February 15, 2000
BIRMINGHAM, AL — The UAB Communication Studies Department recently polled 400 Alabama adults regarding public access to information about nursing homes. The poll was conducted on behalf of the Coalition to Protect America's Elders, a consumer advocacy group based in Tallahassee, Florida.
“The findings suggest there is widespread public support for greater scrutiny of the nursing home industry and for more protection of nursing home residents through the legislative process,” says pollster Larry Powell, Ph.D., a UAB associate professor of communication studies. “The poll indicates the public would like more consumer information concerning nursing homes. Specifically, they want information regarding incidents of patient abuse and noncompliance with state and federal regulations.”
“In Alabama, however, the problem is we are not doing enough to protect our elderly,” says Barbara Hengstebeck, executive director of the Coalition to Protect America’s Elders. “The first step to correcting the problem is to empower consumers by making information about nursing homes more accessible. There are no consumers’ guides or even comprehensive web sites readily available with information about the conditions of various nursing homes.”
Concerning the quality of nursing homes in Alabama, 12 percent of those polled rated the quality of nursing homes they visited as “excellent” or “very good.” Thirty-four percent said they were “average,” while 30 percent said they were “only fair” or “poor.” “These ratings reflect poorly on an industry whose single objective should be the comfort and care of our most frail citizens,” says Hengstebeck.
The survey was conducted February 7-10, 2000. It had a margin of error of + 4.9 percentage points, and the results were consistent across all demographic groups tested, including age, income and frequency of visiting nursing homes, Powell said.
RESPONSES TO INDIVIDUAL QUESTIONS
Generally, how would you rate the quality of care provided by nursing homes in Alabama? Would you say the quality of nursing home care is...
- Excellent: 1 percent
- Very good: 11 percent
- Average: 34 percent
- Only fair: 18 percent
- Poor: 12 percent
- Unsure: 23 percent
How often should the state conduct nursing home inspections?
- Once a month: 15 percent
- Once every two months: 13 percent
- Three times a year: 18 percent
- Twice a year: 22 percent
- Once a year: 11 percent
- Once every 18 months:11 percent
- Once every two years: 10 percent
- Unsure: 1 percent
If a nursing home resident is injured or abused while under the care of a nursing home, should the nursing home be required to report that incident to authorities?
- Yes: 97 percent
- No: 1 percent
- Unsure: 2 percent
One issue facing the nursing home industry right now is how much information should be open to the public and residents. Based on what you have heard and read, do you think there should be more or less access to information about nursing homes?
- More: 87 percent
- Less: 3 percent
- No change: 1 percent
- Unsure: 9 percent
Suppose a nursing home received an outstanding evaluation in its state inspection. Should that information be made available to the public?
- Yes: 98 percent
- No: 1 percent
- Unsure: 1 percent
Suppose that an inspection by the state revealed that a nursing home was not following state and federal rules or standards. If that were to happen, should that information be available to the public?
- Yes: 96 percent
- No: 3 percent
- Unsure: 1 percent
If that nursing home were taken to court, should that information be made available to the jury?
- Yes: 93 percent
- No: 2 percent
- Unsure: 5 percent
In your opinion, if the state legislature changed the laws regarding nursing homes, should it make changes that would do more to protect the nursing homes and the businesses that own them, or do more to protect nursing home residents and their families?
- Nursing Homes: 1 percent
- Residents: 91 percent
- No changes needed: 1 percent
- Unsure: 7 percent
Contact:
Larry Powell, Ph.D., UAB Associate Professor, Communication Studies, (205) 934-8784 or (205) 901-5343
Barbara Hengstebeck, Coalition to Protect America's Elders, Tallahassee, Florida, (850) 216-2727 or (850) 933-3192