Family-centred service coordination in childhood health and disability services: the search for meaningful service outcome measures.
BACKGROUND
Potential service outcome measures were tested for their utility in the assessment of the quality of 'family centred' service coordination in the provincial network of children's disability services in Manitoba, Canada.


METHODS
This study is based on in-home survey data provided by 103 mothers at 6 and 18 months following assignment of a 'dedicated' service coordinator. Service outcome indicators included measures of parent self-esteem, parenting stress, family functioning and the need for family support resources.


RESULTS
Hierarchical regression analyses showed no relationship between level of quality of family-centred service coordination and standardized psychosocial measures of parent and family functioning. However, family centredness of service coordination was found to predict significant reduction in level of family need for psychosocial support resources after 18 months of contact with a service coordinator.


CONCLUSIONS
Outcome measures that are focused on specific and tangible results of service coordination appear to be of higher utility in service quality assessment than are more global, standardized measures of parent and family functioning.
Trute
B
B
Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. btrute@ucalgary.ca
Hiebert-Murphy
D
D
Wright
A
A
D000328:Adult; D002170:Canada; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000592:standards*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology