goal items had moderate retest reliability (ICC's 0.57 to 0.78). In the multivariable model of treatment, none of the patient goals was associated with receipt of chemotherapy. Age and hormone receptor status were the only variables independently associated with chemotherapy. Most patients (77.6%) had treatment concordant with that predicted by the model. Patients who had concordant treatment had similar levels of confidence and regret as those who did not. The Decision Quality Instrument is a reliable and valid measure of patient knowledge about chemotherapy, but its ability to measure concordance with patient goals is

Fuel quality/processing study. Volume 2: Appendix. Task 1 literature survey

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ohara, J. B.; Bela, A.; Jentz, N. E.; Klumpe, H. W.; Kessler, H. E.; Kotzot, H. T.; Loran, B. L.

1981-01-01

The results of a literature survey of fuel processing and fuel quality are given. Liquid synfuels produced from coal and oil shale are discussed. Gas turbine fuel property specifications are discussed. On-site fuel pretreatment and emissions from stationary gas turbines are discussed. Numerous data tables and abstracts are given.

Relationship Between Hospital Performance on a Patient Satisfaction Survey and Surgical Quality.

PubMed

Sacks, Greg D; Lawson, Elise H; Dawes, Aaron J; Russell, Marcia M; Maggard-Gibbons, Melinda; Zingmond, David S; Ko, Clifford Y

2015-09-01

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services include patient experience as a core component of its Value-Based Purchasing program, which ties financial incentives to hospital performance on a range of quality measures. However, it remains unclear whether patient satisfaction is an accurate marker of high-quality surgical care. To determine whether hospital performance on a patient satisfaction survey is associated with objective measures of surgical quality. Retrospective observational study of participating American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS NSQIP) hospitals. We used data from a linked database of Medicare inpatient claims, ACS NSQIP, the American Hospital Association annual survey, and Hospital Compare from December 2, 2004, through December 31, 2008. A total of 103 866 patients older than 65 years undergoing inpatient surgery were included. Hospitals were grouped by quartile based on their performance on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. Controlling for preoperative risk factors, we created hierarchical logistic regression models to predict the occurrence of adverse postoperative outcomes based on a hospital's patient satisfaction scores. Thirty-day postoperative mortality, major and minor complications, failure to rescue, and hospital readmission. Of the 180 hospitals, the overall mean patient satisfaction score was 68.0% (first quartile mean, 58.7%; fourth quartile mean, 76.7%). Compared with patients treated at hospitals in the lowest quartile, those at the highest quartile had significantly lower risk-adjusted odds of death (odds ratio = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.73-0.99), failure to rescue (odds ratio = 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70-0.96), and minor complication (odds ratio = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75-0.99). This translated to relative risk reductions of 11.1% (P = .04), 12.6% (P = .02), and 11.5% (P = .04), respectively. No significant relationship was noted between patient satisfaction

Internal Medicine Residents' Training in Substance Use Disorders: A Survey of the Quality of Instruction and Residents' Self-Perceived Preparedness to Diagnose and Treat Addiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wakeman, Sarah E.; Baggett, Meridale V.; Pham-Kanter, Genevieve; Campbell, Eric G.

2013-01-01

Background: Resident physicians are the direct care providers for many patients with addiction. This study assesses residents' self-perceived preparedness to diagnose and treat addiction, measures residents' perceptions of the quality of addictions instruction, and evaluates basic knowledge of addictions. Methods: A survey was e-mailed to 184…

Quality-assurance results for routine water analyses in U.S. Geological Survey laboratories, water year 1998

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ludtke, Amy S.; Woodworth, Mark T.; Marsh, Philip S.

2000-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operates a quality-assurance program based on the analyses of reference samples for two laboratories: the National Water Quality Laboratory and the Quality of Water Service Unit. Reference samples that contain selected inorganic, nutrient, and low-level constituents are prepared and submitted to the laboratory as disguised routine samples. The program goal is to estimate precision and bias for as many analytical methods offered by the participating laboratories as possible. Blind reference samples typically are submitted at a rate of 2 to 5 percent of the annual environmental-sample load for each constituent. The samples are distributed to the laboratories throughout the year. The reference samples are subject to the identical laboratory handling, processing, and analytical procedures as those applied to environmental samples and, therefore, have been used as an independent source to verify bias and precision of laboratory analytical methods and ambient water-quality measurements. The results are stored permanently in the National Water Information System and the Blind Sample Project's data base. During water year 1998, 95 analytical procedures were evaluated at the National Water Quality Laboratory and 63 analytical procedures were evaluated at the Quality of Water Service Unit. An overall evaluation of the inorganic and low-level constituent data for water year 1998 indicated 77 of 78 analytical procedures at the National Water Quality Laboratory met the criteria for precision. Silver (dissolved, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry) was determined to be imprecise. Five of 78 analytical procedures showed bias throughout the range of reference samples: chromium (dissolved, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry), dissolved solids (dissolved, gravimetric), lithium (dissolved, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry), silver (dissolved, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry), and zinc

A semi-automated tool for treatment plan-quality evaluation and clinical trial quality assurance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiazhou; Chen, Wenzhou; Studenski, Matthew; Cui, Yunfeng; Lee, Andrew J.; Xiao, Ying

2013-07-01

The goal of this work is to develop a plan-quality evaluation program for clinical routine and multi-institutional clinical trials so that the overall evaluation efficiency is improved. In multi-institutional clinical trials evaluating the plan quality is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. In this note, we present a semi-automated plan-quality evaluation program which combines MIMVista, Java/MATLAB, and extensible markup language (XML). More specifically, MIMVista is used for data visualization; Java and its powerful function library are implemented for calculating dosimetry parameters; and to improve the clarity of the index definitions, XML is applied. The accuracy and the efficiency of the program were evaluated by comparing the results of the program with the manually recorded results in two RTOG trials. A slight difference of about 0.2% in volume or 0.6 Gy in dose between the semi-automated program and manual recording was observed. According to the criteria of indices, there are minimal differences between the two methods. The evaluation time is reduced from 10-20 min to 2 min by applying the semi-automated plan-quality evaluation program.

Design and Psychometric Evaluation of the Quality of Life in Patients With Anal Fistula Questionnaire.

PubMed

Ferrer-Márquez, Manuel; Espínola-Cortés, Natalia; Reina-Duarte, Angel; Granero-Molina, José; Fernández-Sola, Cayetano; Hernández-Padilla, José Manuel

2017-10-01

Quality of life is often considered when deciding and evaluating the treatment strategy for patients diagnosed with anal fistula. The purpose of this study was to develop and psychometrically test the Quality of Life in Patients with Anal Fistula Questionnaire. This was an observational cross-sectional study for the development and validation of a psychometric tool. The study was conducted at a general hospital in the southeast of Spain. A convenience sample included 54 patients diagnosed with anal fistula. The reliability of the tool was assessed through its internal consistency (Cronbach α) and temporal stability (Spearman correlation coefficient (r) between test-retest). The content validity index of the items and the scale was calculated. Correlation analysis and an ordinal regression analysis between the developed tool and the Short Form 12 Health Survey examined its concurrent validity. Principal component analysis and known-group analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis test examined its construct validity. The reliability of the developed questionnaire was very high (α = 0.908; r = 0.861; p < 0.01). Its content validity was excellent (all-item content validity index = 0.79-1.00; scale validity index = 0.92). Evidence of its concurrent validity included strong correlation between the developed tool and Short Form 12 Health Survey (r = 0.734; p < 0.001), and participant scores on the developed tool explained ≈46.2% of the between-subject variation for the participant scores on Short Form 12 Health Survey (Nagelkerke R = 0.462). Confirming its construct validity, principal component analysis revealed that 2 factors explained 81.63% of the total variance found. Known-group analysis evidenced the ability of the questionnaire to detect expected differences in patients presenting with different symptomatology. The major limitations of this study were the use of a small sample of Spanish-speaking patients, not including patients in the initial development of the

Current status of quality evaluation of nursing care through director review and reflection from the Nursing Quality Control Centers

PubMed Central

Duan, Xia; Shi, Yan

2014-01-01

Background: The quality evaluation of nursing care is a key link in medical quality management. It is important and worth studying for the nursing supervisors to know the disadvantages during the process of quality evaluation of nursing care and then to improve the whole nursing quality. This study was to provide director insight on the current status of quality evaluation of nursing care from Nursing Quality Control Centers (NQCCs). Material and Methods: This qualitative study used a sample of 12 directors from NQCCs who were recruited from 12 provinces in China to evaluate the current status of quality evaluation of nursing care. Data were collected by in-depth interviews. Content analysis method was used to analyze the data. Results: Four themes emerged from the data: 1) lag of evaluation index; 2) limitations of evaluation content; 3) simplicity of evaluation method; 4) excessive emphasis on terminal quality. Conclusion: It is of great realistic significance to ameliorate nursing quality evaluation criteria, modify the evaluation content based on patient needs-oriented idea, adopt scientific evaluation method to evaluate nursing quality, and scientifically and reasonably draw horizontal comparisons of nursing quality between hospitals, as well as longitudinal comparisons of a hospital’s nursing quality. These methods mentioned above can all enhance a hospital’s core competitiveness and benefit more patients. PMID:25419427

Child-Care Provider Survey Reveals Cost Constrains Quality. Research Brief. Volume 96, Number 5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Public Policy Forum, 2008

2008-01-01

A survey of 414 child care providers in southeastern Wisconsin reveals that cost as well as low wages and lack of benefits for workers can constrain providers from pursuing improvements to child-care quality. Of survey respondents, approximately half of whom are home-based and half center-based, 13% have at least three of five structural factors…

Sleep Duration and Quality in Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China.

PubMed

Xu, Xianglong; Liu, Dengyuan; Zhang, Zhangyi; Sharma, Manoj; Zhao, Yong

2017-07-20

Objectives: Good maternal health and fetal development require sufficient and good quality of sleep during pregnancy. This study investigated sleep duration and quality in pregnant women, assessing factors with possibly influence on sleep. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on pregnant women between June and August in 2015 in 16 hospitals in five provinces in China. A total of 2345 pregnant women aged 18 years and older were surveyed. Insufficient sleeping duration was defined as sleeping of less than 7 h per day. Excessive sleep duration was defined as sleeping of more than 9 h per day. Results: A total of 561 (23.9%) participants reported insufficient sleeping duration, whereas 485 (20.9%) claimed excessive sleep duration. A total of 358 (15.2%) of pregnant women reported problems regarding sleep quality. Compared to pregnant women with sufficient sleeping duration, those with insufficient sleeping duration were prone to have poor sleep quality, whereas those with excessive sleeping duration featured low possibility of poor sleep quality. High-risk groups of insufficient sleep duration include women of Han nationality, with siblings, in their first trimester of pregnancy, receiving care in low-capacity/quality hospital settings, and with daily or 1-3 days of secondhand smoke exposure. High-risk groups of excessive sleep duration include women living in rural areas, unemployed, in their third trimester of pregnancy, and receiving care in medium-capacity/quality hospital settings. High-risk groups of poor sleep quality include women of non-Han nationality, low income level, in their third trimester of pregnancy, and with insufficient sleep duration. Conclusions: Insufficient/excessive sleep duration and poor sleep quality commonly occur during pregnancy in China. Findings provide a better understanding of the influencing factors of insufficient/excessive sleep duration and poor quality of sleep. These findings have some implications for future

Sleep Duration and Quality in Pregnant Women: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China

PubMed Central

Liu, Dengyuan; Zhang, Zhangyi; Zhao, Yong

2017-01-01

Objectives: Good maternal health and fetal development require sufficient and good quality of sleep during pregnancy. This study investigated sleep duration and quality in pregnant women, assessing factors with possibly influence on sleep. Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on pregnant women between June and August in 2015 in 16 hospitals in five provinces in China. A total of 2345 pregnant women aged 18 years and older were surveyed. Insufficient sleeping duration was defined as sleeping of less than 7 h per day. Excessive sleep duration was defined as sleeping of more than 9 h per day. Results: A total of 561 (23.9%) participants reported insufficient sleeping duration, whereas 485 (20.9%) claimed excessive sleep duration. A total of 358 (15.2%) of pregnant women reported problems regarding sleep quality. Compared to pregnant women with sufficient sleeping duration, those with insufficient sleeping duration were prone to have poor sleep quality, whereas those with excessive sleeping duration featured low possibility of poor sleep quality. High-risk groups of insufficient sleep duration include women of Han nationality, with siblings, in their first trimester of pregnancy, receiving care in low-capacity/quality hospital settings, and with daily or 1–3 days of secondhand smoke exposure. High-risk groups of excessive sleep duration include women living in rural areas, unemployed, in their third trimester of pregnancy, and receiving care in medium-capacity/quality hospital settings. High-risk groups of poor sleep quality include women of non-Han nationality, low income level, in their third trimester of pregnancy, and with insufficient sleep duration. Conclusions: Insufficient/excessive sleep duration and poor sleep quality commonly occur during pregnancy in China. Findings provide a better understanding of the influencing factors of insufficient/excessive sleep duration and poor quality of sleep. These findings have some implications for future

Quality evaluation of Persian nutrition and diet therapy websites.

PubMed

Gholizadeh, Zahra; Papi, Ahmad; Ashrafi-Rizi, Hasan; Shahrzadi, Leila; Hasanzadeh, Akbar

2017-01-01

Nowadays websites are among the most important information sources used by most people. With the spread of websites, especially those related to health issues, the number of their visitors also increases, more than half of which are about nutritional information. Therefore, quality analysis of nutrition and diet therapy websites is of outmost importance. This study aims to evaluate the quality of Persian nutrition and diet therapy websites. The current work is a survey study and uses an applied study method. The statistical population consists of 51 Persian websites about nutrition and diet therapy and census method was used in order to study them. Data gathering was done using a checklist and with direct visit to each website. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyse the gathered data with the help of SPSS 21 software. Findings showed that content (66.7%), organization (82.4%), user friendly interfaces (52.9%) and total quality (70.6%) of most websites had a mediocre score while the design score for most of the websites (70.6%) was acceptable also organizational websites had better design, organization and quality compared to private websites. The three websites with the highest general quality score were the websites of "Novel Diet Therapy," "Behsite" and "Dr. BehdadiPour" (jointly) and "Dr. Kermani" respectively. Also in the dimension of content the factors of goal, relevance and credibility, in the dimension of design the factors of color, text and sound, pictures and videos, in the dimension of organization the factors of stability and indexing and in the dimension of user friendliness the factors of confidentiality, credibility and personalization had the highest scores. The results showed that the design score was higher than other scores. Also the general quality score of the websites was mediocre and was not desirable. Also websites didn't have suitable scores in every factor. Since most people search the internet for nutritional and diet

Modeling subjective evaluation of soundscape quality in urban open spaces: An artificial neural network approach.

PubMed

Yu, Lei; Kang, Jian

2009-09-01

This research aims to explore the feasibility of using computer-based models to predict the soundscape quality evaluation of potential users in urban open spaces at the design stage. With the data from large scale field surveys in 19 urban open spaces across Europe and China, the importance of various physical, behavioral, social, demographical, and psychological factors for the soundscape evaluation has been statistically analyzed. Artificial neural network (ANN) models have then been explored at three levels. It has been shown that for both subjective sound level and acoustic comfort evaluation, a general model for all the case study sites is less feasible due to the complex physical and social environments in urban open spaces; models based on individual case study sites perform well but the application range is limited; and specific models for certain types of location/function would be reliable and practical. The performance of acoustic comfort models is considerably better than that of sound level models. Based on the ANN models, soundscape quality maps can be produced and this has been demonstrated with an example.

The 2001 QUEST Survey Results. Annual Staff Survey. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard Community Coll., Columbia, MD. Office of Planning and Evaluation.

This document is the results of the 2001 employee survey (Quality Evaluation of Service Trends) for all Howard Community College Employees. The response rate was 63%. Ratings for various topics and services were made on a five-point scale ranging from poor to excellent. Employees were also given an "unfamiliar with" category, which did…

AAN Epilepsy Quality Measures in clinical practice: a survey of neurologists.

PubMed

Wasade, Vibhangini S; Spanaki, Marianna; Iyengar, Revathi; Barkley, Gregory L; Schultz, Lonni

2012-08-01

Epilepsy Quality Measures (EQM) were developed by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) to convey standardization and eliminate gaps and variations in the delivery of epilepsy care (Fountain et al., 2011 [1]). The aim of this study was to identify adherence to these measures and other emerging practice standards in epilepsy care. A 15-item survey was mailed to neurologists in Michigan, USA, inquiring about their practice patterns in relation to EQM. One hundred thirteen of the 792 surveyed Michigan Neurologists responded (14%). The majority (83% to 94%) addressed seizure type and frequency, reviewed EEG and MRI, and provided pregnancy counseling to women of childbearing potential. Our survey identified gaps in practice patterns such as counseling about antiepileptic drug (AED) side effects and knowledge about referral for surgical therapy of intractable epilepsy. Statistical significance in the responses on the AAN EQM was noted in relation to number of years in practice, number of epilepsy patients seen, and additional fellowship training in epilepsy. Practice patterns assessment in relation to other comorbidities revealed that although bone health and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy are addressed mainly in patients at risk, depression is infrequently discussed. The findings in this study indicate that additional educational efforts are needed to increase awareness and to improve quality of epilepsy care at various points of health care delivery. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perceived neighborhood quality, sleep quality, and health status: Evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Hale, Lauren; Hill, Terrence D.; Friedman, Elliot; Nieto, F. Javier; Galvao, Loren W.; Engelman, Corinne D.; Malecki, Kristen M.C.; Peppard, Paul E.

2013-01-01

Why does living in a disadvantaged neighborhood predict poorer mental and physical health? Recent research focusing on the Southwestern United States suggests that disadvantaged neighborhoods favor poor health, in part, because they undermine sleep quality. Building on previous research, we test whether this process extends to the Midwestern United States. Specifically, we use cross-sectional data from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), a statewide probability sample of Wisconsin adults, to examine whether associations among perceived neighborhood quality (e.g., perceptions of crime, litter, and pleasantness in the neighborhood) and health status (overall self-rated health and depression) are mediated by overall sleep quality (measured as self-rated sleep quality and physician diagnosis of sleep apnea). We find that perceptions of low neighborhood quality are associated with poorer self-rated sleep quality, poorer self-rated health, and more depressive symptoms. We also observe that poorer self-rated sleep quality is associated with poorer self-rated health and more depressive symptoms. Our mediation analyses indicate that self-rated sleep quality partially mediates the link between perceived neighborhood quality and health status. Specifically, self-rated sleep quality explains approximately 20% of the association between neighborhood quality and self-rated health and nearly 19% of the association between neighborhood quality and depression. Taken together, these results confirm previous research and extend the generalizability of the indirect effect of perceived neighborhood context on health status through sleep quality. PMID:22901794

Perceived neighborhood quality, sleep quality, and health status: evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin.

PubMed

Hale, Lauren; Hill, Terrence D; Friedman, Elliot; Nieto, F Javier; Galvao, Loren W; Engelman, Corinne D; Malecki, Kristen M C; Peppard, Paul E

2013-02-01

Why does living in a disadvantaged neighborhood predict poorer mental and physical health? Recent research focusing on the Southwestern United States suggests that disadvantaged neighborhoods favor poor health, in part, because they undermine sleep quality. Building on previous research, we test whether this process extends to the Midwestern United States. Specifically, we use cross-sectional data from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin (SHOW), a statewide probability sample of Wisconsin adults, to examine whether associations among perceived neighborhood quality (e.g., perceptions of crime, litter, and pleasantness in the neighborhood) and health status (overall self-rated health and depression) are mediated by overall sleep quality (measured as self-rated sleep quality and physician diagnosis of sleep apnea). We find that perceptions of low neighborhood quality are associated with poorer self-rated sleep quality, poorer self-rated health, and more depressive symptoms. We also observe that poorer self-rated sleep quality is associated with poorer self-rated health and more depressive symptoms. Our mediation analyses indicate that self-rated sleep quality partially mediates the link between perceived neighborhood quality and health status. Specifically, self-rated sleep quality explains approximately 20% of the association between neighborhood quality and self-rated health and nearly 19% of the association between neighborhood quality and depression. Taken together, these results confirm previous research and extend the generalizability of the indirect effect of perceived neighborhood context on health status through sleep quality. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE ATMOSPHERIC MODEL EVALUATION TOOL (AMET); AIR QUALITY MODULE

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation reviews the development of the Atmospheric Model Evaluation Tool (AMET) air quality module. The AMET tool is being developed to aid in the model evaluation. This presentation focuses on the air quality evaluation portion of AMET. Presented are examples of the...

Diet quality of cancer survivors and noncancer individuals: Results from a national survey.

PubMed

Zhang, Fang Fang; Liu, Shanshan; John, Esther M; Must, Aviva; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy

2015-12-01

Patterns of poor nutritional intake may exacerbate the elevated morbidity experienced by cancer survivors. It remains unclear whether cancer survivors adhere to existing dietary guidelines and whether survivors' diets differ from those of individuals without cancer over the long term. The authors evaluated dietary intake and quality in 1533 adult cancer survivors who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2010 compared with dietary intake and quality in 3075 individuals who had no history of cancer and were matched to the cancer survivors by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. Dietary intake was assessed using 24-hour dietary recalls. The 2010 Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) was used to evaluate diet quality. The mean ± standard deviation HEI-2010 total score was 47.2 ± 0.5 in the cancer survivors and 48.3 ± 0.4 in the noncancer group (P = .03). Compared with the noncancer group, cancer survivors had a significantly lower score for empty calories (13.6 vs 14.4; P = .001), which corresponded to worse adherence to dietary intake of calories from solid fats, alcohol, and added sugars. Cancer survivors also had significantly lower dietary intake of fiber than the noncancer group (15.0 vs 15.9 g per day; P = .02). In relation to recommended intake, survivors' mean dietary intake of vitamin D, vitamin E, potassium, fiber, and calcium was 31%, 47%, 55%, 60%, and 73%, respectively; whereas their mean dietary intake of saturated fat and sodium was 112% and 133%, respectively, of the recommended intake. Cancer survivors had poor adherence to the US Department of Agriculture 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and their intake patterns were worse than those in the general population for empty calories and fiber. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Choosing a Cluster Sampling Design for Lot Quality Assurance Sampling Surveys

PubMed Central

Hund, Lauren; Bedrick, Edward J.; Pagano, Marcello

2015-01-01

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) surveys are commonly used for monitoring and evaluation in resource-limited settings. Recently several methods have been proposed to combine LQAS with cluster sampling for more timely and cost-effective data collection. For some of these methods, the standard binomial model can be used for constructing decision rules as the clustering can be ignored. For other designs, considered here, clustering is accommodated in the design phase. In this paper, we compare these latter cluster LQAS methodologies and provide recommendations for choosing a cluster LQAS design. We compare technical differences in the three methods and determine situations in which the choice of method results in a substantively different design. We consider two different aspects of the methods: the distributional assumptions and the clustering parameterization. Further, we provide software tools for implementing each method and clarify misconceptions about these designs in the literature. We illustrate the differences in these methods using vaccination and nutrition cluster LQAS surveys as example designs. The cluster methods are not sensitive to the distributional assumptions but can result in substantially different designs (sample sizes) depending on the clustering parameterization. However, none of the clustering parameterizations used in the existing methods appears to be consistent with the observed data, and, consequently, choice between the cluster LQAS methods is not straightforward. Further research should attempt to characterize clustering patterns in specific applications and provide suggestions for best-practice cluster LQAS designs on a setting-specific basis. PMID:26125967

Choosing a Cluster Sampling Design for Lot Quality Assurance Sampling Surveys.

PubMed

Hund, Lauren; Bedrick, Edward J; Pagano, Marcello

2015-01-01

Lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) surveys are commonly used for monitoring and evaluation in resource-limited settings. Recently several methods have been proposed to combine LQAS with cluster sampling for more timely and cost-effective data collection. For some of these methods, the standard binomial model can be used for constructing decision rules as the clustering can be ignored. For other designs, considered here, clustering is accommodated in the design phase. In this paper, we compare these latter cluster LQAS methodologies and provide recommendations for choosing a cluster LQAS design. We compare technical differences in the three methods and determine situations in which the choice of method results in a substantively different design. We consider two different aspects of the methods: the distributional assumptions and the clustering parameterization. Further, we provide software tools for implementing each method and clarify misconceptions about these designs in the literature. We illustrate the differences in these methods using vaccination and nutrition cluster LQAS surveys as example designs. The cluster methods are not sensitive to the distributional assumptions but can result in substantially different designs (sample sizes) depending on the clustering parameterization. However, none of the clustering parameterizations used in the existing methods appears to be consistent with the observed data, and, consequently, choice between the cluster LQAS methods is not straightforward. Further research should attempt to characterize clustering patterns in specific applications and provide suggestions for best-practice cluster LQAS designs on a setting-specific basis.

Organizational Capacity to Do and Use Evaluation: Results of a Pan-Canadian Survey of Evaluators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cousins, J. Bradley; Elliott, Catherine; Amo, Courtney; Bourgeois, Isabelle; Chouinard, Jill; Goh, Swee C.; Lahey, Robert

2008-01-01

Despite increasing interest in the integration of evaluative inquiry into organizational functions and culture, the availability of empirical research addressing organizational capacity building to do and use evaluation is limited. This exploratory descriptive survey of internal evaluators in Canada asked about evaluation capacity building in the…

The Millennium QUEST: Results of the Survey. Annual Staff Survey. Complete Set of Tables & Charts. Research Report Number 108.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Livieratos, Barbara B.

This document provides a quick overview and set of detailed tables of the findings of the annual employee survey at Howard Community College (Maryland). The Quality Evaluation of Service Trends (QUEST) Survey affords all college employees the opportunity to give their assessment of college services, campus climate, job satisfaction, and college…

Comparing two survey methods of measuring health-related indicators: Lot Quality Assurance Sampling and Demographic Health Surveys.

PubMed

Anoke, Sarah C; Mwai, Paul; Jeffery, Caroline; Valadez, Joseph J; Pagano, Marcello

2015-12-01

Two common methods used to measure indicators for health programme monitoring and evaluation are the demographic and health surveys (DHS) and lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS); each one has different strengths. We report on both methods when utilised in comparable situations. We compared 24 indicators in south-west Uganda, where data for prevalence estimations were collected independently for the two methods in 2011 (LQAS: n = 8876; DHS: n = 1200). Data were stratified (e.g. gender and age) resulting in 37 comparisons. We used a two-sample two-sided Z-test of proportions to compare both methods. The average difference between LQAS and DHS for 37 estimates was 0.062 (SD = 0.093; median = 0.039). The average difference among the 21 failures to reject equality of proportions was 0.010 (SD = 0.041; median = 0.009); among the 16 rejections, it was 0.130 (SD = 0.010, median = 0.118). Seven of the 16 rejections exhibited absolute differences of <0.10, which are clinically (or managerially) not significant; 5 had differences >0.10 and <0.20 (mean = 0.137, SD = 0.031) and four differences were >0.20 (mean = 0.261, SD = 0.083). There is 75.7% agreement across the two surveys. Both methods yield regional results, but only LQAS provides information at less granular levels (e.g. the district level) where managerial action is taken. The cost advantage and localisation make LQAS feasible to conduct more frequently, and provides the possibility for real-time health outcomes monitoring. © 2015 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nursing home consumer complaints and quality of care: a national view.

PubMed

Stevenson, David G

2006-06-01

This study uses 5 years of national data on investigated nursing home complaints (1998-2002) to evaluate whether complaints might be used to assess nursing home quality of care. On-Line Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data are used to evaluate the association between consumer complaints, facility and resident characteristics, and other nursing home quality measures. The analyses are undertaken in the context of considerable cross-state variation in nursing home complaint processes and rates. Complaints varied across facility characteristics in ways consistent with the nursing home quality literature. Complaints were significantly positively associated with survey deficiencies and the presence of serious survey deficiencies, and significantly negatively associated with nurse and nurse aide staffing. Complaints performance was significantly predictive of survey deficiencies at subsequent inspections. This study presents the first national evidence for using consumer complaints to assess nursing home quality of care. Despite limitations, nursing home complaints appear to offer a real-time signal of quality concerns.

76 FR 9607 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection for Technical Evaluation Surveys

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-18

... Information Collection for Technical Evaluation Surveys AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and... information collection request for its Technical Evaluation customer surveys has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection request describes...

A SURVEY OF THE MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF WATER USED IN DENTAL TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the microbiological quality of water used in dental water systems. The purpose of this study was to conduct a microbiological survey of dental water units within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Water samples were collected and ...

The Changing Nature of Teaching and Unit Evaluations in Australian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shah, Mahsood; Nair, Chenicheri Sid

2012-01-01

Purpose: Teaching and unit evaluations surveys are used to assess the quality of teaching and the quality of the unit of study. An analysis of teaching and unit evaluation survey practices in Australian universities suggests significant changes. One key change discussed in the paper is the shift from voluntary to mandatory use of surveys with the…

Functionality of hospital information systems: results from a survey of quality directors at Turkish hospitals.

PubMed

Saluvan, Mehmet; Ozonoff, Al

2018-01-12

We aimed to determine availability of core Hospital Information Systems (HIS) functions implemented in Turkish hospitals and the perceived importance of these functions on quality and patient safety. We surveyed quality directors (QDs) at civilian hospitals in the nation of Turkey. Data were collected via web survey using an instrument with 50 items describing core functionality of HIS. We calculated mean availability of each function, mean and median values of perceived impact on quality, and we investigated the relationship between availability and perceived importance. We received responses from 31% of eligible institutions, representing all major geographic regions of Turkey. Mean availability of 50 HIS functions was 65.6%, ranging from 19.6% to 97.4%. Mean importance score was 7.87 (on a 9-point scale) ranging from 7.13 to 8.41. Functions related to result management (89.3%) and decision support systems (52.2%) had the highest and lowest reported availability respectively. Availability and perceived importance were moderately correlated (r = 0.52). QDs report high importance of the HIS functions surveyed as they relate to quality and patient safety. Availability and perceived importance of HIS functions are generally correlated, with some interesting exceptions. These findings may inform future investments and guide policy changes within the Turkish healthcare system. Financial incentives, regulations around certified HIS, revisions to accreditation manuals, and training interventions are all policies which will help integrate HIS functions to support quality and patient safety in Turkish hospitals.

5 CFR 531.508 - Evaluation of quality step increase authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Evaluation of quality step increase... REGULATIONS PAY UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEDULE Quality Step Increases § 531.508 Evaluation of quality step... grant quality step increases. The agency shall take any corrective action required by the Office. [60 FR...

[Development and reliability evaluation of an instrument to measure health-related quality of life in independent elderly].

PubMed

Lima, Maria José Barbosa de; Portela, Margareth Crisóstomo

2010-08-01

This study presents an instrument, the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) profile for independent elderly, to measure the health-related quality of life of the functionally independent elderly assisted in the outpatient setting, based on the adaptation of four validated scales: Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Duke-UNC Health Profile (DUHP), Sickness Impact Profile (SIP), and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). The study also evaluates the instrument's reliability based on its use by two different observers with a 15-day interval. The instrument includes five dimensions (health perception, symptoms, physical function, psychological function, and social function) and 45 items. Reliability evaluation of the QUASI instrument was based on interviews with 142 elderly outpatients in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Prevalence-adjusted kappa statistic was used to assess all 45 items. Correlation was also calculated between overall scores and scores on individual dimensions. In the reliability evaluation, 39 of the 45 items showed prevalence-adjusted kappa greater than 0.60.

WATER QUALITY INDICES: A SURVEY OF INDICES USED IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

This study documents the extent to which water quality indices currently are being used in the United States. It reviews the indices published in the literature and surveys the States and interstate commissions to determine: (1) which agencies are using indices, (2) the type of i...

Historical profile, Quality of Water Laboratories, U. S. Geological Survey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Durum, W.H.

1978-01-01

During the period 1918 to 1973 the U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division, established 22 District-type water quality laboratories. These facilities provided the analytical capability and water-quality information for hydrologic investigations and the national baseline inventory of chemical, physical, fluvial sediment, and biological characteristics of surface and ground waters in the United States. Prior to 1950, most methods used in the laboratory were gravimetric, colorimetric, or titrimetric. Flame photometric equipment was common to most laboratories in the 1950's, and the atomic absorption spectrophotometer was added to larger laboratories in the 1960's. In the late 1960's, the first of the automatic analyzers was installed. Total annual production averaged about 480 adjusted complete analyses during the early years 1919-28, about 7,800 in 1946, and about 50,000 in 1970. Budget estimates for the majority of laboratories ranged from $25,000 to $50,000 (1940-50) and $75,000 to $300,000 (1965-73). Beginning in 1972, major functions of the 22 laboratories have been combined into two comprehensive highly-automated facilities located at Denver (Arvada), Colo., and Atlanta (Doraville), Ga. These laboratories comprise the Central Laboratory System for the U.S. Geological Survey. (Woodard-USGS)

Coast salish and U.S. Geological Survey: Tribal journey water quality project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Akin, Sarah K.; Grossman, Eric E.; Lekanof, Debra; O'Hara, Charles J.

2008-01-01

The Coast Salish Peoples and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have commenced on a partnership to examine water quality throughout the Georgia Straits and Puget Sound, blending tradition and science, in response to this deterioration of coastal environments and loss of essential habitats and marine resources of cultural and ecological importance throughout the ancestral waters of the Salish Sea. This report describes the Coast Salish Tribal Journey Water Quality Project, its inception, the results of the 2008 Tribal Journey project, lessons learned, and recommendations for future directions.

78 FR 14549 - National Contact Center; Information Collection; National Contact Center Customer Evaluation Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-06

...] National Contact Center; Information Collection; National Contact Center Customer Evaluation Survey AGENCY: Contact Center Services, Federal Citizen Information Center, Office of Citizen Services and Innovative... National Contact Center customer evaluation surveys. In this request, the previously approved surveys have...

Results of the 2002 QUEST Survey. Annual Staff Survey. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard Community Coll., Columbia, MD. Office of Planning and Evaluation.

This document is the results of the 2002 employee survey (Quality Evaluation of Service Trends) for all Howard Community College Employees. The response rate was 64%. Ratings for various topics and services were made on a five-point scale ranging from poor to excellent. Employees were also given an "unfamiliar with" category, which did…

Coptidis rhizoma and its main bioactive components: recent advances in chemical investigation, quality evaluation and pharmacological activity.

PubMed

Meng, Fan-Cheng; Wu, Zheng-Feng; Yin, Zhi-Qi; Lin, Li-Gen; Wang, Ruibing; Zhang, Qing-Wen

2018-01-01

Coptidis rhizoma (CR) is the dried rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch., C. deltoidea C. Y. Cheng et Hsiao or C. teeta Wall. (Ranunculaceae) and is commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of various diseases including bacillary dysentery, typhoid, tuberculosis, epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, empyrosis, pertussis, and other illnesses. A literature survey was conducted via SciFinder, ScieneDirect, PubMed, Springer, and Wiley databases. A total of 139 selected references were classified on the basis of their research scopes, including chemical investigation, quality evaluation and pharmacological studies. Many types of secondary metabolites including alkaloids, lignans, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, saccharides, and steroids have been isolated from CR. Among them, protoberberine-type alkaloids, such as berberine, palmatine, coptisine, epiberberine, jatrorrhizine, columamine, are the main components of CR. Quantitative determination of these alkaloids is a very important aspect in the quality evaluation of CR. In recent years, with the advances in isolation and detection technologies, many new instruments and methods have been developed for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the main alkaloids from CR. The quality control of CR has provided safety for pharmacological applications. These quality evaluation methods are also frequently employed to screen the active components from CR. Various investigations have shown that CR and its main alkaloids exhibited many powerful pharmacological effects including anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, hypoglycemic, anti-Alzheimer and hepatoprotective activities. This review summarizes the recent phytochemical investigations, quality evaluation methods, the biological studies focusing on CR as well as its main alkaloids.

Subjective quality evaluation of low-bit-rate video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masry, Mark; Hemami, Sheila S.; Osberger, Wilfried M.; Rohaly, Ann M.

2001-06-01

A subjective quality evaluation was performed to qualify vie4wre responses to visual defects that appear in low bit rate video at full and reduced frame rates. The stimuli were eight sequences compressed by three motion compensated encoders - Sorenson Video, H.263+ and a Wavelet based coder - operating at five bit/frame rate combinations. The stimulus sequences exhibited obvious coding artifacts whose nature differed across the three coders. The subjective evaluation was performed using the Single Stimulus Continuos Quality Evaluation method of UTI-R Rec. BT.500-8. Viewers watched concatenated coded test sequences and continuously registered the perceived quality using a slider device. Data form 19 viewers was colleted. An analysis of their responses to the presence of various artifacts across the range of possible coding conditions and content is presented. The effects of blockiness and blurriness on perceived quality are examined. The effects of changes in frame rate on perceived quality are found to be related to the nature of the motion in the sequence.

Reporting Quality of Randomized, Controlled Trials Evaluating Combined Chemoradiotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Yu-Pei; Chen, Lei; Li, Wen-Fei

Purpose: To comprehensively assess the reporting quality of randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and to identify significant predictors of quality. Methods and Materials: Two investigators searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for RCTs published between January 1988 and December 2015 that assessed the effect of combined chemoradiotherapy for NPC. The overall quality of each report was assessed using a 28-point overall quality score (OQS) based on the 2010 Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement. To provide baseline data for further evaluation, we also investigated the reporting quality of certain important issues in detail, including key methodologic items (allocationmore » concealment, blinding, intention-to-treat principle), endpoints, follow-up, subgroup analyses, and adverse events. Results: We retrieved 24 relevant RCTs including 6591 patients. Median 2010 OQS was 15.5 (range, 10-24). Half of the items in the 2010 OQS were poorly reported in at least 40% of trials. Multivariable regression models revealed that publication after 2010 and high impact factor were significant predictors of improved 2010 OQS. Additionally, many issues that we consider significant were not reported adequately. Conclusions: Despite publication of the CONSORT statement more than a decade ago, overall reporting quality for RCTs in NPC was unsatisfactory. Additionally, substantial selectivity and heterogeneity exists in reporting of certain crucial issues. This survey provides the first prompt for NPC trial investigators to improve reporting quality according to the CONSORT statement; increased scrutiny and diligence by editors and peer reviewers is also required.« less

Quality evaluation of poultry carcasses

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) has been mandated to organoleptically inspect poultry carcasses online at processing plants. For poultry quality and safety evaluation, the development of accurate and reliable instruments for online detection of unwholesomeness such as septicemia, cada...

[Can implementation of intensified perinatal survey be effective in improving the quality of perinatal care?].

PubMed

Troszyński, Michał

2010-01-01

Intensive scientific research and rapid technical progress have influenced the rapid fall in term newborn mortality. At the same time new problems have arisen such as saving the lives of infants with low and very low birth weight. Solving these problems needs reorganization of perinatal care, better equipment, especially in reference units and in outpatient clinics, as well as more intensive staff training. to obtain information whether implementation of intensified perinatal survey of fetus and newborn mortality can improve the quality of perinatal care in Poland. Implementation of the survey based on Central Statistics Office (GUS) data, Ministry of Health MZ-29 section X Document and the author's own studies. In the year 2008 newborn with birth weight less than 2500 g, constituted 6,06% liveborn infants, newborn weighing from 1000 to 2499 g - 5%, those with weight from 500 to 999 g - 0.51% of all live born infants. These figures differ according to voivodeship. The intensive survey concerning birth weight and perinatal mortality indeces in voivodeshipPoland, as well as in individual voivodeships, showed differences between data from the Central Statistics Office and data from the Ministry of Health MZ-29 document. This may be due to different methods of registrating newborn deaths eg. newborns transfered in the first weekoflife from the maternity ward to intensive care neonatal ward or to other specialistic departaments. Another reason for the difference may be discharge of the newborn data according to the place of birth or the mother's place of permanent domicile registration. This causes disturbances in flow of infomation resulting in ineffective analysis of perinatal mortality and of perinatal care evaluation. In the ongoing analysis it was found that in Poland stillbirths occur twice as often as perinatal deaths (4.3 per thousands) stillbirths and 2.15 per thousands perinatal deaths), with significant differences between voivodeships. This makes it

John F. Kennedy Space Center, Safety, Reliability, Maintainability and Quality Assurance, Survey and Audit Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

This document is the product of the KSC Survey and Audit Working Group composed of civil service and contractor Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance (SR&QA) personnel. The program described herein provides standardized terminology, uniformity of survey and audit operations, and emphasizes process assessments rather than a program based solely on compliance. The program establishes minimum training requirements, adopts an auditor certification methodology, and includes survey and audit metrics for the audited organizations as well as the auditing organization.

Headache service quality: evaluation of quality indicators in 14 specialist-care centres.

PubMed

Schramm, Sara; Uluduz, Derya; Gouveia, Raquel Gil; Jensen, Rigmor; Siva, Aksel; Uygunoglu, Ugur; Gvantsa, Giorgadze; Mania, Maka; Braschinsky, Mark; Filatova, Elena; Latysheva, Nina; Osipova, Vera; Skorobogatykh, Kirill; Azimova, Julia; Straube, Andreas; Eren, Ozan Emre; Martelletti, Paolo; De Angelis, Valerio; Negro, Andrea; Linde, Mattias; Hagen, Knut; Radojicic, Aleksandra; Zidverc-Trajkovic, Jasna; Podgorac, Ana; Paemeleire, Koen; De Pue, Annelien; Lampl, Christian; Steiner, Timothy J; Katsarava, Zaza

2016-12-01

The study was a collaboration between Lifting The Burden (LTB) and the European Headache Federation (EHF). Its aim was to evaluate the implementation of quality indicators for headache care Europe-wide in specialist headache centres (level-3 according to the EHF/LTB standard). Employing previously-developed instruments in 14 such centres, we made enquiries, in each, of health-care providers (doctors, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists) and 50 patients, and analysed the medical records of 50 other patients. Enquiries were in 9 domains: diagnostic accuracy, individualized management, referral pathways, patient's education and reassurance, convenience and comfort, patient's satisfaction, equity and efficiency of the headache care, outcome assessment and safety. Our study showed that highly experienced headache centres treated their patients in general very well. The centres were content with their work and their patients were content with their treatment. Including disability and quality-of-life evaluations in clinical assessments, and protocols regarding safety, proved problematic: better standards for these are needed. Some centres had problems with follow-up: many specialised centres operated in one-touch systems, without possibility of controlling long-term management or the success of treatments dependent on this. This first Europe-wide quality study showed that the quality indicators were workable in specialist care. They demonstrated common trends, producing evidence of what is majority practice. They also uncovered deficits that might be remedied in order to improve quality. They offer the means of setting benchmarks against which service quality may be judged. The next step is to take the evaluation process into non-specialist care (EHF/LTB levels 1 and 2).

Finding the State Story in the National Lake Survey Data with an Excel Exploratory Tool

EPA Science Inventory

The National Lakes Assessment (NLA) surveyed over 1200 U.S. lakes in the summer of 2007, evaluating lake quality based on water quality, physical habitat, and indicators of biological and recreational condition. An upcoming national report will summarize survey results primarily ...

Evaluation of aerial survey methods for Dall's sheep

USGS Publications Warehouse

Udevitz, Mark S.; Shults, Brad S.; Adams, Layne G.; Kleckner, Christopher

2006-01-01

Most Dall's sheep (Ovis dalli dalli) population-monitoring efforts use intensive aerial surveys with no attempt to estimate variance or adjust for potential sightability bias. We used radiocollared sheep to assess factors that could affect sightability of Dall's sheep in standard fixed-wing and helicopter surveys and to evaluate feasibility of methods that might account for sightability bias. Work was conducted in conjunction with annual aerial surveys of Dall's sheep in the western Baird Mountains, Alaska, USA, in 2000–2003. Overall sightability was relatively high compared with other aerial wildlife surveys, with 88% of the available, marked sheep detected in our fixed-wing surveys. Total counts from helicopter surveys were not consistently larger than counts from fixed-wing surveys of the same units, and detection probabilities did not differ for the 2 aircraft types. Our results suggest that total counts from helicopter surveys cannot be used to obtain reliable estimates of detection probabilities for fixed-wing surveys. Groups containing radiocollared sheep often changed in size and composition before they could be observed by a second crew in units that were double-surveyed. Double-observer methods that require determination of which groups were detected by each observer will be infeasible unless survey procedures can be modified so that groups remain more stable between observations. Mean group sizes increased during our study period, and our logistic regression sightability model indicated that detection probabilities increased with group size. Mark–resight estimates of annual population sizes were similar to sightability-model estimates, and confidence intervals overlapped broadly. We recommend the sightability-model approach as the most effective and feasible of the alternatives we considered for monitoring Dall's sheep populations.

Water Quality Survey of Splash Pads After A Waterborne Salmonellosis Outbreak--Tennessee, 2014.

PubMed

Clayton, Joshua L; Manners, Judy; Miller, Susan; Shepherd, Craig; Dunn, John R; Schaffner, William; Jones, Timothy F

2017-06-01

Waterborne outbreaks of salmonellosis are uncommon. The Tennessee Department of Health investigated a salmonellosis outbreak of 10 cases with the only common risk factor being exposure to a single splash pad. Risks included water splashed in the face at the splash pad and no free residual chlorine in the water system. We surveyed water quality and patron behaviors at splash pads statewide. Of the 29 splash pads participating in the water quality survey, 24 (83%) used a recirculating water system. Of the 24, 5 (21%) water samples were tested by polymerase chain reaction and found to be positive for E. coli, Giardia, norovirus, or Salmonella. Among 95 patrons observed, we identified common high-risk behaviors of sitting on the fountain or spray head and putting mouth to water. Water venue regulations and improved education of patrons are important to aid prevention efforts.

Image aesthetic quality evaluation using convolution neural network embedded learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yu-xin; Pu, Yuan-yuan; Xu, Dan; Qian, Wen-hua; Wang, Li-peng

2017-11-01

A way of embedded learning convolution neural network (ELCNN) based on the image content is proposed to evaluate the image aesthetic quality in this paper. Our approach can not only solve the problem of small-scale data but also score the image aesthetic quality. First, we chose Alexnet and VGG_S to compare for confirming which is more suitable for this image aesthetic quality evaluation task. Second, to further boost the image aesthetic quality classification performance, we employ the image content to train aesthetic quality classification models. But the training samples become smaller and only using once fine-tuning cannot make full use of the small-scale data set. Third, to solve the problem in second step, a way of using twice fine-tuning continually based on the aesthetic quality label and content label respective is proposed, the classification probability of the trained CNN models is used to evaluate the image aesthetic quality. The experiments are carried on the small-scale data set of Photo Quality. The experiment results show that the classification accuracy rates of our approach are higher than the existing image aesthetic quality evaluation approaches.

Lot quality assurance sampling techniques in health surveys in developing countries: advantages and current constraints.

PubMed

Lanata, C F; Black, R E

1991-01-01

Traditional survey methods, which are generally costly and time-consuming, usually provide information at the regional or national level only. The utilization of lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) methodology, developed in industry for quality control, makes it possible to use small sample sizes when conducting surveys in small geographical or population-based areas (lots). This article describes the practical use of LQAS for conducting health surveys to monitor health programmes in developing countries. Following a brief description of the method, the article explains how to build a sample frame and conduct the sampling to apply LQAS under field conditions. A detailed description of the procedure for selecting a sampling unit to monitor the health programme and a sample size is given. The sampling schemes utilizing LQAS applicable to health surveys, such as simple- and double-sampling schemes, are discussed. The interpretation of the survey results and the planning of subsequent rounds of LQAS surveys are also discussed. When describing the applicability of LQAS in health surveys in developing countries, the article considers current limitations for its use by health planners in charge of health programmes, and suggests ways to overcome these limitations through future research. It is hoped that with increasing attention being given to industrial sampling plans in general, and LQAS in particular, their utilization to monitor health programmes will provide health planners in developing countries with powerful techniques to help them achieve their health programme targets.

Feasibility of evaluating quality cancer care using registry data and electronic health records: a population-based study.

PubMed

Caldarella, Adele; Amunni, Gianni; Angiolini, Catia; Crocetti, Emanuele; Di Costanzo, Francesco; Di Leo, Angelo; Giusti, Francesco; Pegna, Andrea Lopes; Mantellini, Paola; Luzzatto, Lucio; Paci, Eugenio

2012-08-01

To evaluate the quality of patients care, a set of indicators of the standards of cancer care were defined. We developed a set of indicators to assess the implementation in daily practice of recommendation produced by a regional network (Istituto Toscano Tumori). This set was tested in a retrospective study in the resident population of the Tuscany Region; the regional health system is organized on 12 local health authorities which refer to three macro areas (Area Vasta). The study included incident colorectal, lung and breast cancer cases listed in 2004 for the Tuscan Cancer Registry, a population-based registry which collected tumor cases diagnosed in all residents in Tuscany. Electronic data from registry database were used to determine the compliance with each indicator for patients in 2004. To validate the results, an ad hoc clinical survey including the same geographical area for the year 2006 was performed. None. The proportion of patients who fulfilled each of the indicators. Our study showed the feasibility of the evaluation of the quality of cancer care using cancer registry population-based data and major computerized information systems. The estimation of the selected indicators confirmed a good homogeneity among areas, and globally revealed a good intraregional performance. Further work is needed to develop specific quality measures, particularly about structural data and to continually revise indicators of quality of care. Data from a cancer registry, however, can be useful to evaluate quality of cancer care.

Evaluating telephone follow-up of a mail survey of community pharmacies.

PubMed

Westrick, Salisa C; Mount, Jeanine K

2007-06-01

Mail and telephone are commonly used modes of survey with pharmacists. Research conducted using general population surveys consistently describes mail surveys as being less expensive but yielding lower response rates than telephone surveys. However, findings obtained from the general population may not be generalizable to pharmacist surveys. This study evaluates the effectiveness of telephone follow-up of mail survey nonrespondents by comparing the 2 survey modes on response rates, cooperation rates, cost per sample unit, and cost per usable response and evaluating potential nonresponse bias in the context of immunization activities. A census mail survey of 1,143 Washington State community pharmacies and a follow-up telephone survey of 262 randomly selected mail survey nonrespondents were compared. Both surveys included the same 15 yes/no-type questions to ask respondents about their pharmacy's involvement in immunization activities. The mail survey yielded a response rate 1 of 26.7% and a cooperation rate 1 of 26.7%, compared with 83.6% and 87.8%, respectively, for the follow-up telephone survey. With respect to cost per sample unit, the mail survey was the least expensive option ($1.20). However, when comparing cost per usable response, the mail survey was the most expensive ($4.37), and the follow-up telephone survey without an advance notification was the least expensive ($1.99). Furthermore, results suggest the presence of nonresponse bias: compared with pharmacies participating in the follow-up telephone survey, pharmacies participating in the mail survey were more likely to be involved in in-house immunization services but less likely to be involved in outsourced services. The telephone survey achieved higher outcome rates with reduced cost per usable response. A telephone survey is a viable mode that holds promise in pharmacy practice research. Maximizing response rates and assessing potential nonresponse bias should be a standard practice among pharmacy

U.S. Geological Survey Catskill/Delaware Water-Quality Network: Water-Quality Report Water Year 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

McHale, Michael R.; Siemion, Jason

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey operates a 60-station streamgaging network in the New York City Catskill/Delaware Water Supply System. Water-quality samples were collected at 13 of the stations in the Catskill/Delaware streamgaging network to provide resource managers with water-quality and water-quantity data from the water-supply system that supplies about 85 percent of the water needed by the more than 9 million residents of New York City. This report summarizes water-quality data collected at those 13 stations plus one additional station operated as a part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Long-Term Monitoring Network for the 2006 water year (October 1, 2005 to September 30, 2006). An average of 62 water-quality samples were collected at each station during the 2006 water year, including grab samples collected every other week and storm samples collected with automated samplers. On average, 8 storms were sampled at each station during the 2006 water year. The 2006 calendar year was the second warmest on record and the summer of 2006 was the wettest on record for the northeastern United States. A large storm on June 26-28, 2006, caused extensive flooding in the western part of the network where record peak flows were measured at several watersheds.

An evaluation of the quality of statistical design and analysis of published medical research: results from a systematic survey of general orthopaedic journals.

PubMed

Parsons, Nick R; Price, Charlotte L; Hiskens, Richard; Achten, Juul; Costa, Matthew L

2012-04-25

The application of statistics in reported research in trauma and orthopaedic surgery has become ever more important and complex. Despite the extensive use of statistical analysis, it is still a subject which is often not conceptually well understood, resulting in clear methodological flaws and inadequate reporting in many papers. A detailed statistical survey sampled 100 representative orthopaedic papers using a validated questionnaire that assessed the quality of the trial design and statistical analysis methods. The survey found evidence of failings in study design, statistical methodology and presentation of the results. Overall, in 17% (95% confidence interval; 10-26%) of the studies investigated the conclusions were not clearly justified by the results, in 39% (30-49%) of studies a different analysis should have been undertaken and in 17% (10-26%) a different analysis could have made a difference to the overall conclusions. It is only by an improved dialogue between statistician, clinician, reviewer and journal editor that the failings in design methodology and analysis highlighted by this survey can be addressed.

Evaluating the quality of Internet information for femoroacetabular impingement.

PubMed

Lee, Simon; Shin, Jason J; Haro, Marc S; Song, Sang H; Nho, Shane J

2014-10-01

The Internet has become a ubiquitous source of medical information for both the patient and the physician. However, the quality of this information is highly variable. We evaluated the quality of Internet information available for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Four popular search engines were used to collect 100 Web sites containing information on FAI. Web sites were evaluated based on authorship, various content criteria, and the presence of Health On the Net Code of Conduct (HONcode) certification. By use of a novel evaluation system for quality, Web sites were also classified as excellent, high, moderate, poor, or inadequate and were subsequently analyzed. Web sites were evaluated as a group, followed by authorship type, by HONcode certification, and by quality level. Of the Web sites, 73 offered the ability to contact the author, 91 offered a considerable explanation of FAI, 54 provided surgical treatment options, 58 offered nonsurgical treatment options, 27 discussed possible complications, 11 discussed eligibility criteria, 31 discussed rehabilitation, 67 discussed a differential diagnosis, and 48 included peer-reviewed citations. We categorized 40 Web sites as academic, 33 as private, 9 as industry, 9 as public education, and 9 as blogs. Our novel quality evaluation system classified 16 Web sites as excellent, 18 as high, 17 as moderate, 18 as poor, and 31 as inadequate. Only 8% of all evaluated Web sites contained HONcode certification. We found that the quality of information available on the Internet about FAI was dramatically variable. A significantly large proportion of Web sites were from academic sources, but this did not necessarily indicate higher quality. Sites with HONcode certification showed as much variability in quality as noncertified sites. This study increases clinician competence in the available Internet information about FAI and helps them to confidently guide patients to formulate appropriate medical decisions based on high-quality

Nursing home consumer complaints and their potential role in assessing quality of care.

PubMed

Stevenson, David G

2005-02-01

State survey agencies collect and investigate consumer complaints for care in nursing homes and other health care settings. Complaint investigations play a key role in quality assurance, because they can respond to concerns of consumers and families. This study uses 5 years of nursing home complaints data from Massachusetts (1998-2002) to investigate whether complaints might be used to assess nursing home quality of care. The investigator matches facility-level complaints data with On-Line Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data and Minimum Data Set Quality Indicator (MDS QI) data to evaluate the association between consumer complaints, facility and resident characteristics, and other nursing home quality measures. Consumer complaints varied across facility characteristics in ways consistent with the nursing home quality literature. Complaints were consistently and significantly associated with survey deficiencies, the presence of a serious survey deficiency, and nurse aide staffing. Complaints were not significantly associated with nurse staffing, and associations with 6 MDS QIs were mixed. The number of complaints was significantly predictive of survey deficiencies identified at the subsequent inspection. Nursing home consumer complaints provide a supplemental tool with which to differentiate nursing homes on quality. Despite limitations, complaints data have potential strengths when used in combination with other quality measures. The potential of using consumer complaints to assess nursing home quality of care should be evaluated in states beyond Massachusetts. Evaluating consumer complaints also might be a productive area of inquiry for other health care settings such as hospitals and home health agencies.

Conducting a Withdrawal Survey.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aldridge, Sue; Rowley, Jennifer

2001-01-01

A survey at Edge Hill College of Higher Education in Canada, designed to be part of the mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the quality of the student experience, revealed that key factors influencing withdrawal were: course not as expected, traveling difficulties, institution not as expected, domestic difficulties, and financial difficulties.…

UpStart Parent Survey-Prenatal: A New Tool for Evaluating Prenatal Education Programs.

PubMed

Benzies, Karen M; Barker, Leslie; Churchill, Jocelyn; Smith, Jennifer; Horn, Sarah

2016-09-01

To evaluate a new prenatal education program evaluation tool, the UpStart Parent Survey - Prenatal, in terms of: (a) reliability and validity; (b) sensitivity to change over time; (c) whether results differed for mothers versus fathers; and (d) whether results differed when using an electronic tablet-computer versus a paper survey. Psychometric study. Participants were 277 expectant mothers (n = 161) and fathers (n = 106) enrolled in Childbirth Essentials, a 6-week prenatal education program. The UpStart Parent Survey - Prenatal is a retrospective pretest/posttest survey with three scales: Parenting Knowledge, Parenting Experience, and Program Satisfaction, and three open-ended questions. The UpStart Parent Survey - Prenatal is sensitive to change and demonstrated significant positive differences in parenting knowledge and parenting experience. There was no difference in results whether the survey was completed by mothers or fathers. Results were similar whether paper or electronic formats were used. The survey was easy to complete. The UpStart Parent Survey - Prenatal holds promise as a reliable and valid evaluation tool to capture outcomes of brief prenatal education programs that target the general population of expectant parents. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Crowdsourcing quality control for Dark Energy Survey images

DOE PAGES

Melchior, P.

2016-07-01

We have developed a crowdsourcing web application for image quality control employed by the Dark Energy Survey. Dubbed the "DES exposure checker", it renders science-grade images directly to a web browser and allows users to mark problematic features from a set of predefined classes. Users can also generate custom labels and thus help identify previously unknown problem classes. User reports are fed back to hardware and software experts to help mitigate and eliminate recognized issues. We report on the implementation of the application and our experience with its over 100 users, the majority of which are professional or prospective astronomersmore » but not data management experts. We discuss aspects of user training and engagement, and demonstrate how problem reports have been pivotal to rapidly correct artifacts which would likely have been too subtle or infrequent to be recognized otherwise. We conclude with a number of important lessons learned, suggest possible improvements, and recommend this collective exploratory approach for future astronomical surveys or other extensive data sets with a sufficiently large user base. We also release open-source code of the web application and host an online demo versionat http://des-exp-checker.pmelchior.net« less

Crowdsourcing quality control for Dark Energy Survey images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melchior, P.; Sheldon, E.; Drlica-Wagner, A.; Rykoff, E. S.; Abbott, T. M. C.; Abdalla, F. B.; Allam, S.; Benoit-Lévy, A.; Brooks, D.; Buckley-Geer, E.; Carnero Rosell, A.; Carrasco Kind, M.; Carretero, J.; Crocce, M.; D'Andrea, C. B.; da Costa, L. N.; Desai, S.; Doel, P.; Evrard, A. E.; Finley, D. A.; Flaugher, B.; Frieman, J.; Gaztanaga, E.; Gerdes, D. W.; Gruen, D.; Gruendl, R. A.; Honscheid, K.; James, D. J.; Jarvis, M.; Kuehn, K.; Li, T. S.; Maia, M. A. G.; March, M.; Marshall, J. L.; Nord, B.; Ogando, R.; Plazas, A. A.; Romer, A. K.; Sanchez, E.; Scarpine, V.; Sevilla-Noarbe, I.; Smith, R. C.; Soares-Santos, M.; Suchyta, E.; Swanson, M. E. C.; Tarle, G.; Vikram, V.; Walker, A. R.; Wester, W.; Zhang, Y.

2016-07-01

We have developed a crowdsourcing web application for image quality control employed by the Dark Energy Survey. Dubbed the "DES exposure checker", it renders science-grade images directly to a web browser and allows users to mark problematic features from a set of predefined classes. Users can also generate custom labels and thus help identify previously unknown problem classes. User reports are fed back to hardware and software experts to help mitigate and eliminate recognized issues. We report on the implementation of the application and our experience with its over 100 users, the majority of which are professional or prospective astronomers but not data management experts. We discuss aspects of user training and engagement, and demonstrate how problem reports have been pivotal to rapidly correct artifacts which would likely have been too subtle or infrequent to be recognized otherwise. We conclude with a number of important lessons learned, suggest possible improvements, and recommend this collective exploratory approach for future astronomical surveys or other extensive data sets with a sufficiently large user base. We also release open-source code of the web application and host an online demo version at http://des-exp-checker.pmelchior.net.

Crowdsourcing quality control for Dark Energy Survey images

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Melchior, P.

We have developed a crowdsourcing web application for image quality control employed by the Dark Energy Survey. Dubbed the "DES exposure checker", it renders science-grade images directly to a web browser and allows users to mark problematic features from a set of predefined classes. Users can also generate custom labels and thus help identify previously unknown problem classes. User reports are fed back to hardware and software experts to help mitigate and eliminate recognized issues. We report on the implementation of the application and our experience with its over 100 users, the majority of which are professional or prospective astronomersmore » but not data management experts. We discuss aspects of user training and engagement, and demonstrate how problem reports have been pivotal to rapidly correct artifacts which would likely have been too subtle or infrequent to be recognized otherwise. We conclude with a number of important lessons learned, suggest possible improvements, and recommend this collective exploratory approach for future astronomical surveys or other extensive data sets with a sufficiently large user base. We also release open-source code of the web application and host an online demo versionat http://des-exp-checker.pmelchior.net« less

[Health insurance dentists' subjective perceptions of quality when implementing quality management in practice - results from a nationwide survey].

PubMed

Kettler, Nele; Chenot, Regine; Jordan, A Rainer

2015-01-01

Statutory health insurance dentists working in private practice have a duty to maintain and improve the quality of dental care. An individual practice's approach to quality management (QM) can be made to reflect the practice's philosophy on quality and standards and can be adapted to the specific requirements of the practice setting they are meant to serve. This study set out to collect data on the subjective perceptions of quality that exist among German dentists, and to canvass their views on the process and benefits of implementing QM systems. In doing so, this study aimed to identify the incentives and obstacles that currently exist in relation to the implementation and further development of practice-based QM systems. As part of a nationally representative cross-sectional study, a random sample of 2,084 dentists was asked to complete a questionnaire on perceptions of quality and QM. The response rate was 40.3 % (n=838). The study's primary end point was defined as the surveyed dentists' interpretative description of quality. The study's secondary end point was defined as the dentists' subjective evaluations of the benefits of QM in the day-to-day management of their own practices. Responses to open-ended questions were analysed using content analysis, while quantitative questions were analysed using descriptive univariate analysis. When analysing respondents' subjective perceptions of quality (primary end point), the following dimensions were revealed as highly significant: patient (mentioned by 31.4 % of the responders), quality of treatment (29.5 %) and staff (14.8 %). As far as the benefits of QM in the day-to-day management of the respondent's own practices (secondary end point) were concerned, these appeared to be linked to the ease of implementation of the organizational tools offered by QM systems: managing emergencies, team meetings and procedural check lists were ranked as "can be implemented to a reasonable degree" and "can be fully implemented

Assessing the quality of GEOID12B model through field surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elaksher, Ahmed; Kamtchang, Franck; Wegmann, Christian; Guerrero, Adalberto

2018-01-01

Elevation differences have been determined through conventional ground surveying techniques for over a century. Since the mid-80s GPS, GLONASS and other satellite systems have modernized the means by which elevation differences are observed. In this article, we assessed the quality of GEIOD12B through long-occupation GNSS static surveys. A set of NGS benchmarks was occupied for at least one hour using dual-frequency GNSS receivers. Collected measurements were processed using a single CORS station at most 24 kilometers from the benchmarks. Geoid undulation values were driven by subtracting measured ellipsoidal heights from the orthometric heights posted on the NGS website. To assess the quality of GEOID12B, we compared our computed vertical shifts at the benchmarks with those estimated from GEOID12B published by NGS. In addition, Kriging model was used to interpolate local maps for the geoid undulations from the benchmark heights. The maps were compared with corresponding parts of GEOID12B. No biases were detected in the results and only shifts due to random errors were found. Discrepancies in the range of ten centimetres were noticed between our geoid undulation and the values available from NGS.

Quality evaluation of Persian nutrition and diet therapy websites

PubMed Central

Gholizadeh, Zahra; Papi, Ahmad; Ashrafi-rizi, Hasan; Shahrzadi, Leila; Hasanzadeh, Akbar

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Nowadays websites are among the most important information sources used by most people. With the spread of websites, especially those related to health issues, the number of their visitors also increases, more than half of which are about nutritional information. Therefore, quality analysis of nutrition and diet therapy websites is of outmost importance. This study aims to evaluate the quality of Persian nutrition and diet therapy websites. METHODS: The current work is a survey study and uses an applied study method. The statistical population consists of 51 Persian websites about nutrition and diet therapy and census method was used in order to study them. Data gathering was done using a checklist and with direct visit to each website. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyse the gathered data with the help of SPSS 21 software. RESULTS: Findings showed that content (66.7%), organization (82.4%), user friendly interfaces (52.9%) and total quality (70.6%) of most websites had a mediocre score while the design score for most of the websites (70.6%) was acceptable also organizational websites had better design, organization and quality compared to private websites. The three websites with the highest general quality score were the websites of “Novel Diet Therapy,” “Behsite” and “Dr. BehdadiPour” (jointly) and “Dr. Kermani” respectively. Also in the dimension of content the factors of goal, relevance and credibility, in the dimension of design the factors of color, text and sound, pictures and videos, in the dimension of organization the factors of stability and indexing and in the dimension of user friendliness the factors of confidentiality, credibility and personalization had the highest scores. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the design score was higher than other scores. Also the general quality score of the websites was mediocre and was not desirable. Also websites didn’t have suitable scores in every factor

The Millennium QUEST: Results of the Survey. Annual Staff Survey. Research Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard Community Coll., Columbia, MD. Office of Planning and Evaluation.

This document is the results of the 2000 employee survey (Quality Evaluation of Service Trends) for all Howard Community College Employees. The response rate was 57% and respondents replied both by paper and electronically. Ratings for various topics and services were made on a five-point scale ranging from poor to excellent. Employees were also…

Quality and accuracy of electronic pre-anesthesia evaluation forms.

PubMed

Almeshari, Meshari; Khalifa, Mohamed; El-Metwally, Ashraf; Househ, Mowafa; Alanazi, Abdullah

2018-07-01

Paper-based forms have been widely used to document patient health information for anesthesia; however, hospitals are now switching to electronic patient file documentation for anesthesia. The aim of this study is to compare the quality of paper-based and electronic pre-anesthesia assessment forms. The research conducted in this study was quasi-experimental using a pretest-posttest design without a control group. The study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh (KAMC-RD) during November 2015. Paper-based forms were converted into electronic forms, and the paper-based pre-anesthesia forms were used during the first two weeks of the data collection period while electronic forms were completed in the last two weeks. The quality of each (electronic vs. paper) was evaluated with respect to missing items, errors, and unreadable items. The sample size included all 15 anesthetists working in the pre-anesthesia clinic at KAMC-RD. The anesthetists completed 25 pre-anesthesia forms daily during a five-day week schedule. A total of 500 patient forms were completed during the study (250 paper-based and 250 electronic forms). Anesthetists' satisfaction with the electronic pre-anesthesia form was also measured using a questionnaire. The electronic form shows significantly higher quality in all assessment categories (missing items, errors, and unreadable items; X² (2, N = 500) = 171.64, p < 0.001). The satisfaction survey found 81.65% of the anesthetists were satisfied with the electronic pre-anesthesia form for all questions. Our study demonstrates that the electronic pre-anesthesia form has better data quality, meets the expectations of anesthetists and aids to decrease missing key preoperative information. This type of approach is imperative for the safety of perioperative patients. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Interaction of sleep quality and sleep duration on impaired fasting glucose: a population-based cross-sectional survey in China.

PubMed

Lou, Peian; Chen, Peipei; Zhang, Lei; Zhang, Pan; Chang, Guiqiu; Zhang, Ning; Li, Ting; Qiao, Cheng

2014-03-13

To explore the interactions of sleep quality and sleep duration and their effects on impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in Chinese adults. Cross-sectional survey. Community-based investigation in Xuzhou, China. 15 145 Chinese men and women aged 18-75 years old who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to produce sleep quality categories of good, common and poor. Fasting blood glucose levels were assessed for IFG. Sleep duration was measured by average hours of sleep per night, with categories of <6, 6-8 and >8 h. The products of sleep and family history of diabetes, obesity and age were added to the logistic regression model to evaluate the addictive interaction and relative excess risk of interaction (RERI) on IFG. The attributable proportion (AP) of the interaction and the synergy index (S) were applied to evaluate the additive interaction of two factors. Bootstrap measures were used to calculate 95% CI of RERI, AP and S. The prevalence of IFG was greatest in those with poor sleep quality and short sleep duration (OR 6.37, 95% CI 4.66 to 8.67; p<0.001) compared with those who had good sleep quality and 6-8 h sleep duration, after adjusting for confounders. After adjusting for potential confounders RERI, AP and S values (and their 95% CI) were 1.69 (0.31 to 3.76), 0.42 (0.15 to 0.61) and 2.85 (2.14 to 3.92), respectively, for the interaction between poor sleep quality and short sleep duration, and 0.78 (0.12 to 1.43), 0.61 (0.26 to 0.87) and -65 (-0.94 to -0.27) for the interaction between good sleep quality and long sleep duration. The results suggest that there are additive interactions between poor sleep quality and short sleep duration.

National Beef Quality Audit-2011: In-plant survey of targeted carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, value, and marketing of fed steers and heifers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The National Beef Quality Audit – 2011 (NBQA-2011) assessed the current status of quality and consistency of fed steers and heifers. Beef carcasses (n = 9,802), representing approximately 10 percent of each production lot in 28 beef processing facilities, were selected randomly for the survey. Car...

Engagement Insights: Survey Findings on the Quality of Undergraduate Education. Annual Results 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Survey of Student Engagement, 2016

2016-01-01

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and its companion projects serve colleges and universities committed to monitoring and improving the quality of the undergraduate experience. While participating institutions receive detailed customized reports, the "Annual Results" series presents noteworthy aggregate findings from the…

21 CFR 26.43 - Transmission of quality system evaluation reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... QUALITY SYSTEM AUDIT REPORTS, AND CERTAIN MEDICAL DEVICE PRODUCT EVALUATION REPORTS: UNITED STATES AND THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY Specific Sector Provisions for Medical Devices § 26.43 Transmission of quality system... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Transmission of quality system evaluation reports...

Atmospheric Model Evaluation Tool for meteorological and air quality simulations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Atmospheric Model Evaluation Tool compares model predictions to observed data from various meteorological and air quality observation networks to help evaluate meteorological and air quality simulations.

Audiovisual quality evaluation of low-bitrate video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkler, Stefan; Faller, Christof

2005-03-01

Audiovisual quality assessment is a relatively unexplored topic. We designed subjective experiments for audio, video, and audiovisual quality using content and encoding parameters representative of video for mobile applications. Our focus were the MPEG-4 AVC (a.k.a. H.264) and AAC coding standards. Our goals in this study are two-fold: we want to understand the interactions between audio and video in terms of perceived audiovisual quality, and we use the subjective data to evaluate the prediction performance of our non-reference video and audio quality metrics.

Quality-assurance plan for water-resources activities of the U. S. Geological Survey in Montana--1991

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.

1991-01-01

As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed a worldwide reputation for collecting accurate data and producing factual, impartial interpretive reports. To ensure continued confidence in the pro- ducts, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has implemented a policy that all scientific work will be performed in accordance with a centrally managed quality-assurance program. The formal policy for quality assurance within the Montana District was established and documented in USGS Open-File Report 91-194. This report has been revised to reflect changes in personnel and organi- zational structure that have occurred since 1991. Quality assurance is formalized by describing organization and operational responsibilities, the quality-assurance policy, and the quality- assurance responsibilities for performing District functions. The District conducts its work through offices in Helena, Billings, Kalispell, and Fort Peck. Data-collection programs and interpretive studies are conducted by three operating sections and four support units. Discipline specialists provide technical advice and assistance. Management advisors provide guidance on various personnel issues and support functions.

Quality-assurance plan for water-resources activities of the U.S. Geological Survey in Montana--1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.

1995-01-01

As the Nation's principal earth-science information agency, the U.S. Geological Survey has developed a worldwide reputation for collecting accurate data and producing factual, impartial interpretive reports. To ensure continued confidence in the pro- ducts, the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey has implemented a policy that all scientific work will be performed in accordance with a centrally managed quality-assurance program. The formal policy for quality assurance within the Montana District was established and documented in USGS Open-File Report 91-194. This report has been revised to reflect changes in personnel and organi- zational structure that have occurred since 1991. Quality assurance is formalized by describing organization and operational responsibilities, the quality-assurance policy, and the quality- assurance responsibilities for performing District functions. The District conducts its work through offices in Helena, Billings, Kalispell, and Fort Peck. Data-collection programs and interpretive studies are conducted by three operating sections and four support units. Discipline specialists provide technical advice and assistance. Management advisors provide guidance on various personnel issues and support functions.

The quality improvement attitude survey: Development and preliminary psychometric characteristics.

PubMed

Dunagan, Pamela B

2017-12-01

To report the development of a tool to measure nurse's attitudes about quality improvement in their practice setting and to examine preliminary psychometric characteristics of the Quality Improvement Nursing Attitude Scale. Human factors such as nursing attitudes of complacency have been identified as root causes of sentinel events. Attitudes of nurses concerning use of Quality and Safety Education for nurse's competencies can be most challenging to teach and to change. No tool has been developed measuring attitudes of nurses concerning their role in quality improvement. A descriptive study design with preliminary psychometric evaluation was used to examine the preliminary psychometric characteristics of the Quality Improvement Nursing Attitude Scale. Registered bedside clinical nurses comprised the sample for the study (n = 57). Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Cronbach's alpha reliability. Total score and individual item statistics were evaluated. Two open-ended items were used to collect statements about nurses' feelings regarding their experience in quality improvement efforts. Strong support for the internal consistency reliability and face validity of the Quality Improvement Nursing Attitude Scale was found. Total scale scores were high indicating nurse participants valued Quality and Safety Education for Nurse competencies in practice. However, item-level statistics indicated nurses felt powerless when other nurses deviate from care standards. Additionally, the sample indicated they did not consistently report patient safety issues and did not have a feeling of value in efforts to improve care. Findings suggested organisational culture fosters nurses' reporting safety issues and feeling valued in efforts to improve care. Participants' narrative comments and item analysis revealed the need to generate new items for the Quality Improvement Nursing Attitude Scale focused on nurses' perception of their importance in quality and

Measuring the Quality of VET Using the Student Outcomes Survey. Occasional Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Wang-Sheng; Polidano, Cain

2010-01-01

The aim of this report is to examine the potential use of information from the Student Outcomes Survey, including the use of student course satisfaction information and post-study outcomes, as a means of determining markers of training quality. In an analysis of the student course satisfaction measures, the authors found there are very small…

Single-case synthesis tools I: Comparing tools to evaluate SCD quality and rigor.

PubMed

Zimmerman, Kathleen N; Ledford, Jennifer R; Severini, Katherine E; Pustejovsky, James E; Barton, Erin E; Lloyd, Blair P

2018-03-03

Tools for evaluating the quality and rigor of single case research designs (SCD) are often used when conducting SCD syntheses. Preferred components include evaluations of design features related to the internal validity of SCD to obtain quality and/or rigor ratings. Three tools for evaluating the quality and rigor of SCD (Council for Exceptional Children, What Works Clearinghouse, and Single-Case Analysis and Design Framework) were compared to determine if conclusions regarding the effectiveness of antecedent sensory-based interventions for young children changed based on choice of quality evaluation tool. Evaluation of SCD quality differed across tools, suggesting selection of quality evaluation tools impacts evaluation findings. Suggestions for selecting an appropriate quality and rigor assessment tool are provided and across-tool conclusions are drawn regarding the quality and rigor of studies. Finally, authors provide guidance for using quality evaluations in conjunction with outcome analyses when conducting syntheses of interventions evaluated in the context of SCD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health Related Quality of Life Following Radical Cystectomy: Comparative Analysis from the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey.

PubMed

Winters, Brian R; Wright, Jonathan L; Holt, Sarah K; Dash, Atreya; Gore, John L; Schade, George R

2017-09-05

Health related quality of life after radical cystectomy and ileal conduit is not well quantified at the population level. We evaluated health related quality of life in patients with bladder cancer compared with noncancer controls and patients with colorectal cancer using data from SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results)-MHOS (Medicare Health Outcomes Survey). SEER-MHOS data from 1998 to 2013 were used to identify patients with bladder cancer and those with colorectal cancer who underwent extirpative surgery with ileal conduit or colostomy creation, respectively. A total of 166 patients with bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy were propensity matched 1:5 to 830 noncancer controls and compared with 154 patients with colorectal cancer. Differences in Mental and Physical Component Summary scores as well as component subscores were determined between patients with bladder cancer, patients with colorectal cancer and noncancer controls. SEER-MHOS patients were more commonly male and white with a mean ± SD age of 77 ± 6 years. Patients treated with radical cystectomy had significantly lower Physical Component Summary scores, select physical subscale scores and all mental subscale scores compared with noncancer controls. These findings were similar in the subset of 40 patients treated with radical cystectomy who had available preoperative and postoperative survey data. Global Mental Component Summary scores did not differ significantly between the groups. No significant differences were observed in global Mental Component Summary, Physical Component Summary or subscale scores between patients with bladder cancer and patients with colorectal cancer. Patients with bladder cancer who undergo radical cystectomy have significant declines in multiple components of physical and mental health related quality of life vs noncancer controls, which mirror those of patients with colorectal cancer. Further longitudinal study is required to better codify the

Comparing data quality and cost from three modes of on-board transit passenger surveys.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

This report presents the findings from a research project investigating the relative data quality and administration costs for three : different modes of surveying bus passengers that produce results generalizable to the full passenger population. Th...

[Methodological quality and reporting quality evaluation of randomized controlled trials published in China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica].

PubMed

Yu, Dan-Dan; Xie, Yan-Ming; Liao, Xing; Zhi, Ying-Jie; Jiang, Jun-Jie; Chen, Wei

2018-02-01

To evaluate the methodological quality and reporting quality of randomized controlled trials(RCTs) published in China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, we searched CNKI and China Journal of Chinese Materia webpage to collect RCTs since the establishment of the magazine. The Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of RCTs. The CONSORT 2010 list was adopted as reporting quality evaluating tool. Finally, 184 RCTs were included and evaluated methodologically, of which 97 RCTs were evaluated with reporting quality. For the methodological evaluating, 62 trials(33.70%) reported the random sequence generation; 9(4.89%) trials reported the allocation concealment; 25(13.59%) trials adopted the method of blinding; 30(16.30%) trials reported the number of patients withdrawing, dropping out and those lost to follow-up;2 trials （1.09%） reported trial registration and none of the trial reported the trial protocol; only 8(4.35%) trials reported the sample size estimation in details. For reporting quality appraising, 3 reporting items of 25 items were evaluated with high-quality,including: abstract, participants qualified criteria, and statistical methods; 4 reporting items with medium-quality, including purpose, intervention, random sequence method, and data collection of sites and locations; 9 items with low-quality reporting items including title, backgrounds, random sequence types, allocation concealment, blindness, recruitment of subjects, baseline data, harms, and funding;the rest of items were of extremely low quality(the compliance rate of reporting item<10%). On the whole, the methodological and reporting quality of RCTs published in the magazine are generally low. Further improvement in both methodological and reporting quality for RCTs of traditional Chinese medicine are warranted. It is recommended that the international standards and procedures for RCT design should be strictly followed to conduct high-quality trials

78 FR 15801 - 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Gilman Evaluation Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-12

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 8220] 30-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Gilman Evaluation Survey ACTION: Notice of request for public comment and submission to OMB of proposed collection...: Title of Information Collection: Gilman Evaluation Survey. OMB Control Number: None. Type of Request...

Ethnic Differences in the Quality of the Interview Process and Implications for Survey Analysis: The Case of Indigenous Australians

PubMed Central

Perales, Francisco

2015-01-01

Comparable survey data on Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians are highly sought after by policymakers to inform policies aimed at closing ethnic socio-economic gaps. However, collection of such data is compromised by group differences in socio-economic status and cultural norms. We use data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey and multiple-membership multilevel regression models that allow for individual and interviewer effects to examine differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in approximate measures of the quality of the interview process. We find that there are both direct and indirect ethnic effects on different dimensions of interview process quality, with Indigenous Australians faring worse than non-Indigenous Australians in all outcomes ceteris paribus . This indicates that nationwide surveys must feature interview protocols that are sensitive to the needs and culture of Indigenous respondents to improve the quality of the survey information gathered from this subpopulation. PMID:26091283

Evaluation of non-adherence in patients undergoing dialysis and kidney transplantation: United States transplantation practice patterns survey.

PubMed

Brar, A; Babakhani, A; Salifu, M O; Jindal, R M

2014-06-01

We performed a survey of United States transplantation centers to evaluate practice patterns in the assessment of nonadherence before and after kidney transplantation. An electronically administered, anonymous survey was sent to 181 United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) approved transplantation centers in 2012. Seventy-nine centers completed our survey. Of them, 51.3% had a protocol to evaluate medication/dialysis adherence before the listing; most common (36.4%) was the Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire. As an alternative to a questionnaire, the most common measure of nonadherence was the number of missed hemodialysis sessions (77.0%). The most common reason for poor adherence to dialysis regimens was difficulty with transportation (81.3%). Also, 94.4% noted the lack of a questionnaire to evaluate adherence to medications but relied on drug levels (73.4%) and self report. Only 12.9% used a questionnaire for the measurement of quality of life (Karnofsky performance scale). Of the participating centers, 27.1% used a formal cognitive testing for potential living donors. A social worker was used by most centers for nonadherent patients. Respondents indicated that patients (in the pretransplantation state) were more compliant with dialysis than with medication regimens. Finally, 37.7% of respondents noted graft failure due to medication nonadherence in 15% to 29% of their patients. There was a significant variability in the methods of screening for nonadherence while the patient was on dialysis, during pretransplantation work up, and during post-transplantation follow-up examinations. We recommend that there should be a standardized technique to evaluate nonadherence to facilitate focused clinical trials to improve adherence. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating Mobile Survey Tools (MSTs) for Field-Level Monitoring and Data Collection: Development of a Novel Evaluation Framework, and Application to MSTs for Rural Water and Sanitation Monitoring

PubMed Central

Fisher, Michael B.; Mann, Benjamin H.; Cronk, Ryan D.; Shields, Katherine F.; Klug, Tori L.; Ramaswamy, Rohit

2016-01-01

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) such as mobile survey tools (MSTs) can facilitate field-level data collection to drive improvements in national and international development programs. MSTs allow users to gather and transmit field data in real time, standardize data storage and management, automate routine analyses, and visualize data. Dozens of diverse MST options are available, and users may struggle to select suitable options. We developed a systematic MST Evaluation Framework (EF), based on International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) software quality modeling standards, to objectively assess MSTs and assist program implementers in identifying suitable MST options. The EF is applicable to MSTs for a broad variety of applications. We also conducted an MST user survey to elucidate needs and priorities of current MST users. Finally, the EF was used to assess seven MSTs currently used for water and sanitation monitoring, as a validation exercise. The results suggest that the EF is a promising method for evaluating MSTs. PMID:27563916

Evaluating Mobile Survey Tools (MSTs) for Field-Level Monitoring and Data Collection: Development of a Novel Evaluation Framework, and Application to MSTs for Rural Water and Sanitation Monitoring.

PubMed

Fisher, Michael B; Mann, Benjamin H; Cronk, Ryan D; Shields, Katherine F; Klug, Tori L; Ramaswamy, Rohit

2016-08-23

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) such as mobile survey tools (MSTs) can facilitate field-level data collection to drive improvements in national and international development programs. MSTs allow users to gather and transmit field data in real time, standardize data storage and management, automate routine analyses, and visualize data. Dozens of diverse MST options are available, and users may struggle to select suitable options. We developed a systematic MST Evaluation Framework (EF), based on International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC) software quality modeling standards, to objectively assess MSTs and assist program implementers in identifying suitable MST options. The EF is applicable to MSTs for a broad variety of applications. We also conducted an MST user survey to elucidate needs and priorities of current MST users. Finally, the EF was used to assess seven MSTs currently used for water and sanitation monitoring, as a validation exercise. The results suggest that the EF is a promising method for evaluating MSTs.

Use of the BREAST-Q™ Survey in the Prospective Evaluation of Reduction Mammaplasty Outcomes.

PubMed

Cabral, Isaias Vieira; da Silva Garcia, Edgard; Sobrinho, Rebecca Neponucena; Pinto, Natália Lana Larcher; Juliano, Yara; Veiga-Filho, Joel; Ferreira, Lydia Masako; Veiga, Daniela Francescato

2018-04-01

BREAST-Q™ is a patient-reported outcomes survey instrument with a specific module that evaluates breast reduction surgery. It allows assessment of patient's satisfaction with received treatment and evaluates the impact of surgery on different aspects of the patient's quality of life. This article aims to assess the satisfaction and quality of life of patients who underwent reduction mammaplasty. Women aged between 18 and 60 years, with a body mass index ranging from 19 to 30 kg/m 2 , who were already scheduled for reduction mammaplasty, were included in the study. The Brazilian version of the BREAST-Q™ Reduction/Mastopexy Module (preoperative 1.0 and postoperative 1.0 versions) was self-applied preoperatively and 1 and 6 months after the operation. One hundred and seven patients were included in the study and completed the 6-month follow-up. The median age was 33 years, and the median preoperative body mass index was 25 kg/m 2 . The superomedial pedicle was used in 96.3% of the cases, and the total median weight of the resected breast was 1115 g. There was a significant improvement in the scores of the scales: Psychosocial well-being, Sexual well-being, Physical well-being, and Satisfaction with the breasts compared to the preoperative assessment (p < 0.0001). The scales Satisfaction with the NAC and Satisfaction with the outcome, available only in the postoperative version, demonstrated high satisfaction rates at the two postoperative periods evaluated. Reduction mammaplasty improved the quality of life and provided high levels of patient satisfaction with outcomes 1 and 6 months postoperatively. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Six Criteria for Survey Sample Design Evaluation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Lin; Fan, Xitao

The popularity of the sample survey in educational research makes it necessary for consumers to tell a good study from a poor one. Several sources were identified that gave advice on how to evaluate a sample design. The sources are either limited or too extensive to use in a practical sense. The purpose of this paper is to recommend six important…

METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS ALONGSIDE TRIALS OF KNEE PHYSIOTHERAPY.

PubMed

García-Pérez, Lidia; Linertová, Renata; Arvelo-Martín, Alejandro; Guerra-Marrero, Carolina; Martínez-Alberto, Carlos Enrique; Cuéllar-Pompa, Leticia; Escobar, Antonio; Serrano-Aguilar, Pedro

2017-01-01

The methodological quality of an economic evaluation performed alongside a clinical trial can be underestimated if the paper does not report key methodological features. This study discusses methodological assessment issues on the example of a systematic review on cost-effectiveness of physiotherapy for knee osteoarthritis. Six economic evaluation studies included in the systematic review and related clinical trials were assessed using the 10-question check-list by Drummond and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. All economic evaluations were performed alongside a clinical trial but the studied interventions were too heterogeneous to be synthesized. Methodological quality of the economic evaluations reported in the papers was not free of drawbacks, and in some cases, it improved when information from the related clinical trial was taken into account. Economic evaluation papers dedicate little space to methodological features of related clinical trials; therefore, the methodological quality can be underestimated if evaluated separately from the trials. Future economic evaluations should follow more strictly the recommendations about methodology and the authors should pay special attention to the quality of reporting.

Current and Developing Conceptions of Use: Evaluation Use TIG Survey Results.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preskill, Hallie; Caracelli, Valerie

1997-01-01

A survey was sent to members of the Evaluation Use Topical Interest Group (TIG) to determine their perceptions about and experiences with evaluation use. Responses from 282 members show agreement on the major purposes of evaluation and an increased use of performance-results oriented and formative evaluations. (SLD)

Research on Air Quality Evaluation based on Principal Component Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xing; Wang, Zilin; Guo, Min; Chen, Wei; Zhang, Huan

2018-01-01

Economic growth has led to environmental capacity decline and the deterioration of air quality. Air quality evaluation as a fundamental of environmental monitoring and air pollution control has become increasingly important. Based on the principal component analysis (PCA), this paper evaluates the air quality of a large city in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Area in recent 10 years and identifies influencing factors, in order to provide reference to air quality management and air pollution control.

Optimising UAV topographic surveys processed with structure-from-motion: Ground control quality, quantity and bundle adjustment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, M. R.; Robson, S.; d'Oleire-Oltmanns, S.; Niethammer, U.

2017-03-01

Structure-from-motion (SfM) algorithms greatly facilitate the production of detailed topographic models from photographs collected using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However, the survey quality achieved in published geomorphological studies is highly variable, and sufficient processing details are never provided to understand fully the causes of variability. To address this, we show how survey quality and consistency can be improved through a deeper consideration of the underlying photogrammetric methods. We demonstrate the sensitivity of digital elevation models (DEMs) to processing settings that have not been discussed in the geomorphological literature, yet are a critical part of survey georeferencing, and are responsible for balancing the contributions of tie and control points. We provide a Monte Carlo approach to enable geomorphologists to (1) carefully consider sources of survey error and hence increase the accuracy of SfM-based DEMs and (2) minimise the associated field effort by robust determination of suitable lower-density deployments of ground control. By identifying appropriate processing settings and highlighting photogrammetric issues such as over-parameterisation during camera self-calibration, processing artefacts are reduced and the spatial variability of error minimised. We demonstrate such DEM improvements with a commonly-used SfM-based software (PhotoScan), which we augment with semi-automated and automated identification of ground control points (GCPs) in images, and apply to two contrasting case studies - an erosion gully survey (Taroudant, Morocco) and an active landslide survey (Super-Sauze, France). In the gully survey, refined processing settings eliminated step-like artefacts of up to 50 mm in amplitude, and overall DEM variability with GCP selection improved from 37 to 16 mm. In the much more challenging landslide case study, our processing halved planimetric error to 0.1 m, effectively doubling the frequency at which changes in

Evaluating the Quality of the Child Care in Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hujala, Eeva; Fonsen, Elina; Elo, Janniina

2012-01-01

In this study we examine parents' and teachers' perceptions of the early childhood education and care (ECEC) quality in Finland. The study is based on the paradigm of inclusionary quality and the assessment is based on the quality evaluation model. The parents and teachers assess the quality to be good. The strength of the quality was the effect…

Exploring in integrated quality evaluation of Chinese herbal medicines: the integrated quality index (IQI) for aconite.

PubMed

Zhang, Ding-kun; Wang, Jia-bo; Yang, Ming; Peng, Cheng; Xiao, Xiao-he

2015-07-01

Good medicinal herbs, good drugs. Good evaluation method and indices are the prerequisite of good medicinal herbs. However, there exist numerous indices for quality evaluation and control in Chinese medicinal materials. However, most of these indices are non-interrelated each other, as well as having little relationship with efficiency and safety. The results of different evaluatior methods may not be consistent, even contradictory. Considering the complex material properties of Chinese medicinal materials, single method and index is difficult to objectively and comprehensively reflect the quality. Therefore, it is essential to explore the integrated evaluation methods. In this paper, oriented by the integrated evaluation strategies for traditional Chinese medicine quality, a new method called integrated quality index (IQI) by the integration of empirical evaluation, chemical evaluation, and biological evaluation was proposed. In addition, a study case of hypertoxic herb Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. was provided to explain this method in detail. The results suggested that in the view of specifications, the average weight of Jiangyou aconite was the greatest, followed by Weishan aconite, Butuo aconite, Hanzhong aconite, and Anxian aconite; from the point of chemical components, Jiangyou aconite had the characteristic with strong efficacy and weak toxicity, next was Hanzhong aconite, Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite; taking toxicity price as the index, Hanzhong aconite and Jiangyou aconite have the lower toxicity, while Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite have the relatively higher one. After the normalization and integration of evaluation results, we calculated the IQI value of Jiangyou aconite, Hanzhong aconite, Butuo aconite, Weishan aconite, and Anxian aconite were 0.842 +/- 0.091, 0.597 +/- 0.047, 0.442 +/- 0.033, 0.454 +/- 0.038, 0.170 +/- 0.021, respectively. The quality of Jiangyou aconite is significantly better than the

Evaluation of the quality of life in subjects with a history of severe anaphylactic reaction to the Hymenoptera venom.

PubMed

Nowak, Natalia; Bazan-Socha, Stanisława; Pulka, Grażyna; Pełka, Karolina; Latra, Paulina

2015-01-01

Sensitization to the Hymenoptera venom is one of the main causes of anaphylaxis in Poland. Venom immunotherapy is the only effective treatment in such cases. Comprehensive patient care includes also education. The aim of our study was to assess the state of knowledge and to evaluate the quality of life and the anxiety level in patients allergic to the Hymenoptera venom after anaphylactic reaction. The survey was carried out in the period of the insects flight in 61 adult subjects (35 wasp and 26 bee allergic), using a validated Vespid Allergy Quality of Life Questionnaire (VQLQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and subjective assessment of anxiety level. The majority of respondents received venom immunotherapy. Sensitized to the wasp venom had significantly impaired quality of life (VQLQ score) as compared to the bee venom allergic (p = 0.014). The intensity of anxiety decreased with the duration of immunotherapy (p = 0.01). The majority of subjects knew how to recognize and treat anaphylaxis, but only 8% employed an identification card and about 50% implemented rules of the pre-exposition prophylaxis. History of a severe anaphylaxis to the Hymenoptera venom affected the quality of life. Venom immunotherapy reduced anxiety. We hope that presented surveys and their results might be useful in qualifying for immunotherapy in clinically uncertain cases.

Data envelopment analysis in service quality evaluation: an empirical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najafi, Seyedvahid; Saati, Saber; Tavana, Madjid

2015-09-01

Service quality is often conceptualized as the comparison between service expectations and the actual performance perceptions. It enhances customer satisfaction, decreases customer defection, and promotes customer loyalty. Substantial literature has examined the concept of service quality, its dimensions, and measurement methods. We introduce the perceived service quality index (PSQI) as a single measure for evaluating the multiple-item service quality construct based on the SERVQUAL model. A slack-based measure (SBM) of efficiency with constant inputs is used to calculate the PSQI. In addition, a non-linear programming model based on the SBM is proposed to delineate an improvement guideline and improve service quality. An empirical study is conducted to assess the applicability of the method proposed in this study. A large number of studies have used DEA as a benchmarking tool to measure service quality. These models do not propose a coherent performance evaluation construct and consequently fail to deliver improvement guidelines for improving service quality. The DEA models proposed in this study are designed to evaluate and improve service quality within a comprehensive framework and without any dependency on external data.

Quality of Diabetes Care: The Challenges of an Increasing Epidemic in Mexico. Results from Two National Health Surveys (2006 and 2012).

PubMed

Flores-Hernández, Sergio; Saturno-Hernández, Pedro J; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh; Villalpando, Salvador; Hernández-Ávila, Mauricio

2015-01-01

The quality of diabetes care remains suboptimal according to numerous studies assessing the achievement of quality indicators for diabetes care in various healthcare settings. We report about global and specific quality indicators for diabetes care and their association to glycemic control at the population level in two national health surveys in Mexico. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2006 and 2012 National Health Surveys in Mexico. We examined quality of care for 2,965 and 4,483 adults (≥ 20 years) with diagnosed type 2 diabetes using fourteen simple and two composite indicators derived from self-reported information. In a subsample for both surveys, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured at the time of the interview. We obtained survey weight-adjusted estimators using multiple regression models (logistic and linear) with combined data files, including survey year as covariate to assess change. Global quality of care in 2012 was 40.8%, with a relative improvement of 11.7% between 2006 and 2012. Detections of cardiovascular disease risk factors (dyslipidemia and hypertension) were the indicators with the highest improvement, while non-pharmaceutical treatment and diabetic foot exams showed minor changes. We found a significant association between the quality of the process of diabetes care and glycemic control (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.63-3.94). Age more than 65 years old, the type of health subsystem, gender (males), and high socio-economic status were also significantly associated to glycemic control. Quality diabetes care and glycemic control improved and are significantly associated. However, according to international standards, the current situation remains suboptimal. A more holistic approach is needed, with an emphasis on improving quality in outpatient care.

Evaluating Air-Quality Models: Review and Outlook.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weil, J. C.; Sykes, R. I.; Venkatram, A.

1992-10-01

Over the past decade, much attention has been devoted to the evaluation of air-quality models with emphasis on model performance in predicting the high concentrations that are important in air-quality regulations. This paper stems from our belief that this practice needs to be expanded to 1) evaluate model physics and 2) deal with the large natural or stochastic variability in concentration. The variability is represented by the root-mean- square fluctuating concentration (c about the mean concentration (C) over an ensemble-a given set of meteorological, source, etc. conditions. Most air-quality models used in applications predict C, whereas observations are individual realizations drawn from an ensemble. For cC large residuals exist between predicted and observed concentrations, which confuse model evaluations.This paper addresses ways of evaluating model physics in light of the large c the focus is on elevated point-source models. Evaluation of model physics requires the separation of the mean model error-the difference between the predicted and observed C-from the natural variability. A residual analysis is shown to be an elective way of doing this. Several examples demonstrate the usefulness of residuals as well as correlation analyses and laboratory data in judging model physics.In general, c models and predictions of the probability distribution of the fluctuating concentration (c), (c, are in the developmental stage, with laboratory data playing an important role. Laboratory data from point-source plumes in a convection tank show that (c approximates a self-similar distribution along the plume center plane, a useful result in a residual analysis. At pmsent,there is one model-ARAP-that predicts C, c, and (c for point-source plumes. This model is more computationally demanding than other dispersion models (for C only) and must be demonstrated as a practical tool. However, it predicts an important quantity for applications- the uncertainty in the very high and

Development of a Medication Safety and Quality Survey for Small Rural Hospitals.

PubMed

Winterstein, Almut G; Johns, Thomas E; Campbell, Kyle N; Libby, Joel; Pannell, Bob

2017-12-01

We summarize the development and initial implementation of a survey tool to assess medication safety in small rural hospitals. As part of an ongoing rural hospital medication safety improvement program, we developed a survey tool in all 13 critical access hospitals (CAHs) in Florida. The survey was compiled from existing medication safety assessments and standards, clinical practice guidelines, and published literature. Survey items were selected based on considerations regarding practicality and relevance to the CAH setting.The final survey instrument included 134 items representing 17 medication safety domains. Overall hospital scores ranged from 41% to 95%, with a median of 59%. Most hospitals showed large variation in scores across domains, with 5 hospitals having at least 1 domain with scores less than 10%. Highest scores across all facilities were seen for safety procedures concerning high-alert or look-alike medications and the assembly of emergency carts. The lowest median scores included availability and consistent use of standardized order sets and the effective implementation of medication safety committees. Most hospitals used the survey results to identify and prioritize quality improvement activities. The survey can be used to conduct a short medication safety assessment specific to a limited number of areas and services in CAHs. It showed good ability to discriminate medication safety levels across participating sites and highlighted opportunities for improvement. It may need modification if case mix or services differ in other states or if the status quo of medication safety in CAHs or related standards advance. The described process of survey development might be helpful to support such modifications.

Evaluating Quality in Educational Facilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abend, Allen; Ornstein, Sheila Walbe; Baltas, Emmanuel; de la Garza, Jaime; Watson, Chris; Lange, Kurt; von Ahlefeld, Hannah

2006-01-01

In 2005, the OECD Programme on Educational Building (PEB) organised two international experts' group meetings to discuss how countries define and evaluate quality in educational facilities. The research and experiences of six experts are presented in this article, in addition to the lessons learned from the experts' group meetings. The director of…

[User's perceived quality in an internal medicine service after a five-year period application of a user's satisfaction survey].

PubMed

García-Aparicio, J; Herrero-Herrero, J; Corral-Gudino, L; Jorge-Sánchez, R

2010-01-01

To evaluate the quality perceived by users of the 'Los Montalvos' Internal Medicine Service (Salamanca, Spain), over its first five years of operation. A cross-sectional study was carried out from February 2004 to January 2009. All in-patients (6,997) were given a survey model SERVQHOS at the time of discharge, which was anonymous and voluntary. We collected 2,435 surveys. Participation was 34.8%. Except for the item regarding accessibility, the other questions of the survey were perceived "as expected" or above expectations by over 85% of the users. A total of 90.6% of patients who completed the survey were satisfied with the care received, and 83.9% would recommend the hospital to others. The variables with higher predictive capability, in relation to overall satisfaction, were "personalised care', and the interests of staff to solve problems. The easy access to the hospital' was seen by 33.6% as below expectations. After introducing several improvement measures, the percentage of dissatisfaction regarding accessibility was 24.8% (p=0.02). Nine out of ten patients surveyed were satisfied or very satisfied with the care received, and would recommend the hospital to others. The variables more strongly associated with overall satisfaction were those related to service personnel. After identifying deficiencies and implementing measures to improve, the survey detected an increase in the level of satisfaction. Copyright 2009 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Survey and comparison of sleep quality among fixed and changing shift staff in a steel factory in Tehran, Iran.

PubMed

Mohammadian, Farugh; Abbasinia, Marzieh; Rahmani, Abdolrasoul; Monazzam, Mohammad Reza; Asghari, Mehdi; Ahmadnezhad, Iman; Asadi, Ali

2013-01-01

Given the hazardous nature of the work in steel factories and that the staff has to deal with hazardous equipment and machines, improper sleep quality and drowsiness among the works tackles performance and boosts rate of job accidents. This study is aimed to survey the quality of sleep and sleepiness status and the pertinent factors among the workers in a rolling mill and a steel production company in Tehran, Iran. In a Cross-Sectional study 2011, 180 workers were selected randomly from a rolling mill and a steel production company in Tehran. A questionnaire was designed to collect demographic data and variables of work condition. Pitersborg's sleep quality questionnaire was used to survey quality and problems of Participants' sleep. Epworth Sleepiness questionnaire was used to deals with sleepiness during work, studying, watching TV, or during time spent in public. Average score of sleep quality for the fixed shift staff and changing shift staff were 7.5±2.82 and 8.49±2.95 respectively. Surveys of sleep quality for the two groups of the participants based on T-test showed a significant difference between the two groups so that the changing shift staff group suffered poorer sleep quality (p=0.03). Comparison of average drowsiness scores between the two groups of participants based on Mann-Whitney test showed no significant difference (p>0.005). Chi square test showed a significant difference between severity of drowsiness and type of working shift (p =0.028 and 0.009). Staff in revolving shifts suffers poor sleep quality comparing with staff with fixed working shift. Moreover, type of working shift greatly affects severity of drowsiness as staff at different work shift experienced different level of sleepiness. It is essential to survey sleep disorder of the staff in the industry and pay more emphasis on sleep disorder epidemic in other fields of industry.

Programme Evaluation: Maintaining Quality in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loots, A.

2008-01-01

The evaluation of educational or social programmes is paramount for establishing success or impact in higher education. Evaluation questions about programme goals (e.g. better performance of first-year students) or about the quality of programme strategies (design and implementation) and effectiveness of delivery (coordinator inputs and…

Evaluation of hospital staff’s perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services*,†

PubMed Central

McKeown, Sandra; Konrad, Shauna-Lee; McTavish, Jill; Boyce, Erin

2017-01-01

Objective The research evaluated the perceived quality of librarian-mediated literature searching services at one of Canada’s largest acute care teaching hospitals for the purpose of continuous quality improvement and investigation of relationships between variables that can impact user satisfaction. Methods An online survey was constructed using evidence-based methodologies. A systematic sample of staff and physicians requesting literature searches at London Health Sciences Centre were invited to participate in the study over a one-year period. Data analyses included descriptive statistics of closed-ended questions and coding of open-ended questions. Results A range of staff including clinicians, researchers, educators, leaders, and analysts submitted a total of 137 surveys, representing a response rate of 71%. Staff requested literature searches for the following “primary” purposes: research or publication (34%), teaching or training (20%), informing a policy or standard practice (16%), patient care (15%), and “other” purposes (15%). While the majority of staff (76%) submitted search requests using methods of written communication, including email and search request forms, staff using methods of verbal communication, including face-to-face and telephone conversations, were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian’s interpretation of the search request (p=0.004) and to rate the perceived quality of the search results as excellent (p=0.005). In most cases, librarians followed up with staff to clarify the details of their search requests (72%), and these staff were significantly more likely to be extremely satisfied with the librarian’s interpretation of the search request (p=0.002). Conclusions Our results demonstrate the limitations of written communication in the context of librarian-mediated literature searching and suggest a multifaceted approach to quality improvement efforts. PMID:28377674

Improving data quality in the linked open data: a survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadhiatma, A.

2018-03-01

The Linked Open Data (LOD) is “web of data”, a different paradigm from “web of document” commonly used today. However, the huge LOD still suffers from data quality problems such as completeness, consistency, and accuracy. Data quality problems relate to designing effective methods both to manage and to retrieve information at various data quality levels. Based on review from papers and journals, addressing data quality requires some standards functioning to (1) identification of data quality problems, (2) assessment of data quality for a given context, and (3) correction of data quality problems. However, mostly the methods and strategies dealing with the LOD data quality were not as an integrative approach. Hence, based on those standards and an integrative approach, there are opportunities to improve the LOD data quality in the term of incompleteness, inaccuracy and inconsistency, considering to its schema and ontology, namely ontology refinement. Moreover, the term of the ontology refinement means that it copes not only to improve data quality but also to enrich the LOD. Therefore, it needs (1) a standard for data quality assessment and evaluation which is more appropriate to the LOD; (2) a framework of methods based on statistical relational learning that can improve the correction of data quality problems as well as enrich the LOD.

Pancreatitis Quality of Life Instrument: A Psychometric Evaluation.

PubMed

Wassef, Wahid; DeWitt, John; McGreevy, Kathleen; Wilcox, Mel; Whitcomb, David; Yadav, Dhiraj; Amann, Stephen; Mishra, Girish; Alkaade, Samer; Romagnuolo, Joseph; Stevens, Tyler; Vargo, John; Gardner, Timothy; Singh, Vikesh; Park, Walter; Hartigan, Celia; Barton, Bruce; Bova, Carol

2016-08-01

Chronic pancreatitis is a significant medical problem that impacts a large number of patients worldwide. In 2014, we developed a disease-specific instrument for the evaluation of quality of life in this group of patients: pancreatitis quality of life instrument (PANQOLI). The goal of this study was to evaluate its psychometric properties: its reliability and its construct validity. This is a cross-sectional multi-center study that involved 12 pancreatic disease centers. Patients who met the inclusion/exclusion criteria for chronic pancreatitis were invited to participate. Those who accepted were asked to complete seven questionnaires/instruments. Only patients who completed the PANQOLI were included in the study. Its reliability and its construct validity were tested. A total of 159 patients completed the PANQOLI and were included in the study. They had a mean age of 49.03, 49% were male, and 84% were Caucasian. Six of the 24 items on the scale were removed because of lack of inter-item correlation, redundancy, or lack of correlation to quality of life issues. The final 18-item scale had excellent reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient: 0.914) and excellent construct validity with good correlation to generic quality of life instruments (SF-12 and EORTC QLQ-C30/QLQ-PAN26) and lack of correlation to non-quality of life instruments (MAST and DAST). Through exploratory factor analysis, the PANQOLI was found to consist of four subscales: emotional function scale, role function scale, physical function scale, and "self-worth" scale. PANQOLI is the first disease-specific instrument to be developed and validated for the evaluation of quality of life in chronic pancreatitis patients. It has a unique subscale for "self-worth" that differentiates it from other generic instruments. Studies are currently under way to evaluate its use in other populations not included in this study.

Customer satisfaction survey to improve the European cystic fibrosis external quality assessment scheme.

PubMed

Berwouts, Sarah; Dequeker, Elisabeth

2011-08-01

The Cystic Fibrosis European Network, coordinated from within the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, is the provider of the European cystic fibrosis external quality assessment (EQA) scheme. The network aimed to seek feedback from laboratories that participated in the cystic fibrosis scheme in order to improve services offered. In this study we analysed responses to an on-line customer satisfaction survey conducted between September and November 2009. The survey was sent to 213 laboratories that participated in the cystic fibrosis EQA scheme of 2008; 69 laboratories (32%) responded. Scores for importance and satisfaction were obtained from a five-point Likert scale for 24 attributes. A score of one corresponded to very dissatisfied/very unimportant and five corresponded to very satisfied/very important. Means were calculated and placed in a two-dimensional grid (importance-satisfaction analysis). Means were subtracted from each other to obtain gap values (gap-analysis). No attribute had a mean score below 3.63. The overall mean of satisfaction was 4.35. Opportunities for improvement enclosed clarity, usefulness and completeness of the general report and individual comments, and user-friendliness of the electronic datasheet. This type of customer satisfaction survey was a valuable instrument to identify opportunities to improve the cystic fibrosis EQA scheme. It should be conducted on a regular basis to reveal new opportunities in the future and to assess effectiveness of actions taken. Moreover, it could be a model for other EQA providers seeking feedback from participants. Overall, the customer satisfaction survey provided a powerful quality of care improvement tool.

Changes of Multiple Metal Accumulation (MMA) in New Orleans Soil: Preliminary Evaluation of Differences between Survey I (1992) and Survey II (2000)

PubMed Central

Mielke, Howard W.; Gonzales, Christopher; Powell, Eric; MielkeJr, Paul W.

2005-01-01

Soil metal surveys were conducted in Baltimore, MD (1976–1979), Minnesota (1981–1988) and most recently, New Orleans, LA (1989-present). The unique characteristic of New Orleans is that it has two surveys; Survey I was completed in 1992 and Survey II was completed in 2000. This paper seeks to determine if there is a perceptible change in the amount of metals during less than a decade that separated these surveys. The Survey I collection was 4,026 samples stratified by 283 census tracts. All samples were collected in residential neighborhoods at least one block from a busy street. The Survey II collection was 5,467 samples stratified by 286 census tracts (plus City Park). The Survey II collection included busy streets as a category of samples. For comparison, the busy street category of 1,078 samples was excluded from Survey II for a total of 4,388 samples. The extraction methods of the two surveys used the same protocol for strength of acid (1 M HNO3), shaker-time (2 hours), and room temperature (~22ºC). However, Survey II differed in amount of sample used in extraction. For Surveys I and II, 4.0g and 0.4g were used respectively. The same ICP-AES was used to measure 8 metals in both surveys. To evaluate the analytical results of the two methods, reference soil samples (n=36) from the Wageningen Evaluating Programs for Analytical Laboratories, International Soil-analytical Exchange (WEPAL; ISE) were used. The relationship between the 4.0 and 0.4 g results were linear and the Survey I results were adjusted for sample:acid ratio. Further evaluation was done by creating interpolated Multiple Metal Accumulation (MMA) maps based on the median MMA for each census tract. A new map was created by dividing Survey II MMA by Survey I MMA. The ratio indicates increases of soil metals in the inner city and decreases of soil metals in the outlying areas of Metropolitan New Orleans. Comparing fresh parent alluvium from the Mississippi River with urban soil metal quantities

Development and evaluation of a quality score for abstracts

PubMed Central

Timmer, Antje; Sutherland, Lloyd R; Hilsden, Robert J

2003-01-01

Background The evaluation of abstracts for scientific meetings has been shown to suffer from poor inter observer reliability. A measure was developed to assess the formal quality of abstract submissions in a standardized way. Methods Item selection was based on scoring systems for full reports, taking into account published guidelines for structured abstracts. Interrater agreement was examined using a random sample of submissions to the American Gastroenterological Association, stratified for research type (n = 100, 1992–1995). For construct validity, the association of formal quality with acceptance for presentation was examined. A questionnaire to expert reviewers evaluated sensibility items, such as ease of use and comprehensiveness. Results The index comprised 19 items. The summary quality scores showed good interrater agreement (intra class coefficient 0.60 – 0.81). Good abstract quality was associated with abstract acceptance for presentation at the meeting. The instrument was found to be acceptable by expert reviewers. Conclusion A quality index was developed for the evaluation of scientific meeting abstracts which was shown to be reliable, valid and useful. PMID:12581457

Teaching Evaluation: A Critical Measure for Improving the Quality of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ji, Zhou

2009-01-01

In the coming period, the main task for China's higher education system is to improve the quality of education, and the key to improving the quality of education is to improve the quality of teaching. Teaching evaluations are a critical measure for improving the quality of teaching. The work of evaluating teaching at institutions of higher…

Sexual orientation in the 2013 national health interview survey: a quality assessment.

PubMed

Dahlhamer, James M; Galinsky, Adena M; Joestl, Sarah S; Ward, Brian W

2014-12-01

Objective-This report presents a set of quality analyses of sexual orientation data collected in the 2013 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). NHIS sexual orientation estimates are compared with those from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Selected health outcomes by sexual orientation are compared between NHIS and NSFG. Assessments of item nonresponse, item response times, and responses to follow-up questions to the sexual orientation question are also presented. Methods-NHIS is a multipurpose health survey conducted continuously throughout the year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Analyses in this report were based on NHIS data collected in 2013 from 34,557 adults aged 18 and over. Sampling weights were used to produce national estimates that are representative of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. adult population. Data from the 2006-2010 NSFG and 2009-2012 NHANES were used for the comparisons. Results-Based on the 2013 NHIS data, 96.6% of adults identified as straight, 1.6% identified as gay/lesbian, and 0.7% identified as bisexual. The remaining 1.1% of adults identified as ''something else,'' stated ''I don't know the answer,'' or refused to answer. Responses to follow-up questions suggest that the sexual orientation question is producing little classification error. In addition, largely similar patterns of association between sexual orientation and health were observed for NHIS and NSFG. Analyses of item nonresponse rates revealed few data quality issues, although item response times suggest possible shortcutting of the question and comprehension problems for select respondents. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Utilization of LANDSAT data for water quality surveys in the Choptank River

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, J. M.; Cressy, P.; Dallam, W. C.

1975-01-01

Computer processing of LANDSAT-1 multispectral digital data demonstrated the applicability of remotely sensed data to water quality survey in the Choptank River. Water classes derived by automated analysis correlate to river nuisance levels of chlorophyll a and sediment loading as defined by the Maryland Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Results indicate that an increase in chlorophyll a concentration corresponds, relative to MSS 5, to decreases in 4 and increases in 6 relative to the trends with increasing sediment load. It appears that for the purpose of water quality analysis, under favorable atmospheric conditions, only MSS 4, 5 and 6 are necessary.

National Survey on Internal Quality Control for HbA(1c) Analytical Instruments in 331 Hospital Laboratories of China.

PubMed

Zeng, Rong; Wang, Wei; Zhao, Haijian; Fei, Yang; Wang, Zhiguo

2015-01-01

The narrow gap of HbA1 value of mass fraction between "normal" (< 6.0%) and "diabetes" (≥ 6.5%) necessitates tight control of inter-assay standardization, assay precision, and trueness. This survey was initiated to obtain knowledge of the current situation of internal quality control (IQC) practice for HbA(1c) in China and find out the most appropriate quality specifications. Data of IQC for HbA(1c) in 331 institutions participating in the national proficiency testing (PT) programs in China were evaluated using four levels of quality specifications, and the percentages of laboratories meeting the quality requirement were calculated to find out the most appropriate quality specifications for control materials of HbA(1c) in China. The IQC data varied vastly among 331 clinical laboratories in China. The measurement of control materials covered a wide range from 4.52% to 12.24% (inter-quartile range) and there were significant differences among the CVs of different methods, including LPLC, CE-HPLC, AC-HPLC, immunoturbidimetry, and others. Among the four main methods, CE-HPLC and AC-HPLC achieved a better precision. As we can see, the performance of laboratories for HbA(1c) has yet to be improved. Clinical laboratories in China should improve their performance with a stricter imprecision criteria.

Quality-assurance plan for the analysis of suspended sediment by the U.S. Geological Survey in Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dodge, Kent A.; Lambing, John H.

2006-01-01

A quality-assurance plan has been developed for use by the sediment laboratory of the U.S. Geological Survey Montana Water Science Center in conducting activities related to the analysis of suspended sediment. The plan documents quality-assurance policies for sediment-laboratory certification, personnel responsibilities and training, documentation requirements, and laboratory safety. The plan also documents quality-assurance procedures related to laboratory equipment and supplies, sample management, sample analysis, analytical quality control, and data management.

[Care quality in intensive care evaluated by the patients using a service quality scale (SERVQUAL)].

PubMed

Regaira Martínez, E; Sola Iriarte, M; Goñi Viguria, R; Del Barrio Linares, M; Margall Coscojuela, M A; Asiain Erro, M C

2010-01-01

The evaluation made by the patients on the quality of service received is important to introduce improvement strategies in the care quality. 1. To evaluate the care quality through the analysis of the differences obtained between expectations and perceptions, that the patients have of the service received in the ICU. 2. To analyze if there is any relationship between care quality evaluated by the patients and the sociodemographic variables. A total of 86 patients who were conscious and oriented during their stay in the ICU were studied prospectively. At 24h of the discharge from the ICU, the SERVQUAL (Service Quality) scale, adapted for the hospital setting by Babakus and Mangold (1992), was applied. This scale measures the care quality based on the difference in scores obtained between expectations and perceptions of the patients. The positive scores indicate that the perceptions of the patients exceed their expectations. The scale has 5 dimensions: Tangibility, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurances and Empathy. It includes 15 items for perceptions and the same for expectations, with 5 grades of response (1 totally disagree - 5 totally agree). The mean score of perceptions 66.92) exceeded that of the expectations (62.30). The mean score of the difference between perceptions and expectations for the total of the SERVQUAL scale was 4.62. It was also positive for each one of the dimensions: Tangibility=1.44, Reliability=0.53, Responsiveness=0.95, Assurances=0.99, Empathy=0.71. No statistically significant associations were found between care quality evaluated by the patients and the sociodemographic variables. The care quality perceived by the patients in the ICU exceeds their expectations, and had no relationship with the sociodemographic characteristics. Copyright 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEEIUC. All rights reserved.

Influence of survey strategy and interpolation model on DEM quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heritage, George L.; Milan, David J.; Large, Andrew R. G.; Fuller, Ian C.

2009-11-01

Accurate characterisation of morphology is critical to many studies in the field of geomorphology, particularly those dealing with changes over time. Digital elevation models (DEMs) are commonly used to represent morphology in three dimensions. The quality of the DEM is largely a function of the accuracy of individual survey points, field survey strategy, and the method of interpolation. Recommendations concerning field survey strategy and appropriate methods of interpolation are currently lacking. Furthermore, the majority of studies to date consider error to be uniform across a surface. This study quantifies survey strategy and interpolation error for a gravel bar on the River Nent, Blagill, Cumbria, UK. Five sampling strategies were compared: (i) cross section; (ii) bar outline only; (iii) bar and chute outline; (iv) bar and chute outline with spot heights; and (v) aerial LiDAR equivalent, derived from degraded terrestrial laser scan (TLS) data. Digital Elevation Models were then produced using five different common interpolation algorithms. Each resultant DEM was differentiated from a terrestrial laser scan of the gravel bar surface in order to define the spatial distribution of vertical and volumetric error. Overall triangulation with linear interpolation (TIN) or point kriging appeared to provide the best interpolators for the bar surface. Lowest error on average was found for the simulated aerial LiDAR survey strategy, regardless of interpolation technique. However, comparably low errors were also found for the bar-chute-spot sampling strategy when TINs or point kriging was used as the interpolator. The magnitude of the errors between survey strategy exceeded those found between interpolation technique for a specific survey strategy. Strong relationships between local surface topographic variation (as defined by the standard deviation of vertical elevations in a 0.2-m diameter moving window), and DEM errors were also found, with much greater errors found at

Clinical image quality evaluation for panoramic radiography in Korean dental clinics

PubMed Central

Choi, Bo-Ram; Choi, Da-Hye; Huh, Kyung-Hoe; Yi, Won-Jin; Heo, Min-Suk; Choi, Soon-Chul; Bae, Kwang-Hak

2012-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of clinical image quality of panoramic radiographs and to analyze the parameters that influence the overall image quality. Materials and Methods Korean dental clinics were asked to provide three randomly selected panoramic radiographs. An oral and maxillofacial radiology specialist evaluated those images using our self-developed Clinical Image Quality Evaluation Chart. Three evaluators classified the overall image quality of the panoramic radiographs and evaluated the causes of imaging errors. Results A total of 297 panoramic radiographs were collected from 99 dental hospitals and clinics. The mean of the scores according to the Clinical Image Quality Evaluation Chart was 79.9. In the classification of the overall image quality, 17 images were deemed 'optimal for obtaining diagnostic information,' 153 were 'adequate for diagnosis,' 109 were 'poor but diagnosable,' and nine were 'unrecognizable and too poor for diagnosis'. The results of the analysis of the causes of the errors in all the images are as follows: 139 errors in the positioning, 135 in the processing, 50 from the radiographic unit, and 13 due to anatomic abnormality. Conclusion Panoramic radiographs taken at local dental clinics generally have a normal or higher-level image quality. Principal factors affecting image quality were positioning of the patient and image density, sharpness, and contrast. Therefore, when images are taken, the patient position should be adjusted with great care. Also, standardizing objective criteria of image density, sharpness, and contrast is required to evaluate image quality effectively. PMID:23071969

Using Predictive Evaluation to Design, Evaluate, and Improve Training for Polio Volunteers

PubMed Central

Traicoff, Denise A.; Basarab, Dave; Ehrhardt, Derek T.; Brown, Sandi; Celaya, Martin; Jarvis, Dennis; Howze, Elizabeth H.

2018-01-01

Background Predictive Evaluation (PE) uses a four-step process to predict results then designs and evaluates a training intervention accordingly. In 2012, the Sustainable Management Development Program (SMDP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention used PE to train Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP) program volunteers. Methods Stakeholders defined specific beliefs and practices that volunteers should demonstrate. These predictions and adult learning practices were used to design a curriculum to train four cohorts. At the end of each workshop, volunteers completed a beliefs survey and wrote goals for intended actions. The goals were analyzed for acceptability based on four PE criteria. The percentage of acceptable goals and the beliefs survey results were used to define the quality of the workshop. A postassignment adoption evaluation was conducted for two cohorts, using an online survey and telephone or in-person structured interviews. The results were compared with the end of workshop findings. Results The percentage of acceptable goals across the four cohorts ranged from 49% to 85%. In the adoption evaluation of two cohorts, 88% and 94% of respondents reported achieving or making significant progress toward their goal. A comparison of beliefs survey responses across the four cohorts indicated consistencies in beliefs that aligned with stakeholders’ predictions. Conclusions Goal statements that participants write at the end of a workshop provide data to evaluate training quality. Beliefs surveys surface attitudes that could help or hinder workplace performance. The PE approach provides an innovative framework for health worker training and evaluation that emphasizes performance. PMID:29457126

Subjective evaluation of compressed image quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Heesub; Rowberg, Alan H.; Frank, Mark S.; Choi, Hyung-Sik; Kim, Yongmin

1992-05-01

Lossy data compression generates distortion or error on the reconstructed image and the distortion becomes visible as the compression ratio increases. Even at the same compression ratio, the distortion appears differently depending on the compression method used. Because of the nonlinearity of the human visual system and lossy data compression methods, we have evaluated subjectively the quality of medical images compressed with two different methods, an intraframe and interframe coding algorithms. The evaluated raw data were analyzed statistically to measure interrater reliability and reliability of an individual reader. Also, the analysis of variance was used to identify which compression method is better statistically, and from what compression ratio the quality of a compressed image is evaluated as poorer than that of the original. Nine x-ray CT head images from three patients were used as test cases. Six radiologists participated in reading the 99 images (some were duplicates) compressed at four different compression ratios, original, 5:1, 10:1, and 15:1. The six readers agree more than by chance alone and their agreement was statistically significant, but there were large variations among readers as well as within a reader. The displacement estimated interframe coding algorithm is significantly better in quality than that of the 2-D block DCT at significance level 0.05. Also, 10:1 compressed images with the interframe coding algorithm do not show any significant differences from the original at level 0.05.

Evaluating Predictive Models of Software Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciaschini, V.; Canaparo, M.; Ronchieri, E.; Salomoni, D.

2014-06-01

Applications from High Energy Physics scientific community are constantly growing and implemented by a large number of developers. This implies a strong churn on the code and an associated risk of faults, which is unavoidable as long as the software undergoes active evolution. However, the necessities of production systems run counter to this. Stability and predictability are of paramount importance; in addition, a short turn-around time for the defect discovery-correction-deployment cycle is required. A way to reconcile these opposite foci is to use a software quality model to obtain an approximation of the risk before releasing a program to only deliver software with a risk lower than an agreed threshold. In this article we evaluated two quality predictive models to identify the operational risk and the quality of some software products. We applied these models to the development history of several EMI packages with intent to discover the risk factor of each product and compare it with its real history. We attempted to determine if the models reasonably maps reality for the applications under evaluation, and finally we concluded suggesting directions for further studies.

Census data quality--a user's view.

PubMed

Hawkes, W J

1986-01-01

"This paper presents the perspective of a major user of both decennial and economic [U.S.] census data. It illustrates how these data are used as a framework for commercial marketing research surveys that measure television audiences and sales of consumer goods through retail stores, drawing on Nielsen's own experience in data collection and evaluation. It reviews Nielsen's analyses of census data quality based, in part, on actual field evaluation of census results. Finally, it suggests ways that data quality might be evaluated and improved to enhance the usefulness of these census programs." excerpt

The Bull's-Eye Values Survey: A Psychometric Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundgren, Tobias; Luoma, Jason B.; Dahl, JoAnne; Strosahl, Kirk; Melin, Lennart

2012-01-01

Two studies were conducted to develop and evaluate an instrument intended to identify and measure personal values, values attainment, and persistence in the face of barriers. Study 1 describes a content validity approach to the construction and preliminary validation of the Bull's Eye Values Survey (BEVS), using a sample of institutionalized…

Quality of Diabetes Care: The Challenges of an Increasing Epidemic in Mexico. Results from Two National Health Surveys (2006 and 2012)

PubMed Central

Flores-Hernández, Sergio; Saturno-Hernández, Pedro J.; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh; Villalpando, Salvador; Hernández-Ávila, Mauricio

2015-01-01

Background The quality of diabetes care remains suboptimal according to numerous studies assessing the achievement of quality indicators for diabetes care in various healthcare settings. We report about global and specific quality indicators for diabetes care and their association to glycemic control at the population level in two national health surveys in Mexico. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the 2006 and 2012 National Health Surveys in Mexico. We examined quality of care for 2,965 and 4,483 adults (≥ 20 years) with diagnosed type 2 diabetes using fourteen simple and two composite indicators derived from self-reported information. In a subsample for both surveys, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was measured at the time of the interview. We obtained survey weight-adjusted estimators using multiple regression models (logistic and linear) with combined data files, including survey year as covariate to assess change. Results Global quality of care in 2012 was 40.8%, with a relative improvement of 11.7% between 2006 and 2012. Detections of cardiovascular disease risk factors (dyslipidemia and hypertension) were the indicators with the highest improvement, while non-pharmaceutical treatment and diabetic foot exams showed minor changes. We found a significant association between the quality of the process of diabetes care and glycemic control (OR 2.53, 95% CI 1.63-3.94). Age more than 65 years old, the type of health subsystem, gender (males), and high socio-economic status were also significantly associated to glycemic control. Conclusions Quality diabetes care and glycemic control improved and are significantly associated. However, according to international standards, the current situation remains suboptimal. A more holistic approach is needed, with an emphasis on improving quality in outpatient care. PMID:26230991

User testing and performance evaluation of the Electronic Quality Improvement Platform for Plans and Pharmacies.

PubMed

Pringle, Janice L; Kearney, Shannon M; Grasso, Kim; Boyer, Annette D; Conklin, Mark H; Szymanski, Keith A

2015-01-01

To user-test and evaluate a performance information management platform that makes standardized, benchmarked medication use quality data available to both health plans and community pharmacy organizations. Multiple health/drug plans and multiple chain and independent pharmacies across the United States. During the first phase of the study, user experience was measured via user satisfaction surveys and interviews with key personnel (pharmacists, pharmacy leaders, and health plan leadership). Improvements were subsequently made to the platform based on these findings. During the second phase of the study, the platform was implemented in a greater number of pharmacies and by a greater number of payers. User experience was then reevaluated to gather information for further improvements. The surveys and interviews revealed that users found the Web-based platform easy to use and beneficial in terms of understanding and comparing performance metrics. Primary concerns included lack of access to real-time data and patient-specific data. Many users also expressed uncertainty as to how they could use the information and data provided by the platform. The study findings indicate that while information management platforms can be used effectively in both pharmacy and health plan settings, future development is needed to ensure that the provided data can be transferred to pharmacy best practices and improved quality care.

Capsicum--production, technology, chemistry, and quality. Part IV. Evaluation of quality.

PubMed

Govindarajan, V S; Rajalakshmi, D; Chand, N

1987-01-01

Capsicum fruits are popular worldwide and are used in the cuisines of both the developing and the developed countries. With its different varieties, forms, and uses, the spice capsicum contributes to the entire gamut of sensory experience--color as finely ground paprika powder or extract in sausages, goulash, cheese, and snacks; both pungency and color as the many varieties of chillies used in Mexican, African, Indian, and southeast Asian cuisines; color, aroma, and mild pungency as the fresh green chillies used in many of the growing countries; and appearance, color, aroma, and texture as fresh fruit in salads and as a pickled and canned product. In three earlier parts in this series, the varieties, cultivation, and primary processing; the processed products, world production, and trade; and the chemistry of the color, aroma, and pungency stimuli have been reviewed. In this part, the evaluation of quality through instrumental determination of the causal components and the sensory evaluation of color, aroma, and pungency are discussed. Several methods for quantitative determination of the stimuli and the sensory evaluation of the responses to the stimuli are reviewed. The problems of sensory evaluation of color, aroma, and pungency, the dominant attributes for validation of the instrumentally determined values for carotenoids, volatiles, or particular fractions, and total and individual capsaicinoids are specifically discussed. Summarized details of selected instrumental methods for evaluating the stimuli, which are either validated by correlation to sensorily perceived responses or to adopted standards, are given along with representative data obtained for discussing the adequacy and reliability of the methods. Pungency as a specific gustatory perception and the many methods proposed to evaluate this quality are discussed. A recommended objective procedure for obtaining reproducible values is discussed, and a method for relating different panel results is shown

Quality of surface water in the Sevier Lake basin, Utah

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hahl, D.C.; Cabell, R.E.

1965-01-01

Few data are available on the quality of surface waters in the Sevier Lake basin. Because of the need for information not only on the chemical-quality but also on the other water-quality characteristics of the basin, the U.S. Geological Survey, as part of its cooperative program with the Utah State Engineer, evaluated the available data in 1963. Based on this evaluation, a reconnaissance was designed to obtain some of the needed water-quality information. To extend the applicability of the basic information, the Utah State Engineer, the Utah State Department of Health, the Water Commissioner for the Sevier River, and the Soil Conservation Service and Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture assisted in the planning and in the selection of sampling sites.This report presents the results of the data-collection phase of the reconnaissance. A companion interpretive report will be prepared later. The data were collected primarily by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of its cooperative programs with the State Engineer of Utah and the Utah Geological and Mineralogical Survey. The work was under the supervision of R. H. Langford, district chemist of the Quality of Water Branch, Water Resources Division, U.S. Geological Survey.

Evaluating Regional-Scale Air Quality Models