Page 106 - Reduction of coercive measures

Chapter 5
Method
Study setting
The care organization in this study served around 9,500 people with ID across all levels of severity and all ages. Spread throughout the Netherlands, residential care was provided in areas designed as parks owned by the institution or in districts of villages and cities, including day-care centers and outpatient clinics. A broad spectrum of care was provided, including support for living with intellectual and physical disabilities as well as treatment for additional psychiatric problems, challenging behavior, and health problems. For the trial, care units (N = 50) were randomly selected from a total of 566 24-hour care units. Units were included if they provided care for at least four residents, in order to allow estimation of unit-level effects. There were no other inclusion criteria in addition to 24/7 care.
Procedure
Recruitment and data collection followed a study protocol approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Over a period of two years, data were collected on the starting dates and end dates of coercive measures recorded for each of the units participating in the trial. Staff and residents of these units were informed about the study and asked for their consent for participation in the trial. Residents or their representatives were approached by letter, which contained information on the study and a form to indicate informed consent a with study participation. Capacity of residents to make informed decisions was determined in consultation with care staff, legal representatives, and residents themselves. The letter was followed up by a phone call by an employee of the care organization.
At the start of the study 169 residents or representatives indicated written consent. Support staff was invited for participation by e-mail. Additional explanation was provided by e-mail or phone. No members of staff refused participation.
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