TYPES OF INDICATORS AND DATA SOURCES
Indicators can relate to a number of different areas including:
Data can be obtained from a number of different sources such as:
Methods of obtaining the data can also differ:
Evaluation methods can be generally categorised as quantitative or qualitative.
- Demographic characteristics (e.g., age, sex, years of education)
- Opinions, beliefs, feeling (e.g., psychological distress, carer burden)
- Behaviours, actions (e.g., agitation)
Data can be obtained from a number of different sources such as:
- Someone providing information about themselves (self-report)
- Reported by someone else such as a family member or a friend (proxy-report)
- Information collected by your own organisation
- Medical records
- Public health information
Methods of obtaining the data can also differ:
- Interview (face-to-face, phone)
- Survey (mail, internet, anonymous)
- Focus groups
- Observations
- Data from an existing source (e.g., record audit)
Evaluation methods can be generally categorised as quantitative or qualitative.
- Quantitative data are usually values or counts of something in response to who, what, when, and where questions. They will result in numerical data such as a percentage, score, or other number (e.g., standardised questionnaires or rating scales).
- Qualitative data usually involves words, themes, and concepts in response to how and why questions. They will result in data that are descriptions or narratives (e.g., interviews or focus groups).
WHAT TOOLS/METHODS SHOULD I USE?
Some practical issues will affect the tools/methods you choose:
Other things you may need to consider:
- How much time do you have?
- What resources will be needed?
- Who will collect the data?
- Who will analyse the data?
- Are specialised skills required?
- How will the findings be reported?
Other things you may need to consider:
- Subjective vs objective outcomes - it is recommended to use client self-report for subjective experiences where possible and feasible, and use proxy-report for objective and observable behaviour
- Service setting - some tools are designed to be used specifically in clinical/residential care/community settings
- Dementia severity - some self-report tools are rather long and complex, and may be too difficult for clients to complete on their own and can cause distress
- Length of follow-up period - not all tools can capture small changes across a short period of time
- Culture/language - most of the commonly used assessment tools have been designed for use in western, white, and/or English-speaking populations, with questions/items relating to acculturation or involving western value judgments which may not be meaningful in culturally and linguistically diverse groups
The Dementia Outcomes Measurement Suite (DOMS) includes a range of recommended assessment tools for measuring different aspects of dementia such as cognition, behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia, quality of life etc. The scales, manuals and scoring guides are available for free for non-commercial use in Australia.
Optional activity: Identifying indicators and data sources