SURVEY: Measuring Public Attitudes Towards Person-Centered Care
A clear majority of Americans aged 40 and up said they favored policies that support person-centered long-term care, a February survey found.
The survey was conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, and was funded by The SCAN Foundation.
Survey respondents were asked to assess the potential helpfulness of seven different policies related to person-centered care, including:
- Ensuring that care is focused on the consumer’s quality of life,
- Providing access to home and community-based services, and
- Taking into account consumers’ goals and preferences during all aspects of their care.
The survey showed that majorities of respondents (ranging from 62 to 82 percent) approved of each policy proposal.
Women and Democrats were much more likely to find the person-centered care proposals helpful than men and Republicans, although majorities in all groups supported each policy, the survey showed.
Meanwhile, younger respondents as well as those with long-term care experience were also found to be more likely to support person-centered care proposals.
The survey defined person-centered care as “care [that] is directed by the individual needing care and allows him or her to identify their goals, preferences, and desired outcomes in an effort to improve their overall quality of life.”
More information about the survey is available at the Associated Press website.
— by Matthew Ozga
