One of the important benefits of completing the MDS is having standard questions used for evaluating all quitlines. In an effort to meet the needs of the field, the following process for developing standard optional has been developed.
Process for requesting the development of a standard optional question:
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Request: Any NAQC member or group of members can make a request to develop a standard optional question for MDS. The request should include the name and contact information of requesting member(s) and the topic of the standard question. It can be sent to:
jsaul@naquitline.org.
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Initial Discussion: NAQC's director of research or co-chairs of the Research and Evaluation Working Group (R&E) will contact the requesting member(s) to discuss the topic of the question and to assure that there is no duplication of effort underway.
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Action by Requesting Member(s): Requesting member(s) is responsible for drafting a background document for the R&E working group and for participating in one or two meetings with the working group to discuss the request. This meeting is likely to be by conference call. The content of the background document should include (a) description of the question topic and statement of rationale for developing a standard optional question on this topic; (b) an assessment of the level of interest in the question topic among NAQC members (note - NAQC can help the requesting member(s) gather this information); (c) a listing of questions that are currently being used by quitlines or research projects relevant to the topic; and (d) a proposed standard optional question.
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Action by R&E Working Group: The working group will circulate the background document to members for consideration and will convene a meeting with the requesting member(s). The working group will either (a) make a decision during the meeting; or (b) require additional information and deliberation. The working group may decide to meet again by conference call or to make a final decision at its annual meeting.
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Posting of information about requests: Information about requests will be posted on NAQC's website along with final decisions by the working group. Standard optional questions will be posted as well.
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Updating the MDS: As needed, the R&E working group will meet to review and update the MDS. At that time, the working group will consider new questions that should be added to and current questions that should be deleted or revised from the MDS data set.
Requests for Standard Optional Questions for MDS:
Topic: Sexual Orientation
Date of Request: June 2005
Status: Approved by Research and Evaluation Working Group, March 2006
Approved Standard Optional Questions for MDS:
Topic: Sexual Orientation:
Do you consider yourself to be:
a) Heterosexual or straight;
b) Gay or Lesbian;
c) Bisexual; Don't read:
d) Don't know;
e) Refused
Note: As the question is read, read aloud the letters, i.e. "a, Heterosexual or straight; b, Gay or Lesbian; c, Bisexual". This allows the caller to say a letter if, for whatever reason, they are uncomfortable saying the words.
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