title: The reliability of the situation analysis observation guide.
abstract: The use of direct observation to assess the quality of family planning services is a central element of situation analysis studies. The interrater reliability of observational data from a study in Turkey was assessed using teams of multiple observers. Overall, the findings suggest a strong degree of reliability. Observers were more likely to agree when rating physical actions than verbal cues and when both observers were of similar backgrounds. The high degree of reliability in the situation analysis observation guide is considered to be due to a relatively low level of measurement and the use of crude indicators for several dimensions of quality. The guide's reliability makes this sort of study particularly valuable to family planning clinicians, program managers, and policymakers.
authors.affiliation: Population Council, New York, NY 10017, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huntington
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mensch
mesh_terms: D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D019370:Observation / Q000379:methods*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014421:Turkey