W R Delaune, M D Williams, G R Watson
Department of Veterans Affairs, Rehabilitation R&D Center (151R), Decatur, GA, United States
BACKGROUND: This presentation describes a self-report, functional independence measure that was developed in previously completed Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) projects and is now being used for the measurement of outcomes of blind rehabilitation programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
METHODS: Benchmark data were gathered from 4,201 visually impaired veterans who received rehabilitation services from the DVA from fiscal year 1997 through 2000. Data were also gathered during this period from a companion sample of 740 visually impaired non-veterans who received services from non-DVA rehabilitation facilities. Phone interviews were employed using the following core measures: Blind Rehabilitation Service Follow-up Outcome Survey (BRSFOutSur) measuring self-reported functional performance, Blind Rehabilitation Service Data Base (BRSDBase) recording subject characteristics, and Blind Rehabilitation Service Satisfaction Survey (BRSSatSur) measuring satisfaction with the rehabilitation process. This information was employed for establishing the psychometric properties of the instrument, reducing its length, and creating Rasch scaled scoring protocols.
RESULTS: Findings indicated that the instrument is reliable, valid, and responsive to change associated with varied models of rehabilitation. Pre-Post Change in functional independence was shown to be sensitive to differences between models of service delivery and to the amount of services provided. The clinical utility of this instrument will be discussed.
CONCLUSION: Data collection and analysis are continuing as part of DVA Blind Rehabilitation Service program evaluation and development of clinical guidelines. Case managers will collect functional independence data annually on all (approx. 30,000) visually impaired veterans known to the DVA.
Development was supported by VA Rehab R&D grants C1776R and C1894R. Current work is being supported by VA Rehab R&D grant C2269R.
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