Public Health Nursing Interventions to Improve the Use of a Health Service: Using a Pilot Study to Guide Research

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This article demonstrates how a pilot study can provide useful direction for a research project. In planning a study to improve the use of the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) program for Medi‐caid‐eligible children, we tested our research methods and interventions (mailed pamphlets, telephone calls, home visits) on a small scale (N= 100) prior to implementing a large‐scale (N > 2000) project. The issues and obstacles included obtaining cooperation from many agencies involved in administering the Medicaid program, addressing informed consent, assessing feasibility of methods for random sampling and random assignment, identifying sources of Medicaid data, designing and assessing validity and reliability of research tools, and testing the feasibility of implementing interventions in the field. Our experience may be particularly helpful for public health nurses who plan to investigate approaches to improve the use of services in federally mandated health programs where cooperation from federal, state, and local agencies is required.