Evaluating a Bio-Terrorism Preparedness Campaign for Veterans
Principal Investigator: Karen S. Quigley, PhD
Rationale:The greatest payoff in fighting bio-terrorism lies in improving our response by being prepared. Though there are educational efforts for preparing emergency responders, health care workers, and state/local agencies to deal with a possible bio-terrorism event, there have been very little efforts at preparing the public for such a disaster. This work focuses on developing and evaluating an educational campaign aimed at reducing veterans' current anxiety about a future bio-terrorism occurrence. The study represents a collaborative effort of several VA centers and will involve six VISNs.
Objective: To develop educational material for veterans which will provide information about bio-terrorism and coping mechanisms for dealing with such a disaster. 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of such material in improving knowledge, coping mechanisms and confidence in the VA as ell as decreasing anxiety over a future occurrence. 3. To compare the overall effectiveness of such material when delivered to veterans via the Internet as opposed to a standard printed version. 4. To establish a mechanism allowing for the future comparison of health care utilization patterns in response to a bioterrorism disaster in those veterans receiving the education and demonstrating an improved survey score with those receiving the intervention but not demonstrating a significant improvement in scores.
Method: This study will be conducted in two concurrent phases, within two different settings and targeting two different populations of veterans. A hospital-based approach (HBA) will take place in 12 hospitals within three VISNs and will target veterans who are utilizers of VHA care. The East Orange VAMC has been selected to be included in the HBA. The design will be a controlled trial randomized at the facility level with facilities randomized to receive printed educational material on bioterrorism, web-based educational material on bio-terrorism, or printed material on veteran's benefits (serving as a comparison group). A community-based approach (CBA) will target veterans (in three other VISNs) who are receiving compensation benefits but are not utilizing VHA care. Randomization in this approach will occur at the individual veteran level, either to printed or web-based material on bio-terrorism or printed material on benefits. Veterans who enroll in the study will be mailed a baseline veterans survey on bio-terrorism (VSOB), followed by exposure to the intervention over a six month period and then a follow-up VSOB. Veterans in the HBA group will receive the material during routine visits to the hospitals, while veterans in the CBA group will receive the material via the mail. An intent-to-treat analysis will be conducted separately for both approaches.
Significance: The research is significant and unique in that it proposes to develop and evaluate educational material focusing on bio-terrorism for the veterans. This material is aimed at improving knowledge about bio- terrorism, providing coping mechanisms and in the process minimizing the current levels of anxiety as well as future psychological/societal consequences of an attack.
Status: The project is ongoing.