Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Duffrin, Melani W.

Degree Name

Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Legacy Department

School of Interdisciplinary Health Professions

Abstract

This dissertation explores the psychometric properties and performance of the P-PAM (Pilot Patient Activation Measure) through a retrospective analysis of nationally representative cross-sectional data collected in 2017 by the Acumen Health Research Institute. Study 1 focuses on examining the psychometric properties of P-PAM, which revealed that patient activation is a multidimensional construct encompassing knowledge and actions and accountability. This finding contrasts with the previously dominant unidimensional PAM-13 measure and aligns with recent studies indicating that patient activation involves multiple dimensions. Here, the P-PAM shows good reliability and validity, though its test-retest reliability and ability to detect change require further longitudinal studies. Studies 2 and 3 evaluate P-PAM's performance in health studies. Study 2 uses P-PAM to examine racial and ethnic disparities in patient activation, finding that Asian people have significantly lower scores than Non-Hispanic White people in both knowledge and actions scores and accountability scores. Hispanic people have lower accountability scores but similar knowledge and actions scores compared to Non-Hispanic White people, which is consistent with prior literature. Study 3 explores the relationship between patient activation and health-related quality of life, revealing a weak positive correlation, which is stronger among those with chronic diseases, supporting earlier findings that higher patient activation correlates with better health outcomes. Overall, the dissertation supports P-PAM as a reliable tool for measuring patient activation, with potential applications in enhancing healthcare delivery and policy.

Extent

109 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

Available for download on Sunday, June 13, 2027

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