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Measuring beneficiary knowledge of the Medicare program: a psychometric analysis
Carla M Bann1, Sherry A Terrell, Lauren A McCormack
1RTI, Statistics Research Division, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle, Park, NC 27709-2194, cmb@rti.org
Health Care Financing Review
|November 25, 2003
Summary
Developing accurate measures of Medicare beneficiary knowledge is crucial for program evaluation. A true/false quiz demonstrated superior reliability and validity compared to self-reporting for assessing Medicare program knowledge.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Survey Methodology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Reliable measurement of Medicare beneficiaries' program knowledge is essential for effective program monitoring, evaluation, and accountability.
- Existing methods for assessing beneficiary knowledge may lack sufficient accuracy or validity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and psychometrically evaluate two distinct measures of Medicare beneficiary knowledge.
- To compare the accuracy and utility of self-reported knowledge versus a knowledge-demonstrating true/false quiz.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 1998 and 1999 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS).
- Developed two knowledge assessment indices: one based on self-report, the other a true/false quiz.
- Evaluated the reliability and construct validity of both measures using psychometric analyses.
Main Results:
- The true/false quiz demonstrated higher accuracy and utility in measuring beneficiary knowledge.
- Psychometric analyses indicated superior reliability and construct validity for the true/false quiz measure.
- Self-reported knowledge measures were found to be less accurate.
Conclusions:
- A true/false quiz is a more effective tool for assessing Medicare beneficiaries' program knowledge than self-report measures.
- The findings support the use of objective knowledge assessments for program evaluation and accountability.
- Further research can refine objective measures for diverse beneficiary populations.
