Using cognitive concept mapping to understand what health care means to the elderly: an illustrative approach for planning and marketing.
This article describes a process that can be used for eliciting and systematically organizing perceptions held by key stakeholders. An example using a limited sample of older Medicare recipients is developed to illustrate how this approach can be used. Internally, a nominal group technique (NGT) meeting was conducted to identify an array of health care issues that were perceived as important by this group. These perceptions were then used as stimuli to develop an unforced card sort task. Data from the card sorts were analyzed using multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis to demonstrate how qualitative input of participants can be organized. The results of these analyses are described to illustrate an example of an interpretive framework that might be used when seeking input from relevant constituents. Suggestions for how this process might be extended to health care planning/marketing efforts are provided.
Shewchuk
Richard
R
Gerontology Education Program, Department of Health Services Administration, School of Health Related Professions, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Webb Building, 5th Floor, 1530 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294-3316, USA. shewchuk@uab.edu
O'Connor
Stephen J
SJ
D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006285:Health Planning; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D006278:Medicare; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States