Thesis (doctoral)--University of Lund, 1978.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University.

Disability statistics are an important component of an informational base to monitor the needs and rights of people with disabilities within all spheres of life. The effective use of disability statistics is based on measures that are transparent and valid and where potential sources of sampling, interviewer or respondent error are clearly understood. This study investigates respondent sources of survey data error generated by three sets of existing questions on disability, as applied to adults in South Africa as a case study contributing to the growing work in this field at an international level. The questions are the Short and Extended sets of the Washington Group on Disability Statistics, and the Global Study on Ageing’s (SAGE) health state description questions used by the World Health Organization. Disability is defined as the outcome of the interaction between a person’s health condition or impairment, and the context in which he or she lives. The question evaluation considers: a) the wording, comparing asking about difficulties and disabilities; b) respondents’ understanding and interpretations of whole questions; and c) the association between various life factors and the type and severity of functional profiles. The study uses a mixed methods design comprising focus groups, semi-structured interviews, in-depth interviews that tapped into the thinking behind respondents’ answers to questions, and standard questionnaires. There were 21 focus groups located nationally, and 69 semi-structured interviews and ten detailed cognitive testing interviews at the Agincourt Health and Population Unit, located in a rural area in north eastern South Africa. The results provide insight into the performance of the questions, and, particularly, the need for revisions of the questions, potential respondent sources of error, and factors in people’s lives that are associated with different response profiles. The analysis of wording shows that asking about ‘difficulty’ people have is a more inclusive and transparent measure than asking about disability. Analysis of respondents’ understanding and interpretation of questions shows that questions on vision, hearing, walking and climbing, self-care and communication are well understood as intended, while the questions on remembering are misinterpreted in similar ways by a high number of respondents. Responses to non-traditional disability domains of pain, affect (anxiety and depression) and fatigue (or problems with sleep) reflect predominantly people’s reactions to living in adverse conditions. The measures provide a way to broaden the notion of who is counted as disabled because of functional limitations for statistical purposes, but the identity of being disabled remains a separate concern. The differences between measuring identity and functional status and the implications of these separate concepts is one area identified as an important focus of future research arising from this thesis. This thesis builds on existing knowledge by: providing strong evidence on the effect of asking about disability versus difficulty; illustrating the importance of question evaluation as part of validity testing and provide a further example to add to the growing literature on this approach; providing evidence on how responses to basic activity domains differ to those given to questions on feeling domains and the implications of this for how disability is understood in a low income and resources context of rural South Africa.

Thesis(D.Sc.D.)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-166). / Purpose: To describe the testing of oral health outcomes measures. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of clinical and self-reported oral health in two samples of veterans: 538 users of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient medical clinics (VHS) and 278 veterans from VA’s Dental Longitudinal Study (DLS). Clinical data incIuded number of teeth, tooth mobility, periodontal treatment need, an index of root caries, coronaI caries, oral mucosal status and denture stability and retention. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was measured by the Veterans SF-36. Oral-specific heaith-related quaIity of life (OQOL) measures included the single item seIf-report of oral health (OH1), the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP), the Geriatric (General) Oral Health Assessment Instrument (GOHAI), the D-E-N-T-A-L, a screening measure of need for care and the Oral Health Quality of Life (OHQOL) measure. Results: Self-reported oral problems are significant burdens on the health and function of users of VA outpatient care. Self-reported oral health, as measured by the GOHAI, is associated with the general well-being of users of VA care. VA patients have worse clinical and self-reported oral health than community dwelling men of similar age. Clinically determined need for dental care was universai in the VHS and present in two-thirds of the DLS. The OH1 and the DENTAL are useful in identifying who needs dental care in the combined population. Criterion and construct validity of self-reported measures of oraI heaIth (OH1, OHIP, GOHAI) are supported by their associations with selected sociodemographic, behavioral and dental conditions in users of VA care. Validity is further supported by the association with recency of dental care and reason for last visit in the VHS. Conclusions: VA outpatients have significant oral health needs as measured by self-report and clinical measures. Users of VA care have worse oral health than the general population. The OH1 and the DENTAL can help identify veterans who are in need of dental care. Longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the impact of oral health care on general health and well-being and to estimate the resources needed to meet the needs of veterans eligible for care in VA.

by Amy, Chan Shiu Yu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 189-210). / Questionaire also in Chinese. / Acknowledgement --- p.iv / List of Tables --- p.v / List of Figures --- p.ix / Abstract --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1 --- Demographic Aging in Hong Kong / Chapter 1.2 --- Rationale of the Present Study / Chapter 1.3 --- Longitudinal Studies on Elderly Health / Chapter 1.4 --- Brief Summary of the Baseline Study / Chapter 1.5 --- Objectives of the Present Study / Chapter 1.6 --- Outline of the Thesis / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review: Review of Health Surveys of the Elderly 226}0ؤ International and Local --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction / Chapter 2.2 --- Health Surveys of the Elderly in Developed Countries 一 Selected Issues / Chapter 2.3 --- Health Surveys of the Elderly in the Asian Pacific Rim / Chapter 2.4 --- Health Surveys of the Elderly in Hong Kong / Chapter 2.5 --- Conclusion / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Methodology --- p.81 / Chapter 3.1 --- Research Design / Chapter 3.2 --- Study population一 Sampling Method and Sample Size / Chapter 3.3 --- Data Collection / Chapter 3.4 --- Data Analysis / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Results: Change in Functional Status and Factors Associated with Change --- p.91 / Chapter 4.1 --- Socio-demographic Profile / Chapter 4.2 --- Mental Health Status / Chapter 4.3 --- Functional Disability / Chapter 4.4 --- Physical Health / Chapter 4.5 --- Physical Impairment / Chapter 4.6 --- Use of Health Services / Chapter 4.7 --- Physical Exercise / Chapter 4.8 --- Social Supportive Network / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Results: Logistic Regression Analysis of Change in Functional Status Associated with Various Risk Factors --- p.110 / Chapter 5.1 --- Socio-demographic Profile / Chapter 5.2 --- Mental Health Status / Chapter 5.3 --- Functional Disability / Chapter 5.4 --- Physical Health / Chapter 5.5 --- Physical Impairment / Chapter 5.6 --- Use of Health Services / Chapter 5.7 --- Physical Exercise / Chapter 5.8 --- Social Supportive Network / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Results: Institutionalization and Associated Factors --- p.131 / Chapter 6.1 --- Socio-demographic Profile / Chapter 6.2 --- Mental Health Status / Chapter 6.3 --- Functional Disability / Chapter 6.4 --- Physical Health / Chapter 6.5 --- Physical Impairment / Chapter 6.6 --- Use of Health Services / Chapter 6.7 --- Physical Exercise / Chapter 6.8 --- Social Supportive Network / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Results : Logistic Regression Analysis of Institutionalization At Follow Up Associated with Various Risk Factors --- p.149 / Chapter 7.1 --- Socio-demographic Profile / Chapter 7.2 --- Mental Health Status / Chapter 7.3 --- Functional Disability / Chapter 7.4 --- Physical Health / Chapter 7.5 --- Physical Impairment / Chapter 7.6 --- Use of Health Services / Chapter 7.7 --- Physical Exercise / Chapter 7.8 --- Social Supportive Network / Chapter Chapter 8 --- Discussion and Conclusion --- p.167 / Chapter 8.1 --- Change of Functional Status Related to Various Risk Factors / Chapter 8.2 --- Institutionalization Associated with Various Risk Factors / Chapter 8.3 --- Validity and Reliability / Chapter 8.4 --- Implications on Health Care / Chapter 8.5 --- Conclusion / References --- p.189 / Appendix --- p.211 / Chapter I. --- Projected Additional Old Age Home (OAH) Places required for Aged70 and above / Chapter II. --- The Questionnaire Used at the Baseline Interviews / Chapter - --- English Version / Chapter - --- Chinese Version / Chapter III. --- The Questionnaire Used at Follow Up Interviews / Chapter - --- Chinese Version

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1942.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1939.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1939.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1934.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1941.