Table 2.
Measures and methods used in studies/reports of social referral by frequency (n=41)
| Measure/method | No of studies/reports using measure/method | Examples of programme aims addressed* |
| Semistructured interviews to explore patient experience | 14 | NA† |
| Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (14 or 7 item) | 9 | Improved mental well-being Improved physical well-being Improved social well-being |
| Number of GP appointments (administrative) | 6 | Optimised health service use Reduced health service cost Improved physical well-being |
| Short case description of participant experience | 6 | Improved physical well-being Improved social well-being Optimised health service use |
| Emergency department admissions/Hospital Episode Statistics (administrative) | 6 | Optimised health service use |
| Demographic questions | 5 | Improved mental well-being |
| Cost analysis | 5 | Reduced health service cost Optimised health service use |
| Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale | 5 | Improved mental well-being Improved physical well-being |
| Focus group with patients to explore patient outcomes | 4 | NA‡ |
| General Health Questionnaire-12 | 3 | Improved mental well-being Improved physical well-being |
| No. of secondary referrals (administrative) | 3 | Optimised health service use Reduced health service cost |
| Geriatric Depression Scale | 2 | Improved mental well-being |
| Focus group with family members who engaged with the service to explore service experience | 2 | NA‡ |
| Hospital admissions length (administrative) | 2 | Optimised health service use |
| Reason for referral | 2 | Improved mental well-being Optimised health service use |
| Referral records (eg, what activities were referred to) | 2 | Improved social well-being |
| Social Return on Investment Analysis | 2 | Reduced health service cost Improved mental well-being |
| Work and Social Adjustment Scale | 2 | Improved social well-being |
| No. of Hospital Admissions (administrative) | 2 | Optimised health service use |
| No. of prescriptions for psychosocial reasons (administrative) | 2 | Optimised health service use Improved mental well-being |
Where the measure or method was used in n>1 report or study.
*These are only example aims because it was not always clear how each aim and measure matched up.
†Not applicable as the qualitative semistructured interviews and focus groups were exploratory and did not have a specific programme aim to measure.