Questionnaire DesignFor the past several weeks you have been researching the various methods used to assess PTSD in Women. To that end, you have described the measuring tools used previously to assess

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Women

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Women

Post-traumatic stress disorders are mental conditions such as flashbacks and nightmares which individuals in our case women develop when they undergo or witness terrifying events in their life (Rust & Golombok, 2009). For research on this to be done, the following objectives must be adhered to; how to determine ways for lifetime prevention of traumatic life events, how to identify post-traumatic stress disorders, identification of harmful effects of traumatic stress disorder, medication of stress disorders and signs and symptoms of stress disorders. Post-traumatic stress disorders have various effects on women. First, mental health problems (such a feeling of anger, being shocked. Secondly, experiencing fear. Third, feeling guilty and being over anxious. Forth, physical health problems such as pain, obesity and heart problems. Fifth, work problems such as concentration issues, disorganization when at work and deficits in managing a relationship (Rust & Golombok, 2009).

Measurement of the Effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders among Women

Mental health problems among women who have undergone post-traumatic stress disorders can be measured through; use of psychotropic medications, doctor’s billings for outpatient mental health visits, self-reported sub as well as full diagnostic of disorders. To begin with self-reported mental health problems, data from participants may be analyzed whose source may be from health survey programs which provide data to use in determining the determinants of health. This data is extracted from functional, social demographic and economic correlates of health. There is always a need to aim at increasing the understanding before health status and health care utilization. Statistics should be done on a wide variety of women to aim at having a fair representative sample.

Secondly, measures for self-reported diagnostic disorders can also be included in the research. For example, those women who admit to having signs which satisfy full criteria for depression, anxiety and those who report signs which do not meet any full criteria for any disorder but only for just a mental disorder (Robyn, Joel, Cara, & Sarah, 2009). There is need to use those stipulations that have been laid down by the world health organization for good sample collection and analysis regarding post-traumatic disorders among women. The physician's billings mental health indicator can be obtained from medical services claims database of each country or even province. This will help to calculate the proportion of mental health diagnostics billing codes covering depression and anxiety as entered by the physicians. The results should be adjusted by a certain percentage to avoid overestimation of patients who had mental health symptoms and if those who never reported had no health problems.

In testing the physical health problems, women seeking help from agencies that deal with issues pertaining women can be used to as respondents. The Penne baker’s inventory of languidness (PILL) which consists of 54 items that access the frequency of how many health problems occur can be used. Four items will be added to the PILL to measure the most women-specific health problem fully. These items will include vaginal infections, painful monthly periods, problems that come before monthly periods such as a headache as well as symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes. A scale is running from 1 to 5 (have never to more than once every week respectively) overall score will be obtained the sum of items each woman endorsed.

For effects of post-traumatic stress disorder in women on their work and relationships, one can choose to use some approaches to estimate their effects. For instance, one could identify a group of women whom they can ask if they at any time during their working hour's lack of concentration, sleep, staying being organized as well as lack of attention to their work. One can also inquire if they are employed as in most cases; people with post-traumatic stress disorders are always unemployed.

The most widely used and known type of test for gathering information from respondents is multiple choice questions test (Al-Rukban, 2006). This is because they can be used to measure most outcomes such as anxiety, headache, disorganization at work and sleeping problems among women who have undergone post-traumatic stress disorders. The single best option test is constructed by first including a table of the specification as it is a guide for the construction of a test that will cater for all the constructs originating from post-traumatic stress disorders. A specific question is set on aspects such as fatigue. An appropriate context for the question is chosen, responses are provided. They should be as short as possible. The researcher will ask for the uppermost or the lowermost mark of range or degree.

A clinical case should start with the problem presentation and be followed by relevant signs; symptoms initial treatments and subsequent findings. Use of imprecise words and ambiguous constructions should be avoided. Also, negative stems ought to be avoided. The options list should be arranged in a logical order as this limit guessing and misallocation of the correct answer. Multiple choice answers can be organized into sets that will use one list of items in the test; this is referred to as extended matching items. It consists of a theme, options list, lead in a statement and at least two item stems. The options list should be followed by two or more patient based items requiring the researcher to indicate a clinical decision for each test. The patient (woman) is after that asked to match one or more options to each item stem.

Length of the Test

The tests chosen should be short because the shorter the test, the higher the levels of accuracy. This helps to ensure proper collection and analysis of data. Shorter tests have numerous examples such as they take a shorter period to be performed. It is therefore recommended that the tests in measuring the post-traumatic disorders should be short and brief. Secondly, tests should be in a way that they pinpoint accurate report on errors as well as providing a good platform for easier test case management.

Modes of Test Delivery

These tests can be delivered in various ways such as paper-based delivery. In this case, the assessments are delivered to women on a paper but with an option reader mark with the optical mark reader tallying the exam marks. They can be delivered through network delivery where women can access the tests through software applications distributed across a local network or even copy to their machines. The purpose of the software will be to issue the assessment as well as to mark it.

References

Al-Rukban, M. O. (2006). Guidelines for the construction of multiple-choice questions tests. Family and community medicine, 125-133.

Robyn, T., Joel, L., Cara, T., & Sarah, R. (2009). Indicators for Measuring Mental Health: Towards Better Surveillance. Health Policy, 177-186.

Rust, J., & Golombok, S. (2009). Modern Psychometrics: The science of psychological

assessment (3rd Ed.). New York: Routledge.