Measuring AgrAbility Outcomes with Quality of Life Indicators

1. Measuring AgrAbility Outcomes with Quality of Life Indicators • Robert A. Wilson, Ph.D., M.Sc. • University of Delaware • Center for Applied Demography and Survey Research • Newark, Delaware 19716 rwilson@udel.edu Paper presented National AgraAbility Project Training Workshop Burlington, Vermont, November 8, 2005

2. Types of Program Evaluations • Process Evaluations • Impact Evaluations

3. Process Evaluations Analyze Program Inputs • Client Records • Outreach activity • Services Delivered • Procedures Followed • Day-by-day Staff Activity • Costs • Materials

4. Impact Evaluations Measure Program Outputs • Productivity • Farm output • Individual farmer or waterman output • Efficiency • Benefits/Costs • Satisfaction with services provided • Improvements in Quality of Life

5. Which AgrAbility outcome is most important? • Improved Productivity? • Satisfaction with services delivered? • Improvements in the Quality of Life?

6. A farmer could increase productivity as a result of AgrAbility, but • Register a low level of satisfaction with the services that were provided • Experience no improvement in the quality of life

7. A farmer could be very satisfied with the services provided by AgrAbility but • Register no changes in farm output • Experience no improvement in the quality of life

8. A farmer could experience an improvement in the quality of life as a result of AgrAbility, but • Be dissatisfied with the AgrAbility Program • Register no changes in farm productivity as a result of the program

9. The 3rd scenario: may be common among: Older Farmers Farmers with certain disabilities, e.g. arthritis Farmers who do not wish to retire from farming or who cannot retire from farming

10. With an aging agricultural labor force, improvements in the quality of life may be particularly important for AgrAbility programs.

11. Older farmers are particularly susceptible to the degenerative diseases of aging • Arthritis • Coronary disorders • Cancer • Tobacco-related diseases • Diseases associated with exposure to toxic chemicals • Clinical Depression • Dementia (including Alzheimer’s Disease)

12. Degenerative diseases are normally marked with a decline in the Quality of Life

13. How is the quality of life measured in medicine and in rehabilitative services?

14. Quality of Life Measurements • Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) • Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs)

15. Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) • Used to measure the burden of disease in large populations: countries, states, counties • DALYs are a hybrid measure that combines premature mortality with time lived with a disease

16. DISABILITY ADJUSTED LIFE YEAR (DALY) One disability-adjusted life year (1 DALY) indicates that one person either died a year prior to life expectancy, or lived with a disability for a year at a psychometric threshold equivalent to death. If a disorder is severe, it receives a weight that is closer to one (the psychometric equivalent of death). If a disorder is not severe, it receives a weight that is closer to zero (the equivalent of perfect health). DALYs can be aggregated for groups of people and geographic areas. Health Services Policy Research Group University of Delaware

17. Example: If a population had 10 people at the beginning of 2002: …5 of the people lived in perfect health throughout the year = 0 DALYs …1 female, aged 80, died of alcohol-related cirrhosis, (Life Expectancy: 82) = 2 DALYs …1 male, aged 50, died of lung cancer, (Life Expectancy: 80) = 30 DALYs …2 males, both aged 20, died in alcohol-related accidents: (Life Expectancy: 80) = 120 DALYs …1 female (any age) lived with alcohol-related cirrosis for the entire year (1 year x disability weight .20) .20 DALYs _____________ Total 152.20 DALYs Health Services Policy Research Group University of Delaware 7

18. Delaware =8.4 Less than Delaware Mean Greater than Delaware Mean Missing Data Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) per 1000 Population (Age-Adjusted) Attributable to Alcohol Dependence and Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis by Census Tract, State of Delaware, 1988-1993 Pennsylvania New Jersey Maryland Atlantic Ocean 12

19. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) • QALYs are a summary measure used to measure the health-related quality of life for both individuals and groups. • QALYs are frequently employed to gauge changes in the quality of life associated with therapy or new drugs • There are a number of standardized instruments from which QALYs may be generated • One instrument is the SF-36, which we are currently using in a small sample of farmers which is being carried by Peggy Mack.

20. The recommended QALY measure is The SF-36 instrument

21. In general would you say that your health is Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor The SF-36 Health Survey

22. 2. Compared to a year ago, how would you rate your health now? • Much better • Somewhat better • About the same • Somewhat worse • Much worse

23. Vigorous activities, Such as running, lifting heavy objects, participating in strenuous sports?

24. Moderate activities, such as moving a table, pushing a vacuum cleaner, bowling, or playing golf

25. Lifting or carrying groceries

26. Climbing several flights of steps

27. Climbing one flight of steps

28. Bending kneeling, or stooping

29. Walking more than a mile

30. Walking several hundred yards

31. Walking one hundred yards

32. Bathing or dressing yourself

33. 4. During the last 4 weeks how much of the time have you had any of the following problems with your work or other regular daily activities as a result of your physical health?-all of the time-most of the time-some of the time-a little of the time-none of the time

34. Cut down on the amount of time you spent on work or other activities

35. Accomplished less than you would like

36. Were limited in the kind of work or other activities

37. Had difficulty performing the work or other activities

38. 5. During the last 4 weeks how much of the time have you had any of the following problems with your work or other regular daily activities as a result of any emotional problems (such as being depressed or anxious)?

39. -All of the time-Most of the time-Some of the time-A little of the time-None of the time

40. Cut down on the amount of time you spent on work or other activities

41. Accomplished less than you would like

42. Did work or activities less carefully than usual

43. 6. During the last 4 weeks to what extent has your physical health or emotional problems interfered with your normal social activities with friends, neighbors or groups?-Not at all-Slightly-Moderately-Quite a bit-Extremely

44. 7. How much bodily pain have you had during the last 4 weeks?-None-Very Mild-Mild-Moderate-Severe-Very severe

45. .During the last 4 weeks, how much did pain interfere with your normal work?-Not at all-A little bit-Moderately-Quite a bit-Extremely

46. 9. These are questions about how you feel and how things have been with you during the last 4 weeks. For each question please give the 1 answer that comes closest to the way you have been feeling. How much of the time during the last 4 weeks…

47. Did you feel full of life? • All of the time • Most of the time • Some of the time • A little of the time • None of the time

48. Have you been very nervous? • All of the time • Most of the time • Some of the time • A little of the time • None of the time

49. Have you felt so down in the dumps that nothing could cheer you up? • All of the time • Most of the time • Some of the time • A little of the time • None of the time

50. Have you felt calm and peaceful? • All of the time • Most of the time • Some of the time • A little of the time • None of the time