bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultural Competence & Citizen-Administrator Value Congruence
Authors: Boyd-Swan Casey H. , Molina Anthony D.
Published: May 2024

The purpose of this article is to offer a useful approach for improving cultural competence among public administrators by examining differences in public service value congruence across racial lines. Instruments that assess the degree of fit between the values of citizens and public administrators may be helpful, as one tool among an array of tools, for improving the cultural competence of public administrators. Along these lines, this article reports the results of a study that utilized an original survey instrument to measure differences across racial lines in public service value congruence between citizens and police officers, its effects on citizen perceptions of police-community relations, and the implications that these differences have for the development of cultural competence.
Crossing the Influence Gap: Clarifying the Benefits of Earlier Interest Group Involvement in Shaping Regulatory Policy
Authors: Cook Jeffrey J.
Published: May 2024

Extant literature demonstrates that interest groups impact regulatory outcomes at each stage in the rulemaking process. It is unclear whether earlier involvement during the pre-proposal stage affects a group's ability to influence outcomes during the notice and comment stage as well. This research addresses this gap, through an analysis of three case studies of rulemakings completed at the Environmental Protection Agency. The original interviews and public comment analysis illustrate a relationship between earlier involvement and influence during the notice and comment stage. Those interviewees that participated during the pre-proposal stage were more successful in receiving rule changes than those that did not. This suggests that scholars should analyze interest group involvement and impact across the rulemaking process to more effectively explain rulemaking outcomes and clarify group influence.
Political Conflict in City Councils: Implications for Power and Leadership of Professional Managers
Authors: Demir Tansu , Reddick Christopher G. , Ponomariov Branco
Published: May 2024

Conflict over policy issues among elected officials is often observed in local governments However, the impact of this conflict on city managers’ power and leadership has been a relatively unexplored area of research. This empirical study presents a testable triangle of relationships between political conflict in policymaking boards of municipal governments, manager's power, and manager's leadership. We also offer manager's power as a mediating variable to better understand the relationship between political conflict and manager's leadership. Using a comprehensive dataset of survey responses from city managers in the United States local governments, we test our model and discuss the findings in light of the contemporary public administration literature. Our statistical results confirmed that power and leadership were correlated with each other. Managers with greater power are more likely to emerge as leaders. The findings have important implications for local government management.
“Those who Agree to Play on our Terms will be Taken In”: A Qualitative Study on the Perceptions of Public Authorities and Ngo Representatives regarding Self-Organizing Fourth-Sector Activity
Authors: Raisio Harri , Puustinen Alisa , Norri-Sederholm Teija , Jalava Janne
Published: May 2024

Interest is growing in the role of spontaneous volunteers and emergent citizens groups in safety and security functions. This study connects those actors to the broad concept of the self-organizing fourth sector and analyzes the opinions of more than 200 Finnish representatives of public-and the third-sector organizations gathered through interviews and small group discussion on the tensions related to fourth-sector activity. The study reveals a strong desire to control the fourth sector, a desire that dominates any associated desire to enable it. The tension between enabling and controlling can be tamed by moving the fourth-sector actors under the control of the third sector. However, the role of the fourth sector is then reduced to being merely an extra pair of hands, and its self-organizing and emergent nature is subsumed. The debate over the paradox of spontaneous volunteering needs to be resolved before the fourth sector becomes a normal and acknowledged part of the security and safety functions.
Attitudinal Effects of Ethical Work Climate: An Organizational Analysis
Authors: Jeon So Hee , Kukla-Acevedo Sharon
Published: May 2024

The past two decades have observed a growing research interest in understanding the impact of ethical organizational context on public employee work attitudes. This study contributes to this growing body of literature on the link between ethics and management by examining how public agencies’ level of ethical work climate (EWC) influences agency-level work motivation and turnover intention rate (measured separately as intention to transfer to another agency and intention to leave the federal government). An organizational-level analysis of federal government data shows that EWC is a critical element of a desirable workplace where employees are motivated to work hard. A federal agency's level of EWC is also associated with the agency's transfer intention rate, but not with the agency's rate of employees intending to leave the federal government. The paper discusses implications of the research findings and concludes by discussing its limitations and making suggestions for future research.
A Local Programmatic Approach to Organizational Capacity: Summer Meals for Children, Federal Policy Failure, and a Threat to the Enterprise of Public Administration
Authors: Berner Maureen , Vazquez Alexander , Mcdougall Meagan E.
Published: May 2024

Current proposals to devolve federal programs to states suggest local partners will continue to play a significant role in federal program delivery. Can they meet the challenge? We explore the general applicability of prior capacity research to current ground-level implementors of federal social policy—local governments, school districts, and non-profits. To do so, we bring together organizational theory, concepts of capacity, and implementation science to propose a new framework for understanding organizational capacity at the local level. We ask which types of capacity are important to program implementation, and seek to identify the ‘tipping’ point at which local organizations chose to forgo or are unable to ensure program delivery. Interviews with dozens of local partners for a struggling federal food assistance program suggest that a lack of capacity at the local level, especially financial, can threaten program implementation success to the point where local partners chose to no longer offer services. When programs fail due to program design, the enterprise of public administration is brought into question.
Predicting Hospital Closure Using Popular Financial Indicators: An Exploratory Study of Muhlenberg Hospital
Authors: Crosby Andrew , Knepper Hillary J. , Levine Helisse
Published: May 2024

The role of government in the U.S. healthcare system is critical and hospitals play fundamental roles in our communities, among them critical healthcare provider and major employer. The federal funding program Medicare, and the federal-state funding source, Medicaid, are the two public health financing mechanisms that comprise significant funding to hospitals. Further, Medicare and Medicaid account for approximately 37 percent of all health expenditures in the U.S. (United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 2018), and more than 60 percent of all hospital care (American Hospital Association, 2016).

The public administration roles in the $3.4 trillion U.S. healthcare industry span that of provider, purchaser of services, initiatives and research funder, regulator, and policy implementer. In today's precarious political climate, amidst layers of government bureaucracies and an increased focus on better and fairer healthcare outcomes, the integration of public policy, administration, and healthcare has become increasingly important to practitioners and researchers. Indeed, the American Hospital Association tallies 5,564 hospitals in the United States, with 16 million employees and accounting for about one-sixth of the U.S. economy. Recently, of particular importance is the rise in U.S. hospital closures that impact healthcare and the economy in our local communities.

This study contributes to the literature by identifying indicators for detecting warning trends in hospital financial condition before closures occur using a parsimonious system that can be replicated by both practitioners and policymakers with minimal data gathering efforts. The findings discussed here suggest that in the case of Muhlenberg Hospital, a clear trend of worsening financial condition could be detected at least four years prior to its closure. Current ratio, total margin, and debt to net asset ratio for Muhlenberg Hospital evidenced very clear indicators of financial instability. Consequently, the question emerges as to why neither the hospital nor the community was able to adequately negotiate these treacherous financial challenges to retain this valuable community asset.
Telework and Work Flexibility in the United States Federal Government Post-Pandemic
Authors: Hunter Lance Y. , Ginn Martha , Meares Wesley L. , Hatcher William
Published: May 2024

A decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States (US) federal government was working to create flexible work environments for employees under the 2010 Telework Enhancement Act. Given this reality and the growing desire for greater flexibility of workers inspired by the “Great Resignation” during the pandemic, the US federal government appears to have recovered lost employees faster than other levels of the public sector. Still, given that federal workers skew older with less than a tenth of the workforce being under age 30 years and nearly a third reaching retirement age, a true crisis still looms in our administrative state. Using the 2021 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey Data, we analyze what factors predict turnover intention post-pandemic, focusing the analysis on teleworking and other workplace flexibility policies. We use the findings to make recommendations to help increase employee recruitment and retention within the US federal government.
Drawing Generalizable Conclusions From Multilevel Models: Commentary on
Authors: Fiechter Joshua L.
Published: May 2024

In a recently published article, Van de Calseyde and Efendić (2022) argue that inner-crowd wisdom (i.e., the reduction in error afforded by aggregating two estimates from a given person relative to a single initial estimate from that person) is enhanced when people are instructed to adopt the perspective of someone with whom they disagree prior to making a second estimate. Here, I present a reanalysis of Van de Calseyde and Efendić’s data and argue that evidence supporting their primary claim spuriously arises from anticonservative multilevel models. Specifically, Van de Calseyde and Efendić assess their data via random-intercept models and fail to account for item-level effects of experimental condition. Such an approach generally allows analysts to reap the enhanced statistical power of multilevel models without implementing appropriate checks on that power; in this case, underestimation of item-level variance appears to have driven an illusory benefit of perspective taking.
The Occupational, Safety, and Health of Florida Farm Workers: Environmental Justice in the Fields
Authors: Murphy-Greene M. Celeste
Published: May 2024

This study involves a survey of farm workers in two South Florida counties questioning the workers about pesticide exposure, health problems, and laws and legal rights. A finding is that the federal and state laws which are currently in place to protect the workers from pesticide exposure are not adequately implemented. Several of the health problems farm workers noted match the symptoms of moderate and mild pesticide poisoning. The study concludes with policy recommendations for federal and Florida officials to change and better enforce the current laws pertaining to farm workers.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Community Health Partnerships: A Stakeholder Accountability Approach
Authors: Weech-Maldonado Robert , Benson Keith J. , Gamm Larry D.
Published: May 2024

Community health partnerships (CHPs) are promoted as effective cooperative interorganizational relationships to improve community health status while conserving resources. However, relatively little is known about the effectiveness of these partnerships in achieving their goals. Using concepts from a network effectiveness framework (Provan and Milward, 2001) and a network accountability framework (Gamm, 1998), the authors propose that successful CHPs are those that are effective in multiple levels (community, network, organization/particpants) and/or accountability dimensions (political, commercial, clinical/patient, and community). The combined frameworks serve to identify a number of community health stakeholders and associated interests that vary according to accountability dimensions to which CHPs respond. Using survey data from over 400 participants in 25 Community Care Networks, the authors assess the usefulness of the conceptual framework in evaluating CHP effectiveness.

The results suggest that CHP participants recognize three different levels of analysis in their evaluation of network effectiveness: community, network, and organization/participant. Furthermore, the results show that respondents distinguish between two different organization/participant benefits: enabling and client services. While respondents rated the intangible resources or enabling benefits ( e.g., legitimacy and learning) of partnership participation most highly, client services resulting from CHP participation ( e.g., client services and referrals) received the lowest ratings. Community benefit ( e.g., improving community health status) and network effectiveness ( e.g., ability to provide efficient, high quality health and human services) received ratings that fall between the enabling and client services. Given the relatively good scores (above 60%) received by CHPs on all four effectiveness dimensions considered here, it appears that the majority of respondents find at least some evidence of network effectiveness across all three levels of network effectiveness and all four dimensions of accountability.
An Evaluation of a Medicaid Managed Maternity Program: The Impact of Comprehensive Care Coordination on Utilization and Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Nason Carroll S. , Alexander Greg R. , Pass Mary Ann , Bolland John M.
Published: May 2024

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of a Medicaid managed maternity care program in a public health department service population, analyzing race-specific models of WIC participation and risk of small-for-gestational age of term. There were 13,095 singleton deliveries during the period 1987–1990 to women with prenatal care in this managed maternity care program. The research design entailed comparison of the intervention group (those receiving regular prenatal care plus comprehensive care coordination in 1989–90) with an historical comparison group of women who received only regular prenatal care in the two years (1987–88).

For the intervention groups, black women were 1.7 times and white women 2.1 times more likely to participate in WIC than their comparison groups. The impact of care coordination on term-SGA births indicates a protective odds ratio of 0.851 for black women. Results for white women were not significant. These findings suggest that care coordination is associated with an increase in WIC participation and with lower risk of term-SGA births for black women but not for white women. The overall results add to growing evidence regarding the efficacy of comprehensive care coordination in improving specific pregnancy outcomes and inform our understanding of the evaluation of a comprehensive approach in preventive, community-based intervention.
Accountability in Social Service Contracting: The State Action Doctrine and Beyond
Authors: Ludowise Christine
Published: May 2024

The privatization of government services in the United States is not a new phenomenon. The growth of privatization has meant a greater role for private enterprise in the public sector. However, the privatization of social services leads inexorably to questions about where the responsibility for protecting citizen rights lies. Furthermore, as a greater number of public services are contracted out to private service providers, accountability may be redefined or de-emphasized. This study focuses on the current state of privatization and the constitutional accountability of private social service providers. It also suggests alternative methods to ensure accountability to service recipients and the public in the contracting process.
The Impact of the Pervasive Information Age on Healthcare Organizations
Authors: Landry Brett J. L. , Mahesh Sathi , Hartman Sandra J.
Published: May 2024

New information technologies place data on integrated information systems, and provide access via pervasive computing technologies. Pervasive computing puts computing power in the hands of all employees, available wherever it is needed. Integrated systems offer seamless data and process integration over diverse information systems. In this paper we look at the impact of these technologies on healthcare organizations in the future.
Utilization of Hospital Services among Older Rural Persons: A Comparison of Critical Access Hospitals and Community Hospitals
Authors: Collins Brian K. , Borders Tyrone F.
Published: May 2024

Critical access hospitals (CAHs) are intended to improve the accessibility of local emergency and short-term inpatient services, but limited research has evaluated their effects on hospital service utilization. This article asks whether the utilization of hospital and emergency room services differs between older persons residing in rural areas with a CAH versus a community hospital. Information about the utilization of hospital and emergency room services as well as demographic, health insurance, and health status factors were abstracted from a large population-based survey of community-dwelling elders (age 65 and older) residing in West Texas. The frequencies of hospital inpatient and emergency department admission do not differ between older persons who reside in counties with a CAH and a community hospital. These findings support the broad goals of the program and illustrate how Medicare can effectively support healthcare systems under fiscal stress.
An Exploration of Medical Professionals’ Perceptions of Managed Care and Policy Concepts: A Magnitude Estimation Approach
Authors: Hall Michael L. , Foldy John J.
Published: May 2024

The authors begin by establishing the information content of measurement as the critical element in seeking research findings. They go on to indicate that traditional social science scaling has not provided all the information necessary to accomplish the task of measurement. They review some of the relevant literature in the field where the most common measure, Likert type scaling, has been used. They contrast that literature with research based on magnitude estimation procedures. They then apply magnitude estimation procedures to study beliefs among physicians and health care providers regarding managed care. This procedure is a novel application of magnitude estimation having never been applied in managed care research. The magnitude estimation based data are determined to yield ratio scales with true zero points, thereby, representing the highest level of measurement information. The differences between the pairs of managed care concepts using these ratio scales show that the health care concepts have greater variation in distances between them than might have heretofore been recognized because of the limitations of the scales previously applied. Consequently, the data reported have the potential to yield greater information concerning the current state of physicians’ and providers’ beliefs regarding managed care. Policy implications are discussed.
Enforcement of Commercial Violations by Health Professional Regulatory Boards: A Research Note
Authors: Strong Denise
Published: May 2024

This article explores the nature of disciplinary decisions of health professional regulatory boards in response to commercial violations by licensees. Decisions of the Virginia Boards of Dentistry, Medicine and Optometry are analyzed to assess the extent to which disciplinary decisions appear to protect the economic interests of professionals versus the health, safety and welfare of the public. Sanctions imposed on commercial and non-commercial violations are compared. Given the criticism that regulatory boards are more concerned with commercial practices rather than quality of care practices, it was expected that board disciplinary actions would reflect this concern. The results indicate that there is no significant difference in the severity of sanctions imposed on both types of violations. Commercial violations, when compared with non-commercial violations, are not sanctioned more harshly by regulatory boards. The implications for self-interest theories of professional regulation and policies governing commercial practices of health professionals are discussed.
Sexual Assault Victim Advocates in Virginia: Challenges Faced in the Field
Authors: Carmody Dianne Cyr
Published: May 2024

In 2004, Virginia State Senate Joint Resolution 131 led to a study of services for sexual assault victims in Virginia. (Barbosa, Carmody, Gainey, Payne, Plichta, Sajko, Vandecar-Burdin, 2005) Utilizing a variety of research methodologies, the study examined the response by law enforcement, criminal justice, medical and social service agencies. It also included interviews with sexual assault victim advocates and focus group interviews with various professionals. This article summarizes major findings from the focus groups as well as the in-depth interviews with twenty- three sexual assault victim advocates in Virginia. It highlights the challenges they face and recommendations for change.
Domestic Violence and Diversity: A Call for Multucultural Services
Authors: Sumter Melvina
Published: May 2024

Domestic violence is a pervasive problem in virtually all countries, cultures, ethnic and racial groups, and social classes. A review of the literature indicates that in the vast scholarship on violence against women in intimate relationships, minimal attention has been given to experiences of ethnic minorities. Consequently, although there have been significant gains in providing criminal justice and social services initiatives to victims of domestic violence, many victims of intimate violence who are ethnic minorities underutilize the interventions and services available in part because their help-seeking behaviors differ from those of the dominant culture. As such, this paper provides an overview of some of the cultural barriers that may hinder the effectiveness as well as limit the amount of intervention and social services available for some of the most vulnerable victims of intimate violence. This paper concludes with recommendations that agencies as well as individual service providers can employ to increase their multicultural competency.
Urban/Rural Differences in Access and Barriers to Health Carefor People with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Buchanan Robert J. , Stuifbergen Alexa , Chakravorty Bonnie J. , Wang Suojin , Zhu Li , Kim Myungsuk
Published: May 2024

Context

People living in rural areas face barriers when seeking health care, often experiencing difficulties accessing health providers or facilities. Little is known about barriers to the use of health care confronting people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in rural areas.

Purpose

To identify any rural/urban differences in access and barriers to health services, including MS-focused care, among people with MS.

Methods

The data were collected in a survey of 1,518 people with MS living in all 50 States. The study included three geographic subgroups: urban areas; adjacent rural areas; and more remote rural areas.

Findings

We found significant rural/urban differences in access and barriers to care among people with MS, especially for MS-focused care. Significantly smaller proportions of people with MS from adjacent and more remote rural areas reported no difficulty getting MS-related care than their urban counterparts.

Conclusions

Greater difficulty accessing MS-related care experienced by people with MS in rural areas has negative implications for the quality of the MS care they receive.
The Development of the U.S. Health Care System and the Contemporary Role of the Public Health Department
Authors: Grott Catherine J.
Published: May 2024

The absence of national health care reform and the growing number of uninsured individuals in the United States have prompted states to develop plans to provide medical care for the low income and the indigent. Many local health departments are not only responsible for the core public health functions; but they are increasingly called upon to provide person health care services for those who cannot afford it. This article chronicles the development of the health care system in the United States and describes the contemporary role of the local public health department.
The Emergency Department and Victims of Sexual Violence: An Assessment of Preparedness to Help
Authors: Plichta Stacey Beth , Vandecar-Burdin Tancy , Odor Rebecca K , Reams Shani , Zhang Yan
Published: May 2024

The Emergency Department (ED) is a key source of care for victims of sexual violence but there is little information available about the extent to which EDs are prepared to provide this care. This study examines the structural and process factors that the ED has in place to assist victims. A survey of all 82 publicly accessible EDs in the Commonwealth of Virginia was conducted (RR 76%). In general, the EDs provide the recommended medical care to victims. However, at least half do not have the needed resources in place to effectively assist victims and most (80%) do not provide regular training to their medical staff about sexual violence. Further, almost one-quarter do not have a relationship with a local rape crisis center. It is recommended that each ED partner with local rape crisis centers to provide training to their staff and to ensure continuity of support for victims. It is also suggested that the state government explore ways in which a forensic (SANE) nurse be made available to every victim of sexual violence that presents to the ED for medical assistance. Ideally, each ED would become part of a community-wide Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) in order to provide comprehensive care to victims and thorough evidence collection and information to law enforcement.
Study of American and Chinese Family Members’ Evaluations on Institutionalized Care for Their Older Parents: Potential Development in the Future
Authors: Li Yushi (Boni) , Buechel Annie
Published: May 2024

The evaluations on institutionalized care facilities from family members, after their loved ones moved into such services, are very different from culture to culture, family to family and person to person. According to a recent survey in the United States and China, it is found that different cultures and the different health conditions of the residents strongly influence family member's viewpoints on institutionalized care services. It is also found that the availability of the institutionalized care facilities plays a significant role, which strongly affects family members’ evaluations on nursing home services.
Integrating Health and Social Services for Older Adults: A Case Study of Interagency Collaboration
Authors: Vogel Amanda , Ransom Pamela , Wai Sidique , Luisi Daria
Published: May 2024

As public housing residents age in place, they require health and social services outside of those traditionally offered by housing authorities. A promising response to these emerging needs is for housing authorities to collaborate with local public health departments to deliver coordinated services to older adult residents. Aging residents’ health needs include health promotion activities, preventive health services, health education, and mental health services, among others.

From 2001–2004 the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) collaborated to implement the Senior Wellness Project. This outreach program integrated health and social services provided by DOHMH and NYCHA, and delivered these services to older adult residents on site in 21 New York City public housing developments. Services were rendered at senior centers located in the housing developments and in residents’ apartments. The program also referred residents to community healthcare providers to address special needs such as addiction.

This article retroactively applies a formal model for interagency collaboration, the Stages of Collaboration, to describe and analyze the process of collaboration between DOHMH and NYCHA. It identifies the successes and shortcomings of the collaborative process, and explores the theory that successful collaboration leads to inherent challenges for implementation. Recommendations are then made for other public housing and public health agencies that have considered collaborating to address the needs of public housing residents who are aging in place.
Disability in Alzheimer'S Disease: Causes, Consequences, and Economic Considerations
Authors: Demakis George J.
Published: May 2024

This literature review broadly examines disability in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The paper addresses the various types of disability in AD, as well as the presumed causes and the economic and social costs of such disability. The influence of various types of treatment of disability, particularly pharmacological is addressed, as are directions for future research.
Working Age Medicare Beneficiaries with Disabilities: Population Characteristics and Policy Considerations
Authors: Kennedy Jae , Tuleu Iulia Balbach
Published: May 2024

Compared to older beneficiaries, disabled workers who become eligible for Medicare 25 months after they are deemed eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), receive little research attention or policy consideration. This is unfortunate, because of the special medical and vocational needs, high healthcare costs, and rapid growth of this population. Although disabled workers comprise only 14.1% of the total Medicare population, they account for about 17% ($71.6 billion) of total program expenditures. This review article finds that disabled workers are a medically heterogeneous population, with relatively high rates of psychiatric and cognitive conditions. Poor health, low incomes, and lack of access to affordable supplemental coverage make this group particularly vulnerable to program limitations and policy changes. Coverage gaps and co-payments may limit access to critical health services, including preventive services, rehabilitation, adaptive technology, personal assistance, and prescription drugs. Access to stable and affordable health insurance coverage is an essential part of return to work programming for SSDI beneficiaries.
The Health of the Delta Region: A Story of Increasing Disparities
Authors: Cosby Arthur G. , Bowser Diana M.
Published: May 2024

The Delta region of the U.S. has substantial disparities in health outcomes. For four of the leading causes of death in the United States (cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, and injury) residents of the Delta region are between 1.16 (cancer) and 1.45 (injury) times as likely to die as residents of the United States in general. Delta region residents are also more likely to have higher BMI, higher blood pressure, more diabetes, and are more likely to smoke. From 1968 to 1982, mortality rates in the Delta region and in the U.S. fell rapidly and in parallel. Beginning in the 1980s, these two rates continued to decline but began to diverge, with less improvement in the Delta region than in the United States in general. From 1968 to 1982, mortality disparities in the Delta were about 90 excess deaths per 100,000. By 2004, mortality disparities in the Delta had doubled to about 187 excess deaths per 100,000. Put differently, the Delta region had approximately 18,000 excess deaths in 2004, deaths that would not have occurred had the region achieved the average rate of mortality experienced by the remainder of the nation.
Health and Economic Development: Reframing the Pathway
Authors: Mirvis David M. , Clay Joy A.
Published: May 2024

The papers included in this symposium provide a compelling rationale for the role of health as an engine of economic growth, and thus for investing in health improvement as an important step in improving economic growth in the Mississippi Delta. This newer model of the relation between health and wealth, positioning health as an investment and as an important determinant of economic growth, has substantial implications for health-related public policy and for the business sector. Societal support of health promoting initiatives through public policy, especially for children and for the poor, are important efforts for improving health and for realizing the economic benefits of health improvement.
Infant Mortality in Southern States: A Bureaucratic Nightmare
Authors: Menifield Charles E. , Dawson Jacob
Published: May 2024

Despite numerous advances in technology, medicine, and health care, infant mortality continues to reach very high levels in southern states. The purpose of this paper is to examine demographic, economic, and health care factors that are likely to affect infant mortality. In so doing, we first compare infant mortality and other critical factors in southern states to other regions of the country. Second, we use cross tabulation tables to determine if there is a correlation between infant mortality and several independent variables. Third, we use regression analysis to determine how each of these variables affects the change in infant mortality for the 1990–2003 periods.

The results of the cross tabulation tables indicate relationships between infant mortality and each of the independent variables. When these variables were placed in a regression model, high school graduation rates, race, geographic region, unemployment rates, uninsured rates, teenage pregnancy rates, single parent families, and the number of doctors and hospitals were significant.
Working toward A Conceptual Definition of Child Neglect
Authors: Tang Connie M.
Published: May 2024

The phenomenon of child neglect has been nebulous due to limited research on child neglect and the meshing of child neglect with child abuse. There are disagreements among neglect researchers about several important issues, such as whether to frame child neglect as a child's unmet needs or as omissions in parental behavior. It has therefore been difficult to develop a standard conceptual definition of child neglect. In this article, a conceptual definition of child neglect is proposed. The definition's stand on a few important issues is discussed. Finally, how the conceptual definition can guide the formulation of operational definitions for both research and practice is described.
Multi-Criteria Assessment of County Public Health Capability Disparities
Authors: Zuniga Miguel A. , Carrillo-Zuniga Genny , Seol Yoon Ho , Fos Peter J.
Published: May 2024

Objective

This paper proposes an analytical approach to the assessment of geographic population health disparities that are measured as the consolidation of public health related indicators into geographic-specific scores, and are representative of the level of public health capability within counties in the state of Mississippi.

Study Design

A multi-criteria decision model was employed to develop an additive scoring system that assigns a numerical score of public health capability disparities for a geographical area (county).

Methods

Routinely collected indicators were used to measure each county's current public health related concerns. These indicators include access, risks, health care quality, and outcomes data. Public health experts rated and ranked indicators to generate indicator weight.

Results

A county score was developed to rank Mississippi counties based on relative public health capability. This scoring system depicts population health disparities among Mississippi counties.

Conclusions

The model is useful and ideal for establishing expectations and benchmarks for reduction or equalization of disparities. This information can be used to manage geographic population health disparities by guiding policy formulation and implementation.
Hiv Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices among College Students in the United States
Authors: Inungu Joseph , Mumford Vincent , Younis Mustafa , Langford Sara
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

Students enrolled at a Midwestern university in the United States were surveyed between February and April 2008 about their HIV knowledge, sources of information, attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS, and their sexual behaviors.

METHODS

An anonymous questionnaire was sent to 1,000 students via Survey Monkey.

RESULTS

Of the 650 respondents (65%) who provided complete information, 91.2% were white, 70.6% were female, 76.3% were seniors at the university and 94.7% were heterosexuals. Their average age was 22.5 years (SD ± 4) with a range of 18 to 30 years. Although the majority of students (77.3%) reported to be very familiar with HIV/AIDS including its mode of transmission, important misconceptions still exist regarding HIV/AIDS. Several students either thought that mosquitoes transmit HIV/AIDS (14.2%) or did not know one way or the other (19.9%). About 43.1% were unsure about the existence of drugs that can prevent maternal to child transmission of HIV and 12% actually believed that these drugs do not exist. Moreover, despite the high prevalence of risky sexual behaviors among students, the majority of participants (86.8%) did not perceive themselves to be at risk for contracting HIV. As a result only 29.4% had ever been tested for HIV.

CONCLUSION

Coexistence among college students of both misconceptions about the mode of HIV/AIDS transmission and denial about their vulnerability to contract this disease underscores the need for a proactive approach to address these challenges facing our youths.
Impact of the Health Services Utilization and Improvement Model (HUIM) on Self Efficacy and Satisfaction among a Head Start Population
Authors: Tataw David B. , Bazargan-Hejazi Shahrzad
Published: May 2024

The aim of this paper is to evaluate and report the impact of the Health Services Utilization Improvement Model (HUIM) on utilization and satisfaction with care, as well as knowledge regarding prevention, detection, and treatment of asthma, diabetes, tuberculosis, and child injury among low income health services consumers. HUIM outcomes data shows that the coupling of parental education and ecological factors (service linkage and provider orientation) impacts the health services utilization experience of low income consumers evidenced by improved self-efficacy (knowledge and voice), and satisfaction with care from a child's regular provider. Participation in HUIM activities also improved the low income consumer's knowledge of disease identification, self-care and prevention.
Social Service Availability & Proximity and the Over-Representation of Minority Children in Child Welfare
Authors: Dorch Edwina L. , Bathman Jake , Foster David , Ingels Laura , Lee Chongmyoung , Miramontes Claudia , Youngblood Jo
Published: May 2024

The goal of this study was to assess whether child welfare services were available and proximal in identified, predominantly Black and Hispanic ZIP code areas of three southern cities. GIS mapping of services contained in a state 2-1-1 community services data base revealed that there were no treatment services and/or no public transportation and/or lengthy public (bus) transportation times in 50% of the identified areas of one city and in almost 25% of the three cities combined. The authors suggest service availability and proximity should increase the likelihood of parent enrollment, attendance and completion which should increase parent dependency court compliance rates. Further, they suggest that court compliance rates should increase the rate of return of Black children to their parents and thereby reduce child welfare caseloads. Given, the logic of their argument, the authors go on to recommend that child welfare administrators annually perform GIS analyses of State 2-1-1 community services data bases to keep abreast of child welfare service availability and proximity. Additionally, they offer a number of recommendations for how to increase service availability and proximity in predominantly Black and Hispanic urban areas.
Book Review
Authors: Liggins Jennifer
Published: May 2024

Educating Professionals is a written account of how a representative sample of health and social care professions (nine in this book) educate students to the profession through direct engagement with patients and service users in community settings-also known as practice based learning. This book also explores the areas of similarity and differences between the nine professions and how interprofessional learning can be beneficial to both the patient and the healthcare providers. Mark Doel and Steven M. Shardlow have collaborated to design a much needed resource to direct work-based learning which surpasses the current standards of teaching and learning.
Organizations and Social Worker Well-Being: The Intra-Organizational Context of Practice and Its Impact on a Practitioner's Subjective Well-Being
Authors: Shier Micheal L. , Graham John R.
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to better understand the varied factors that contribute to social worker subjective well-being (SWB) (the social science concept for happiness). Using qualitative methods of inquiry 19 social workers who reported having low to medium levels of workplace and profession satisfaction were interviewed to assess those factors within their lives that they perceived as impacting their well-being. One thematic category from the analysis was aspects of the intra-organizational context of workplaces that can impact social worker SWB. Respondents identified interpersonal workplace relationships, decision-making processes, management/supervisory dynamics, workload and workplace expectations, access to resources and infrastructure support, and inter-organizational relationships as key intra-organizational factors contributing to their overall wellbeing. in conclusion, these findings have practical application within organizations for structured policies and unstructured practices to improve social worker subjective well-being.
Comparative Federal Health Care Policy: Evidence of Collaborative Federalism in Pakistan and Venezuela
Authors: Baracskay Daniel
Published: May 2024

Collaborative federalism has provided an effective analytical foundation for understanding how complex public policies are implemented in federal systems through intergovernmental and intersectoral alignments. This has particularly been the case in issue areas like public health policy where diseases are detected and treated at the local level. While past studies on collaborative federalism and health care policy have focused on federal systems that are largely democratic, little research has been conducted to examine the extent of collaboration in authoritarian structures. This article applies the collaborative federalism approach to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Evidence suggests that while both nations have exhibited authoritarian governing structures, there have been discernible policy areas where collaborative federalism is embraced to facilitate the implementation process. Further, while not an innate aspect of their federal structures, Pakistan and Venezuela can potentially expand their use of the collaborative approach to successfully implement health care policy and the epidemiological surveillance and intervention functions. Yet, as argued, this would necessitate further development of their structures on a sustained basis to create an environment conducive for collaborative federalism to flourish, and possibly expand to other policy areas as well.
Medical Service Use among Individuals Receiving Hiv Prevention Services in Los Angeles County
Authors: Erlyana Erlyana , Fisher Dennis G. , Reynolds Grace L. , Jansen Michael
Published: May 2024

Timely provision of medical services among communities at increased risk of HIV infection is crucial to detect the infection and to further prevent the spread of HIV. in the US, about one third of HIV cases were identified in the later stage of infection. the current study utilized the Gelberg-Andersen behavioral model for predicting medical service use among people who were at risk of HIV infection. the candidate variables included: social support, attitudinal, and behavioral variables. the data were collected from clients of HIV prevention agencies in Los Angeles County in 2004 who participated in the Countywide Risk Assessment Survey (CRAS). Using a logistic regression model, the study suggested that factors that were positively associated with use of medical services included living in a treatment center/ halfway house or mission/ shelter, experience of physical/ sexual abuse, and ever receiving HIV testing/ counseling. Factors inversely associated with medical service use were male gender, education, and consumption of alcohol. Analysis was conducted using SAS 9.3. Most of the findings are consistent with the Gelberg-Andersen model. the exception was that victims of physical or sexual abuse were more likely to use services instead of less likely as predicted by the model.
The State of Gay
Authors: Jurkiewicz Carole L.
Published: May 2024

Recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions have upheld and expanded gay rights, but the question of how these decisions will impact the wide-ranging diversity among sexual minorities has yet to be determined. This paper focuses on the impact of these decisions on the State of Gay in the U.S., including those from an array of demographic, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural affiliations. the United States v. Windsor (570 U.S. 2013) and Hollingsworth, et al., v. Kristin M. Perry (570 U.S. 2013) decisions are also considered within the context of the global community, both how they were influenced by and how these court findings will in turn broadly impact these cultures. How these decisions were rooted within the context of marriage reform legislation in the 1970s, and how heterosexuals may well be significant beneficiaries of the rulings, is also discussed. the paper concludes with a dialogue on the paths toward continued legal, societal, and political reform within a global context, and how congruence between the State of Gay and Human Rights can be more fully realized.
Prostate Cancer Screening: Psa Test Awareness among Adult Males
Authors: Obana Michael , O'Lawrence Henry
Published: May 2024

The overall purpose of this study was to determine whether visits to the doctor in the last 12 months, education level, and annual household income for adult males increased the awareness of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. The effect of these factors for the knowledge of PSA exams was performed using statistical analysis. A retrospective secondary database was utilized for this study using the questionnaire in the California Health Interview Survey from 2009. Based on this survey, annual visits to the doctor, higher educational levels attained, and greater take-home pay were statistically significant and the results of the study were equivalent to those hypothesized. This also reflects the consideration of marketing PSA blood test screenings to those adult males who are poor, uneducated, and do not see the doctor on a consistent basis.