Priscilla D. Allen

Bio: Priscilla D. Allen is an academic researcher from Louisiana State University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Social work & Nurse education. The author has an hindex of 11, co-authored 21 publications receiving 397 citations.

Service learning in social work education: the state of knowledge, pedagogical practicalities, and practice conundrums

Abstract: This article reviews research-based knowledge about service learning in social work education. Student learning outcomes common to both service learning and social work education are examined, and the research-based literature on service learning in social work is analyzed. Service-learning practice issues in social work education are described: creating learning activities distinct from those required in field practica, managing conflicts of interest among students employed in the field, minimizing professional ethics violations, and assisting students who observe unprofessional practice behaviors. Recommendations for planning, implementing, and evaluating service-learning projects in social work education are provided to strengthen scholarship in this area.

Self-Reported Ageism in Social Work Practitioners and Students

Abstract: In this study, we focus on self-reported ageism in college students and social service providers using the Relating to Older People Evaluation (ROPE; Cherry & Palmore, 2008). The ROPE is a 20-item questionnaire that measures positive and negative ageist behaviors that people engage in during everyday life. Participants included undergraduate and graduate social work students and practicing social service providers in the nursing home and mental health setting. Findings indicate that people of varying educational backgrounds and occupational experience in social services readily admit to positive ageist behaviors. Item analyses revealed similarities and differences between groups in the most and least frequent forms of ageism endorsed. Ageism as a social phenomenon with implications related to social work policy and practice is discussed.

Construct validation of physical activity surveys in culturally diverse older adults: a comparison of four commonly used questionnaires.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to establish validity evidence of four physical activity (PA) questionnaires in culturally diverse older adults by comparing self-report PA with performance-based physical function. Participants were 54 older adults who completed the Continuous Scale Physical Functional Performance 10-item Test (CS-PFP10), Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), CHAMPS Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Adults, Yale Physical Activity Survey (YPAS), and modified Baecke questionnaire. The total PASE score, three outcome scores for the CHAMPS, and three summary indices for the YPAS were significantly correlated with total CS-PFP10 score. The modified Baecke exhibited no correlations with CS-PFP10 scores. The PASE, CHAMPS, and YPAS appear to be the most valid PA self-report questionnaires for culturally diverse older adults.

Contributions of Social Desirability to Self-Reported Ageism

Abstract: The authors examined the role of social desirability in 445 participants' responses to self-reported measures of ageism across two studies. In Study 1, college students and community adults completed the Relating to Older People Evaluation (ROPE) and a short form of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (M-C SDS). Study 2 was a conceptual replication that included the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA). Correlation analyses confirmed a small but significant relationship between scores on the positive ageist items and the social desirability scale in both studies. Ageist attitudes were correlated with negative ageist behaviors in Study 2. Implications for current views on ageism and strategies for reducing ageist attitudes and behaviors in everyday life are discussed.

Health literacy interventions and outcomes: an updated systematic review.

Abstract: Objectives To update a 2004 systematic review of health care service use and health outcomes related to differences in health literacy level and interventions designed to improve these outcomes for individuals with low health literacy. Disparities in health outcomes and effectiveness of interventions among different sociodemographic groups were also examined. Data sources We searched MEDLINE®, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, the Cochrane Library, PsychINFO, and the Educational Resources Information Center. For health literacy, we searched using a variety of terms, limited to English and studies published from 2003 to May 25, 2010. For numeracy, we searched from 1966 to May 25, 2010. Review methods We used standard Evidence-based Practice Center methods of dual review of abstracts, full-text articles, abstractions, quality ratings, and strength of evidence grading. We resolved disagreements by consensus. We evaluated whether newer literature was available for answering key questions, so we broadened our definition of health literacy to include numeracy and oral (spoken) health literacy. We excluded intervention studies that did not measure health literacy directly and updated our approach to evaluate individual study risk of bias and to grade strength of evidence. Results We included good- and fair-quality studies: 81 studies addressing health outcomes (reported in 95 articles including 86 measuring health literacy and 16 measuring numeracy, of which 7 measure both) and 42 studies (reported in 45 articles) addressing interventions. Differences in health literacy level were consistently associated with increased hospitalizations, greater emergency care use, lower use of mammography, lower receipt of influenza vaccine, poorer ability to demonstrate taking medications appropriately, poorer ability to interpret labels and health messages, and, among seniors, poorer overall health status and higher mortality. Health literacy level potentially mediates disparities between blacks and whites. The strength of evidence of numeracy studies was insufficient to low, limiting conclusions about the influence of numeracy on health care service use or health outcomes. Two studies suggested numeracy may mediate the effect of disparities on health outcomes. We found no evidence concerning oral health literacy and outcomes. Among intervention studies (27 randomized controlled trials [RCTs], 2 cluster RCTs, and 13 quasi-experimental designs), the strength of evidence for specific design features was low or insufficient. However, several specific features seemed to improve comprehension in one or a few studies. The strength of evidence was moderate for the effect of mixed interventions on health care service use; the effect of intensive self-management inventions on behavior; and the effect of disease-management interventions on disease prevalence/severity. The effects of other mixed interventions on other health outcomes, including knowledge, self-efficacy, adherence, and quality of life, and costs were mixed; thus, the strength of evidence was insufficient. Conclusions The field of health literacy has advanced since the 2004 report. Future research priorities include justifying appropriate cutoffs for health literacy levels prior to conducting studies; developing tools that measure additional related skills, particularly oral (spoken) health literacy; and examining mediators and moderators of the effect of health literacy. Priorities in advancing the design features of interventions include testing novel approaches to increase motivation, techniques for delivering information orally or numerically, "work around" interventions such as patient advocates; determining the effective components of already-tested interventions; determining the cost-effectiveness of programs; and determining the effect of policy and practice interventions.

Older people's perspectives on participation in physical activity: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative literature

Abstract: Background Physical inactivity accounts for 9% of all deaths worldwide and is among the top 10 risk factors for global disease burden. Nearly half of people aged over 60 years are inactive. Efforts to identify which factors influence physical activity behaviour are needed. Objective To identify and synthesise the range of barriers and facilitators to physical activity participation. Methods Systematic review of qualitative studies on the perspectives of physical activity among people aged 60 years and over. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO and AMED were searched. Independent raters assessed comprehensiveness of reporting of included studies. Thematic synthesis was used to analyse the data. Results From 132 studies involving 5987 participants, we identified six major themes: social influences (valuing interaction with peers, social awkwardness, encouragement from others, dependence on professional instruction); physical limitations (pain or discomfort, concerns about falling, comorbidities); competing priorities; access difficulties (environmental barriers, affordability); personal benefits of physical activity (strength, balance and flexibility, self-confidence, independence, improved health and mental well-being); and motivation and beliefs (apathy, irrelevance and inefficacy, maintaining habits). Conclusions Some older people still believe that physical activity is unnecessary or even potentially harmful. Others recognise the benefits of physical activity, but report a range of barriers to physical activity participation. Strategies to enhance physical activity participation among older people should include (1) raising awareness of the benefits and minimise the perceived risks of physical activity and (2) improving the environmental and financial access to physical activity opportunities.

What Is Nursing Home Quality and How Is It Measured

Abstract: In the past, nursing home care and long-term care were synonymous. If elders needed long-term care, it would invariably be provided in a nursing home. In recent years, the long-term care sector has changed considerably and is arguably evolving into a “system” in which care can be provided in settings that are more appropriate for consumers’ needs. This includes care by home health providers, adult day care, residential care, and assisted living (to name just four). However, nursing homes are still an essential component of the current long-term care system. In the United States, approximately 1.6 million elderly and disabled persons receive care in 1 of the 17,000 nursing homes (National Nursing Home Survey, 2004). Enduring issues surrounding nursing homes have been quality related. The often-poor quality of nursing homes has been a consistent issue of concern for consumers, government, and researchers. In this commentary, we first provide a brief review of the history of nursing home quality. This centers on how nursing home quality has been measured and provides some context and insight into currently used quality indicators in the nursing home industry. In doing so, we note that the concepts of what is measured, who does the measuring, and why measures are used are intertwined. We secondly provide our opinion on the relative merits of indicators of quality. Notable current quality indicators are presented. We then speculate on steps that need to be taken in the future to address and potentially improve the quality of care provided by nursing homes. These steps include policy changes and future research that is needed. Numerous definitions of quality exist. A current well-cited example comes from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (1996): “The degree to which health services for individuals and populations increase the likelihood of desired health outcomes and are consistent with current professional knowledge” (p. 5). Operationalizing “quality” from definitions such as these proffered by the IOM can be problematic as the definitions are extremely general and subjective and as such resulting measures tend to be unable to fully realize the quality concept (Castle, Zinn, Brannon, & Mor, 1996). Because of this inability to adequately realize “quality” in nursing homes, quality indicators are prevalent rather than quality measures. This helps denote a less precise association between the “indicator” and actual quality (i.e., they are surrogate measures). This has also fostered the creation of many quality indicators. For example, in choosing the quality indicators to be reported in Nursing Home Compare (www.medicare.gov/NHCompare; discussed subsequently), 181 indicators were considered. With many quality indicators available, some organization is useful. In this regard, in conceptualizing and organizing quality indicators, the approach of Donabedian (1985) is valuable. Donabedian proposed that quality could be measured in terms of structures (S), processes (P), and outcomes (O). Structural measures are the organizational characteristics associated with the provision of care. Process measures are characteristics of things done to and for the resident. Outcome measures are the desired states one would (or would not) like to achieve for the resident. Donabedian's SPO approach is somewhat pervasive in the quality literature. For example, in MEDLINE (2005–2010), 57% (N = 3,950) of nursing home studies either directly or indirectly applied this approach of conceptualizing quality indicators. This approach of conceptualizing quality indicators as SPO measures is also used in this commentary. The SPO approach also has theoretical underpinnings in that good structure should facilitate good process and good process should facilitate good outcomes. However, we note that the theoretical SPO underpinnings were not developed specifically for nursing homes and some have questioned its suitability for this setting (Glass, 1991). Moreover, SPO linkages are not always validated in the nursing home literature (Gustafson, Sainfort, Van Konigsveld, & Zimmerman, 1990). Some scholars have also further substantially developed components of this approach by including factors such as culture (S) and work groups (P) (Scott Poole & Van De Ven, 2004), whereas others in long-term care have modified the SPO theory, for example by combining it with contingency theory (Zinn & Mor, 1998).