Table 2 Expected associations with ASCOT-SCT4 index or the revised items (Food and drink, Dignity)
Variable | Expected Associations |
|---|---|
Health and disability | |
 ADLs and IADLs | ADLs and IADLs capture how well an individual is able to undertake everyday activities without the compensatory action of social care support. As such, I/ADLs are often used as measures of ‘need’ in social care research. Since the ASCOT-SCT4 response options relate to ‘needs’, as well as preferences and choice (i.e. ‘ideal state’), it is anticipated that difficulty undertaking I/ADLs will be negatively associated with the ASCOT-SCT4 index. The food-related I/ADLs (i.e. feed self and shopping) are also expected to be negatively associated with Food and drink. |
Home and local environment | |
 Self-rated suitability of home design | Poor rating of the design of the home in relation to an individual’s needs may make it more difficult to provide safe and optimal care in the home environment. Therefore, a positive relationship between rating of more suitable home design and ASCOT-SCT4 index score was expected. |
 Accessibility of the local area | We expected poor accessibility of the local area to be associated with poorer social care-related quality of life due to limitations it places on ability to get around outdoors for leisure or social activities or feeling able to make choices about what to do and where to go. |
Social contact and loneliness | |
 Three-item Loneliness Scale | A negative association between increased loneliness and ASCOT-SCT4 index score was expected due to the relationship between loneliness, depression and quality of life [38]. |
Service satisfaction and quality | |
 Quality of home care | A positive association was expected between these items capturing aspects associated with the quality of the delivery of care by care workers (e.g. care workers come at suitable times, do things you want done, arrive on time, not in a rush or spend less time than supposed to, and respondent is kept informed about changes in care) and Dignity. In particular, we expected the global rating of the way the person felt they were treated by the care worker to be associated with Dignity. |
 Satisfaction with services | A positive association was expected between satisfaction with social care services and social care-related quality of life, for the ASCOT-SCT4 index score and also the item ratings for Dignity and Food and drink. |