Answer to Question 1
ANS: D
Multilevel analysis is a statistical technique that is useful when data exist at several different levels; for example, if data are nested or if a study has several different units of analysis. It has been used in epidemiology to study how environmental factors (aggregate-level characteristics) and individual attributes and behaviors (individual-level characteristics) interact to influence individual-level health behaviors and disease risks. Variance analysis is used to track individual and group variance from a specific critical pathway. In analysis of improvement, in addition to reporting the mean improvement score for all patients treated, it is important to report what percentage of patients improved. Do all patients improve slightly, or is there a divergence among patients, with some improving greatly and others not improving at all? With the focus on outcomes studies has come a renewed interest in methods of analyzing changethis refers to change of any sort, and it is a global term.
Answer to Question 2
ANS: A, C, D, E
Outcomes research focuses on the end results of patient care. The momentum propelling outcomes research comes primarily from policymakers, insurers, and the public. There is a growing demand for data from providers that justify interventions, costs, and systems of care that demonstrate improved patient outcomes. By linking the care people receive to the outcomes they experience, outcomes research has become the key to developing better ways to monitor and improve the quality of care.