The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #59069

Holly Felix, MPA¹, M. Kathryn Stewart, MD MPH¹, Michelle G White², H. Al McCullough, MA¹, Jinger Morgan², and Joy Shepherd, MPH, CHES³. (1) Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 5800 West 10th Street, Suite 410, Little Rock, AR 72204, (2) Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, University for Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 5800 West 10th Street, Suite 410, Little Rock, AR 72204, (3) Delta Area Health Education Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, PO Box 729, Helena, AR 72342, 870-388-9100, shepherdjoyb@uams.edu

Using an 1115 demonstration waiver, Arkansas was one of the first states to expand Medicaid family planning services beyond the 60-day postpartum period. As with all waiver programs, program evaluations have been conducted. In addition to an assessment of traditional outcome measures, evaluators used exit interviews, which had been designed to reduce courtesy bias, to assess client satisfaction with family planning services available under the waiver in public health units. Client satisfaction with family planning services can serve as a simple measure of one dimension of perceived quality of care. Findings indicate overall client satisfaction with family planning services available through public health units. However, noted methodological issues may limit the generalizablity of these findings. Potential corrective measures are suggested for improving client satisfaction with family planning services and for increasing the utility of survey instrument utilized in this effort.

Learning Objectives:

• List types of efforts used by states to expand their Medicaid family planning services 2.Discuss the issue of courtesy bias when using exit interviews assessing satisfaction
• Describe several potential solutions for accounting for courtesy bias when conducting exit interviews.

Keywords: Family Planning, Survey

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.