Retention in Psychosocial Services Knowledge Item 09: Results from HRSA/HAB's SPNS Innovative Models of Care

Knowledge Item: CA-Retention in Psychosocial Services-09
Retention as a Function of Site, Race-Ethnicity, Age Group, Gender, and Phase of the Program

Cox (proportional hazards) and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to study the time that 2063 clients, in 10 programs, were retained in psychosocial services designed to support their medical treatment. Combining data from the ten programs, the mean estimated time of program retention is 710.73 days (standard error = 17.41 days). The median time of retention in program is 529 days.

Cox regression for proportional hazards, a type of survival analysis, was used to study the time that clients were retained in psychosocial services. Pooling the data and controlling for site differences, the combined effects of gender, ethnic-racial background, and age are shown. Pooling across all projects, the only effects are for site differences and ethnic-racial group.

Gender and age differences do not predict retention in programs after the fact that different projects attract clients with differing demographic characteristics is controlled. Controlling for site effects, there is still a significant effect for ethnic-racial group such that while African Americans, members of "small" groups, and Caucasians have about the same retention rate, Hispanic clients are more likely to be retained in the programs.

Knowledge Item Citation: Huba, G. J., Melchior, L. A., Panter, A. T., and the HRSA/HAB SPNS Cooperative Agreement Steering Committee (1998-2001). Knowledge Item: CA-Retention in Psychosocial Services-09 from HRSA/HAB's SPNS Cooperative Agreements on Innovative Models of Care, The Measurement Group Knowledge Base on HIV/AIDS Care, Online at www.TheMeasurementGroup.com.

Last Updated: March 25, 2005; data through June 15, 1999; analyses conducted December 1999.

Knowledge Base Citation: The Knowledge Base and this Knowledge Item were designed and authored by G. J. Huba, Ph.D.; in collaboration with Lisa A. Melchior, Ph.D.; A. T. Panter, Ph.D.; and the staff of The Measurement Group. Cite this work as "Huba, G. J., Melchior, L. A., and Panter, A. T. (1998 - 2001). The Measurement Group Knowledge Base on HIV/AIDS Care. On the World Wide Web: http://www.TheMeasurementGroup.com."

Questions or Comments: Contact The Measurement Group.

Use of Knowledge Base Information: Acceptable Uses and Limitations.

Collaborators from Participating Projects: Cooperative Agreement Steering Committee 1999.

Participating Projects: This Knowledge Base is based on the service delivery experiences of 27 Cooperative Agreement Projects on Innovative Models of HIV/AIDS Care. These projects and the Evaluation and Dissemination Center which produced this Knowledge Base were funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) as Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) between 1994 and 1999. Click the Model Programs button above for descriptions of the projects that contributed to this specific Knowledge Item, a list of key staff, and project grant numbers.

Why This Evaluation was Conducted: Editorial.

More Information: Design of this Knowledge Base.

Recommended Citation Format for Web Materials: American Psychological Association Publication Manual Section, Revised 2001.

Work on the Knowledge Base and the cross-cutting evaluation was supported in part by Grant Number 5 U90 HA 00030-05 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau's (HAB) Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS). The contents of this Knowledge Base are solely the responsibility of The Measurement Group and do not necessarily represent the official views of HRSA or HRSA/HAB's Special Projects of National Significance nor may they represent the positions of the individual grantees whose projects are included in the cross-cutting evaluation.