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Appendix 1: Methodology
Identifying Materials
A number of steps were undertaken to identify the relevant literature:
- Identification of relevant research, policy papers and data through contacts in the Executive -received a number of internal documents, as well as references to other pieces of recent research.
- Review of information available from key research bodies. There include:
- Scottish Executive
- Scottish Parliament ( SPICe)
- ODPM
- Communities Scotland/ Scottish Homes
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- SFHA
- Age Concern/ Age Concern Scotland
- Help the Aged
- Alzheimer Scotland
- University of York, Centre for Housing Policy
- University of Glasgow, Community Care Works (formerly the Nuffield Centre)
- Queen Margaret College, Royal Bank Centre for the Older Person's Agenda, (including the SHARE database of good practice)
- A comprehensive search through IDOX, using a range of Boolean search criteria, including:
- elderly OR aged OR geriatric OR older
- housing OR home OR accommodation
- Scottish OR Scotland
- The initial search included Scottish references, and these were later removed for a broader search of the literature. References were grouped into those from 1980- 1999 and those from 2000-2006. This process identified a good coverage of the literature in relation to Scotland. However, the volume of literature identified in the English search was too great. It was therefore necessary to further refine the search. This has been achieved by searching the titles and abstracts for key words and phrases. The key words that have been used are:
- Housing policy
- Literature
- Case studies
- Research review
- The aim of this was to access references that were most likely to have examples of models and research findings that might be applicable in Scotland.
A further search of the Social SciSearch database was also undertaken. This is a multi-disciplinary, international index that covers a wide range of publications likely to have information on housing for older people. The search terms were the same as the IDOX search, though an additional search was also carried out in relation to telecare services, due to the limited feedback from the IDOX search in this field.
The 'grey' unpublished literature has come from a range of sources including local authority consultations in relation to any research they have undertaken in this field, and references passed on by the project advisory group.
In order to focus on the most relevant and appropriate literature, all abstracts were reviewed, and given a relevancy rating. This was based on the coverage of housing issues, decisions and models of provision for older people. All those with the top relevancy rating were included n the review. Those with lower ratings were included where information indicated that the literature was based on sound, evidence based research. In writing up the review, the focus was on those studies that provided qualitative and quantitative research using robust methods. However, literature from other commentators was also included to provide a balance between academic research and those with experience of delivering services.
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