Connecticut State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Evaluation, Quality Management & Improvement Division
DMHAS Consumer Survey FY 03
Supplementary Information about Sampling Requirements, Domain Definitions and Analysis.

I.  Sampling Formula for FY03 (sampling size needed for 95% Confidence Interval of +/-10%) 

Client N in Program

Sample Size Needed

800-2000

90

500-799

85

350-499

80

250-349

75

225-249

70

175-224

65

150-174

60

125-149

55

90-124

50

70-89

45

60-69

40

50-59

35

35-49

30

25-34

25

<25

all

II.  Questions that were analyzed as a part of specific domain: 

ACCESS:

  • The location of services was convenient (parking, public transportation, distance, etc)
  • Staff was willing to see me as often as I felt was necessary
  • Staff returned my calls within 24 hours
  • Services were available at times that were good for me

PARTICIPATION IN TREATMENT:

  • I felt comfortable asking questions about my treatment and medication

 QUALITY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF SERVICES

  • Staff here believes that I can grow, change and recover
  • I felt free to complain
  • I was given information about my rights (not included in domain analysis)
  • Staff told me what side effects to watch for
  • Staff respected my wishes about who is, and who is not, to be given information about my treatment
  • Staff was sensitive to my cultural/ethnic background (race, religion, language, etc)
  • Staff helped me obtain information I needed so I could take charge of managing my illness.

OUTCOME

  • I deal more effectively with daily problems
  • I am better able to control my life
  • I am better able to deal with crisis
  • I am getting along better with my friends
  • I do better in social situations
  • I do better in school and/or work
  • My symptoms are not bothering me as much

GENERAL SATISFACTION

  • I like services I received here
  • If I had other choices I would still get services from this agency
  • I would recommend this agency to a friend or family member

RESPECT FOR CLIENT’S WISHES – CT specific question

  • My wishes are respected about the amount of family involvement I want in my treatment

III.  Analysis:

  • The DMHAS consumer survey utilized a 5-point scale for each question (1=strongly agree, 2-agree, 3=neutral, 4=disagree, 5=strongly disagree).  In addition a “not applicable” option was also available. During the data analysis process, all  “not applicable” responses were re-coded as missing. 

  •   The mean score per domain was calculated for each individual respondent. However, no score was recorded if more than one-third of the questions in a given domain were missing answers (see above).

  •   The percentage of agreeing (satisfied) consumers for a domain was calculated by dividing the number of respondents having a mean domain score less than 2.5 by the total number of respondents who had a valid score for that domain.

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