HelpAge International, VALID International, and Brixton Health, with financial assistance from the Humanitarian Innovation Fund (HIF), have developed a Rapid Assessment Method for Older People (RAM-OP) that provides accurate and reliable estimates of the needs of older people. The method uses simple procedures, in a short time frame (i.e. about two weeks including training, data collection, data entry, and data analysis), and at considerably lower cost than other methods. The RAM-OP method is based on the following principles:
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Use of a familiar “household survey” design employing a two-stage cluster sample design optimised to allow the use of a small primary sample (m ≥ 16 clusters) and a small overall (n ≥ 192) sample.
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Assessment of multiple dimensions of need in older people (including prevalence of global, moderate and severe acute malnutrition) using, whenever possible, standard and well-tested indicators and question sets.
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Data analysis performed using modern computer-intensive methods to allow estimates of indicator levels to be made with useful precision using a small sample size.