Improving Patient-Provider Communication to Reduce Mental Health Disparities

Measure Description: The PAM-MH is a 13-item questionnaire that measures an individual's perceived ability to manage illness and health behaviors. The questions are rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale (1= strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=agree, 4=strongly agree). Scores are then converted using Rasch analysis to a 100-point scale. Raw scores range from 13 to 52 and converted activation scores range from 0-100. Higher activation scores indicate higher level of patient activation.

The ACE is administered as a 5-level Likert scale. The subscale scores range from 5 to 25, and the total engagement score is computed by adding the 3 subscale scores and multiplying the sum by 4/3 to obtain a possible range score of 20 to 100. Higher scores represent higher patient engagement.

The SDM-Q9 PARTNER-MH was adapted from Braddock et al.'s SDM-Q-9 informed decision-making scale. The original, validated scale, the SDM-Q-9, has 9 items measured on a 6-point Likert Scale, ranging from 0=completely disagree to 5=completely agree. The total score is calculated by summing the scores of the nine items, range from 0 to 45. A higher score indicates a greater level of perceived SDM.

Peer Coaching Experience Satisfaction Questionnaire is designed to collect feedback on a respondent's overall experience with a peer coach at the end of a 6-month period. Only participants in active PARTNER-MH were administered this questionnaire. This questionnaire was developed for the study. Question 1: Overall, how satisfied are you with PARTNER-MH program? Question 2: How satisfied are you with your assigned peer. Answers are rated on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (very satisfied) to 5 (very dissatisfied).

The Trust and Satisfaction Survey is a 5-item scale which assess a respondent's degree of trust toward the VA, VA mental health care services, and the study program. Respondents are asked to rate how much they agree with each of the 5 items. Items are rated on a scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The survey yields final scores ranging from 5 (minimum) to 25 (maximum) with higher scores representing greater trust and satisfaction. No subscale.

The Veterans Rand 12-item Health Survey (VR-12) is a 12-item scale that assesses Veterans' report of health-related quality of life. It measures mental and physical functioning. The VR-12 uses five-point ordinal response choices and provides two scores: the Physical Component Summary Score and the Mental Health Summary Score, ranging from 0 to 100. VR-12 scores are standardized using a T-score metric with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. The scores are compared to the population average, measured in standard deviations. The United States population average PCS and MCS are 50 points each. The United States population standard deviation is 10 points. Higher scores indicate better self-reported health. Lower VR-12 MCS scores indicate worse psychological distress/functioning. Clinically significant scores vary based on the condition or disease population.

The Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions Scale (PEPPI-5) is 5-item scale rated on a 10-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (not confident at all) to 10 (very confident) and the total score, which is the sum of all item ratings, range from 0 (minimum) to 50 (maximum). Higher scores indicate higher levels of self-efficacy. There is no subscale.

Working Alliance Inventory -Short Revised (WAI-SR) evaluates key aspects of the therapeutic alliance between patients and their mental health providers. It includes 12 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1= seldom to 5= always. The WAI-SR has 3 subscales: The Goal, Task, and Bond subscales each have 4 items and scores ranging from 4 to 20. For research purposes, use of the overall mean scores of the WAI-SR rather than its subscales have been recommended. The scale total scores range from 12 (minimum) to 60 (maximum). Higher scores indicate higher level of working alliance. There is no cut off score for this scale.

The UCLA Loneliness Scale Short Form, (ULS-6), is a 6-item scale that assesses loneliness and is rated on a 4-point Likert Scale, ranging from 1=never to 4= often. The scale has a total summed score ranging from 6 (minimum) to 24 (maximum), with higher scores indicate higher level of loneliness.

Measure Description: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) measures severity of depressive symptoms. It includes 9 items, ranging in scores from 0 to 27. Higher scores indicate more severe symptoms of depression.

The Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) is a self-report measure consisting of 6 items, rated on a 6-point Likert scale ranging 0 to 5. The total score is the sum of all 6 items ranging from 0 to 30. A score of 12 indicates at risk of social isolation and scores less than 12 indicate social isolation.

Measure Description: Respondents are asked to rate their experiences on a 5-point Likert-type scale, with answers ranging from 0 (never) to 4 (always). Higher scores indicate more frequent experiences of discrimination in healthcare.