FAQ about Study Questionnaire

The study is funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and the Office Of The Director (OD), as part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is also funded by the Alliance for Home Health Quality & Innovation (AHHQI). The goals of this study are to:

1. Identify best practices for infection prevention and control in the home environment; and
2. Understand how agencies are implementing quality initiatives (e.g., QAPI programs, value-based purchasing)

The study is conducted by Jingjing Shang, PhD, RN, OCN, and Patricia Stone, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN, (co-principal investigators) and other researchers from the Columbia University School of Nursing, in partnership with researchers from the RAND Corporation and Thomas Jefferson University.

We used scientific sampling procedures to select a sample of home health agencies across the U.S. based on geographical location, QoPC star rating, and ownership. If you received an invitation letter and paper questionnaire in the mail, your agency was a part of that sample.

Participation involves completing the study questionnaire, which takes approximately 20 minutes. The questionnaire can be completed on the paper booklet that you received in the mail, or online. All of your answers will be kept confidential; your name will not be linked to any of your answers. Once we receive your completed questionnaire, we will mail you a $25 Amazon gift card as our appreciation for your time and effort.

Study participation is voluntary; there is no requirement to participate. However, your experiences as a home health staff member are valuable because they represent those of staff members at other agencies like yours.

The data will be used to identify best practices for infection prevention and control in the home health environment, and understand how agencies are implementing quality initiatives. All data will be aggregated and no single agency will be identifiable.

For further information, please contact the Study Team at nursing_hhstudy@cumc.columbia.edu or 212-305-3431.