Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33929036›Full record

ArticleJournal of public health (Oxford, England)2022

Impact of an unannounced standardized veteran program on access to community-based services for veterans experiencing homelessness.

Saul J Weiner, Alan Schwartz, Amy Binns-Calvey, Benjamin Kass, Timothy D Underwood, Vincent Kane

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of public health (Oxford, England), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Saul J WeinerCenter of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5637-5392
Alan SchwartzDepartments of Medical Education and Pediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Amy Binns-CalveyCenter of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA.
Benjamin KassCenter of Innovation for Complex Chronic Healthcare, Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL 60141, USA.
Timothy D UnderwoodHopeOneSource, Arlington, VA 22201, USA.
Vincent KaneWilmington VA Medical Center, Wilmington, DE 19805, USA.

Funding

National Homeless Program Office and Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs established a program in which actors incognito portray veterans experiencing homelessness with pre-determined needs to identify barriers to access and services at community-based organizations.

methodsFrom 2017 to 2019, actors who varied in gender, skin color and age portrayed one of three scripts at all VA Community-Based Resource and Referral Centers (CRRCs) serving veterans experiencing homelessness in 30 cities and completed an evaluative survey. They carried authentic VA identification and were registered in a VA patient database for each identity. CRRCs were provided with reports annually and asked to implement corrective plans. Data from the survey were analysed for change over time.

resultsAccess to food, counselling, PTSD treatment, and hypertension/prediabetes care services increased significantly from 68-77% in year 2 to 83-97% in year 3 (each P < 0.05 adjusted for script present). A significant disparity in access for African American actors resolved following more uniform adherence to pre-existing policies.

conclusionsThe 'unannounced standardized veteran' (USV) can identify previously unrecognized barriers to needed services and care. Audit and feedback programs based on direct covert observation with systematic data collection and rapid feedback may be an effective strategy for improving services to highly vulnerable populations.

Indexed as

Ill-Housed PersonsVeteransCommunity Health ServicesHealth Services AccessibilityHumansSocial ProblemsUnited StatesUnited States Department of Veterans Affairshealth servicesmethodspoverty

Identifiers

PMID33929036
PMCPMC8904198

What OpenQuestion holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.