Service Consciousness and Service Knowledge among Older Americans

Abstract

This article explores statistical relationships between socioeconomic characteristics of elderly persons in a large region of California and their consciousness and knowledge of services available to them. Regression and probit estimation are used to analyze survey data. Service knowledge is a prerequisite to utilization or informal referrals and general consciousness of services increases the probability that older persons will search for services to meet their needs. Education, age, sex, rurality, and minority status are found to be associated with service consciousness and knowledge, although a number of other characteristics have significant associations for at most a few services.

Understanding and Controlling Response Bias in Needs Assessment Studies

“…Past researchers have not examined the impact of occupational status on agency awareness, but numerous studies have studied the effect of a related variable, income, on agency awareness. Some studies have found a positive relationship between income and agency awareness (Calsyn and Roades 1993;Snider 1980;Ward, Sherman and LaGory 1984), while other studies have reported no relationship between income and agency awareness (Calsyn, Roades, and Klinkenberg 1998;Krout 1985;Kushman and Freeman 1986). The relationship of agency awareness with experience or general overclaiming has not been investigated in prior studies.…”

“…Because most past research on agency awareness has not controlled for agency awareness overclaiming, the issue of accuracy has not been addressed by prior researchers. Most previous studies, however, have reported a positive relationship between education and agency awareness (Calsyn and Roades 1993;Chapleski 1989;Krout 1983Krout , 1985Kushman and Freeman 1986;Snider 1980). Past researchers have not examined the impact of occupational status on agency awareness, but numerous studies have studied the effect of a related variable, income, on agency awareness.…”

Predicting Older Adults' Knowledge of Services

“…Education has been the one predisposing variable which has consistently correlated positively with service knowledge (Calsyn & Roades, 1993;Chapleski, 1989;Krout, 1983;Krout,. 1985;Kushman & Freeman, 1986;Snider, 1980). Service knowledge also appears to be greater in participants who live in larger communities (Krout, 1988;Kushman & Freeman, 1986;Mindel &Wright, 1982).…”

“…1985;Kushman & Freeman, 1986;Snider, 1980). Service knowledge also appears to be greater in participants who live in larger communities (Krout, 1988;Kushman & Freeman, 1986;Mindel &Wright, 1982).…”

“…Although Gout (1985) found a positive correlation between age and service knowledge, most other studies have found either a negative correlation (Calsyn & Roades, 1993;Chapleski, 1989;Starret, Todd, & DeLeon, 1989;Snider, 1980) or no significant correlation (Calsyn, Roades, & Klinkenberg, 1996;Mindel & Wright, 1982). In some studies females exhibit more service knowledge than males (Krout, 1985;Kushman & Freeman, 1986), whereas other studies report no effects of gender on service knowledge (Calsyn & Roades, 1993;Calsyn, Roades, & Klinkenberg, 1996;Krout, 1988;Snider, 1980;Starrett, & Decker, 1987). Education has been the one predisposing variable which has consistently correlated positively with service knowledge (Calsyn & Roades, 1993;Chapleski, 1989;Krout, 1983;Krout,.…”