Ratings of Health Intervention Programs

Principal Investigators: Charles Drum, JD, PhD; Tom Seekins, PhD

In this study, the criteria developed by the expert panel will be used to evaluate existing health promotion programs for people with disabilities. Intervention program authors will be contacted to ascertain their interest in having their program rated and to obtain the most current information on program evaluation. Pairs of raters will independently rate elements of each program/activity. Reliability of ratings will be calculated and discrepancies resolved through discussion. The results of this project will be made available through an interactive web site.

Hypothesis: The checklist tool of criteria for evaluating evidence to support health promotion interventions for people with disabilities can be used reliably and provide consumer utility.

Sample: All identified health interventions addressing people with disabilities and long-term health conditions that can lead to functional impairment. Interventions will include informational campaigns, behavioral and social interventions, and environmental adaptations.

Data Collection and Measurement: An initial systematic search will be conducted of current databases including MEDLINE, PsychInfo, PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO from 1996-present. Strategic key words and subject headings will be used to retrieve articles related to health promotion, wellness intervention for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions that can lead to functional impairment. Both generic (e.g., “disability,” “mobility impairment”) and specific (e.g., “arthritis,” “multiple sclerosis”) terms will be used. The search will be limited to English language articles but will include work in other countries. In addition, notices will be sent through listservs to reach other networks (e.g., Offices on Disability and Health, University Centers on Disabilities, local United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) chapters) to recruit nominations for new programs that have not been identified through the literature search.

Data Analysis: Intervention program authors will be contacted to ascertain their interest in having their program rated and posted, and to obtain the most current information on program evaluation. Pairs of raters will independently rate elements of each program/activity. Reliability of ratings will be calculated and discrepancies resolved through discussion. Because of the importance and sensitivity of these ratings, all programs/activities will be rated by at least two raters. Drafts of ratings will be reviewed with intervention program/activity authors to confirm their accuracy and currency prior to posting. All ratings and basis for their determination will be presented to the Expert Panel for its review and interpretation.
Intervention program/activity authors will be invited to comment on the utility of the ratings. In addition, the web site that posts the interventions will include a request to web site users to comment on the utility of the site and the rating system.

Anticipated Findings: A checklist tool for rating health promotion interventions that can be used reliably, and is used to rate current health promotion interventions for people with disabilities. The criteria and rated programs should help establish standards for the field. Center staff will track both web site hits and subsequent citations to the rating criteria and the ratings themselves to determine to what extent they are informing the field and modifying practice. The web site will be monitored for traffic and rated utility.