Background
VERA is a research project that aims to improve knowledge about what leads to positive outcomes in women’s health services at the Salvation Army’s Street Hospital. Women in vulnerable life situations, often with substance use challenges, frequently face barriers in the healthcare system. They may experience stigma, lack of trust, and services that are not well adapted to their needs. At the same time, there are few effective ways to measure what actually works in this type of service.
Aim: Develop a stronger knowledge base for evaluating women's health services
The project addresses the need to better understand what truly matters to those who receive and provide care. VERA explores which outcomes patients and staff consider meaningful, what creates safety and a sense of mastery, and how positive change can be understood and followed up over time. The aim is to develop a stronger knowledge base for evaluating women’s health services.
This is highly relevant, as there is currently a lack of systematic and tailored evaluation tools for services targeting women with complex needs. Increased knowledge can help strengthen service quality and ensure that services are developed in line with patients’ experiences and needs.
SINTEF leads the project and contributes research expertise and methods. Through interviews with patients and staff, experiences are collected and systematically analysed. The results will form the basis for a possible evaluation tool that is relevant, practical, and adapted to the work at the Street Hospital.