Supporting Statement B -- Synthesis of AHRQ-Funded HAI Projects

SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Part B

Synthesis of AHRQ-Funded HAI Projects:

FY2007–2010

February 10, 2012

Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

Table of contents

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods 3

1. Respondent universe and sampling methods 3

2. Information Collection Procedures 3

3. Methods to Maximize Response Rates 3

4. Tests of Procedures 4

5. Statistical Consultants 4

B. Collections of Information Employing Statistical Methods

1. Respondent universe and sampling methods

The universe for this study consists of all 58 Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) projects funded by AHRQ in FY 2007 – FY 2010. These include 40 contracts and 18 grants. This list of projects was drawn from the Program and Project Inventory (PAPI) which contains basic descriptive information about all HAI prevention activities conducted by agencies of HHS under the HHS Action Plan to Prevent HAI. IMPAQ International developed the PAPI in 2011 in cooperation with HHS agencies. It is comprehensive and includes information such as the name of the HHS agency with oversight, a description of the research, the funding type (grant or contract), the HAI issues addressed, and the type of healthcare settings targeted.

Fifty-eight telephone in-depth interviews will be conducted with project leaders. AHRQ and the contractor IMPAQ International will identify an appropriate project leader from each of the 58 projects. The expected response rate is 100%, and no sampling is necessary because a respondent representing each project in the universe will be interviewed.

2. Information Collection Procedures

The information collection procedure for this study is in-depth semi-structured interviews. This methodology is particularly well suited for collecting data from project leaders because detailed information can be elicited while learning about the leaders’ perceptions of the programs and exploring new issues. The interviews will be conducted by telephone because this medium is convenient, allows scheduling flexibility, and minimizes burden. Each interview will last approximately 90 minutes.

Each interview will begin with a brief description of the study and ask for the respondent's consent to proceed with the interview and to audiotape it. The in-depth interviewwill start with an initial set of questions that will prompt participants to gather their thoughts and acclimate to the interview setting. The interview will continue with questions about the respondent's HAI research including objectives, design, methods, tasks, project deliverables, work plans, interventions, outcome measures, findings and results, challenges, impact on delivery of care, dissemination strategies, and opinions about gaps in the evidence base and further research needed (see Attachments A and B).

An experienced interviewer will conduct the interviews and a note taker will take notes on the discussion. The audiotapes of the interviews will allow clarification of the notes if needed in the analysis phase.

3. Methods to Maximize Response Rates

Prior to contacting respondents, the AHRQ Contracting Officer's Technical Representative for this project will notify the respondent's AHRQ project officer that IMPAQ staff will be contacting their contractor or grantee to request an interview. Next, IMPAQ International will contact participants by email (see Attachment C) to explain the study and request an interview. The e‐mail invitation will include a letter from AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn Clancy, in support of the study (see Attachment D). Finally, IMPAQ International will telephone to schedule the interview. Recruitment will take no longer than five minutes of a respondent's time.

4. Tests of Procedures

The interview guides were pre-tested with 4 HAI project leaders. The purpose of the pre-test was to assess the clarity and understandability of the questions in theinterview guides. The content of the responses was also reviewed to see if the questions were properly answered. The interview guides were revised based on the feedback from the pre-test.

5. Statistical Consultants

There are no statistical aspects of this project.

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