Archives Calendar Coordinating Center Multisite Activities
Project Description COSP References Study Sites Search Our Site
Table of Contents Upcoming Meeting Agendas______________________________________________
|
|
Steering Committee Notes: October, 1999 COSP Steering Committee Teleconference Notes
1:00 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Eastern Time
Common Protocol Typographical Errors/Editorial Improvements R.O.W. Sciences moved that 33 typographical errors or editorial improvements be made to items within the common protocol. The motion passed with no objections with the following modifications: Sexual Orientation Question Page 7, #8 The prompt recommended by R.O.W. will not be included. The prompt was suggested because several pilot respondents did not understand the question nor understand the meaning of the responses. Instead of using the prompt, wording will be added to the responses and scale card to define the responses. For example, heterosexual—attracted to the opposite sex; gay/lesbian—attracted to the same sex; bi-sexual—attracted to both sexes. Jaime Delgado volunteered to work on the wording with R.O.W. Employment For the current job status question Page 11, #3, the "skip" after this question will be removed. At Carol Silverman’s recommendation, a category called "irregular work (working on and off) will be added to Question #3. Crystal pointed out that the Employment section is not from the CMHS Employment Intervention Demonstration Project (EIDP) so this notation will be removed from Page 10. Detailed instructions will be added to the Q-by-Q for interviewers who encountered respondents who endorse both full-time employment and sheltered employment so that they probe to see if the responses are related to the same job. There also needs to be additional information in the Q-by-Q regarding military service. For respondents who provide labor in exchange for room and board or other services, the interviewer will be instructed to check the "other" category and write in an explanation. Finances and Entitlements On Page 14, the source of the scale needs to be changed to read: Adapted from CMHS Employment Intervention Demonstration Project (EIDP). Lifetime Service Use On Page 30, #12a will be revised to read: During the past four months, have you been taking prescribed psychiatric medications? If the respondent answers "no," the interviewer should skip to the alcohol/drugs section. On Page 31, #12d will be re-worded to address poly medications. On Page 31, #12e will be eliminated. Alcohol/Drugs Because an alternative alcohol/drug questionnaire has been put on the table for consideration, discussion about improving this section of the common protocol was tabled. One of the major problems was that respondents were offended when they didn’t endorse the use of alcohol or other drugs and still were asked questions about how bothered they had been and how important it is to seek treatment. Sarah Lickey said some people who were recovering, but weren’t currently using alcohol or other drugs considered their participation in Alcoholics Anonymous as treatment and as important to them. It was suggested that this section be skipped if there was no current use of substances. Organizationally Mediated Empowerment On Page 59, #1, R.O.W. withdrew its recommendation to remove the "skip" from this question. Additional Scale Cards R.O.W. recommended that additional scale cards be created for race/ethnicity, education, that instructions be added for the housing scale cards, that numbers on scale card #10 be replaced with letters and letters added in front of answer choices in the common protocol, that scale card for social inclusion be corrected, that a scale card for the first well-being question on Page 93 be created, and that a scale card for Question #2 under discrimination be created. Sally Rogers moved that the recommendation be accepted. Ruth Ralph seconded the motion and it passed with no objections. Recommended Deletions Tribal Enrollment Status R.O.W. recommended that on Page 4, #3b, the question about Native American tribal affiliation be retained, but the part about being unenrolled or enrolled in a tribe be eliminated. Jaime asked for clarification, but there were no objections. Matt explained that there would not be enough people in the study sample who were enrolled or unenrolled to justify keeping it in. Finances & Entitlements R.O.W. recommended that on Page 15, #2f be deleted because a number of people did not know what constituted state disability. There is no state disability in some states. California does have state disability. After some discussion, Tom suggested that Brian Yates hold a teleconference around the following issues within the next two weeks:
Dianne Cote mentioned that people might not know how much money they receive from these sources, particularly rent supplements because the supplements generally go to the agency instead of the individual. Meaningful of Life Scale R.O.W. recommended that the Meaning of Life scale be eliminated since it had a negative correlations with the Herth Hope Index. Crystal pointed out that the items were reversed in these scales. Rise Goldstein had already taken this into consideration. Sally moved that the scale be retained and Ruth added that we look at it again after baseline. The motion passed with no objections. Disability Questions R.O.W. recommended that the National Health Interview Survey replace the current disability question in the common protocol. After some discussion, it was agreed that the items in the common protocol be replaced with items 1-6 of the National Health Interview Survey and that a question #7 be developed by searching the literature to see if there are disabilities more common in the target population than those laid out in the National Health Interview Survey, by using information from Steve Segal’s article on health problems among COSP participants, and reviewing the responses on disabilities from the pilot respondents. Improved Information for Training R.O.W. recommended that we provide improved information for 21 items during interviewer training and/or in the Q-by-Q. This recommendation was accepted with the exception of items on Page 91 of the common protocol. Also, Sally suggested that before we remind respondents that they do not have to answer any questions that make them feel uncomfortable, that we first remind them that the information is confidential. Sometimes after that reassurance is provided, they feel comfortable enough to answer the question. Ruth pointed out that it is better to put brief instructions in the common protocol rather that in the Q-by-Q and that we should strive to make the common protocol document as complete as possible. Next Teleconference Because of teleconference had exceeded the 2-hour limit, Tom suggested that another teleconference be held November 4 at 1 p.m. Eastern Time for the purpose of finishing finalization of the common protocol. The agenda for that call will include:
|
Missouri
Institute of Mental Health |
5400
Arsenal Street