RAND Corporation

About: RAND Corporation is a nonprofit organization based out in Santa Monica, California, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Health care & Population. The organization has 9602 authors who have published 18570 publications receiving 744658 citations.

Evidence About the Link Between Education, Poverty and Terrorism Among Palestinians

Abstract: This paper investigates the ways in which terrorism is linked to education and poverty using data newly culled from Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) documentary sources. The paper presents a statistical analysis of the determinants of participation in terrorist activities by members of the Hamas and PIJ between the late 1980s and May 2002. The resulting evidence suggests that both higher education and standard of living are positively associated with participation in Hamas or PIJ and with becoming a suicide bomber, while being married significantly reduces the probability of participation in terrorist activities.

Insurance status and access to urgent ambulatory care follow-up appointments.

Abstract: ContextThere is growing pressure to avoid hospitalizing emergency department patients who can be treated safely as outpatients, but this strategy depends on timely access to follow-up care.ObjectiveTo determine the association between reported insurance status and access to follow-up appointments for serious conditions that are commonly identified during an emergency department visit.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsEight research assistants called 499 randomly selected ambulatory clinics in 9 US cities (May 2002–February 2003) and identified themselves as new patients who had been seen in an emergency department and needed an urgent follow-up appointment (within 1 week) for 1 of 3 clinical vignettes (pneumonia, hypertension, or possible ectopic pregnancy). The same person called each clinic twice using the same clinical vignette but different insurance status.Main Outcome MeasureProportion of callers who were offered an appointment within a week.ResultsOf 499 clinics contacted in the final sample, 430 completed the study protocol. Four hundred six (47.2%) of 860 total callers and 277 (64.4%) of 430 privately insured callers were offered appointments within a week. Callers who claimed to have private insurance were more likely to receive appointments than those who claimed to have Medicaid coverage (63.6% [147/231] vs 34.2% [79/231]; difference, 29.4 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, 21.2-37.6; P<.001). Callers reporting private insurance coverage had higher appointment rates than callers who reported that they were uninsured but offered to pay $20 and arrange payment of the balance (65.3% [130/199] vs 25.1% [50/199]; difference, 40.2; 95% confidence interval, 31.4-49.1; P<.001). There were no differences in appointment rates between callers who claimed to have private insurance coverage and those who reportedly were uninsured but willing to pay cash for the entire visit fee (66.3% [132/199] vs 62.8% [125/199]; difference, 3.5; 95% confidence interval −3.7 to 10.8; P = .31). The median charge was $100 (range, $25-$600). Seventy-two percent of clinics did not attempt to determine the severity of the caller’s condition.ConclusionsReported insurance status is associated with access to timely follow-up ambulatory care for potentially serious conditions. Having private insurance and being willing to pay cash may not eliminate the difficulty in obtaining urgent follow-up appointments.

The kernel and bargaining set for convex games

Abstract: It is shown that for convex games the bargaining setℳ1(i) (for the grand coalition) coincides with the core. Moreover, it is proved that the kernel (for the grand coalition) of convex games consists of a unique point which coincides with the nucleolus of the game.

Differences in the mix of patients among medical specialties and systems of care. Results from the medical outcomes study

Abstract: Objective. —To determine differences in the mix of patients among medical specialties and among organizational systems of care. Study Design. —Cross-sectional analysis of 20 158 adults (≥18 years of age) who visited providers' offices during 9-day screening periods in 1986. Patient and physician information was obtained by self-administered, standardized questionnaires. Setting. —Offices of 349 physicians practicing family medicine, internal medicine, endocrinology, and cardiology within health maintenance organizations, large multispecialty groups, and solo or small single-specialty group practices in three major US cities. Outcome Measures. —Demographic characteristics, prevalence of chronic disease, disease-specific severity of illness, and functional status and well-being. Results. —Among patients with selected physician-reported chronic illnesses (diabetes, hypertension, recent myocardial infarction, or congestive heart failure), increasing levels of severity were associated with decreasing levels of functional status and well-being and with increased hospitalizations, more physician visits, and higher numbers of prescription drugs. Compared with patients of general internists, patients of cardiologists were older (56 vs 47 years, P P P P P P P P P Conclusion. —Patient mix is related to utilization and differs significantly across medical specialties and systems of care. These differences must be taken into account when interpreting variations in utilization and outcomes across specialties and systems, and when considering alternative policies for payment. ( JAMA . 1992;267:1617-1623)

Understanding cancer treatment and outcomes: the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance Consortium.

Abstract: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has funded the Cancer Care Outcomes Research and Surveillance (CanCORS) Consortium as the centerpiece of the NCI's ongoing initiative to improve cancer care. This commentary provides an introduction to the goals and methods of the CanCORS Consortium to the broader community of cancer researchers and clinicians, many of whom are caring for patients participating in this study.