Urban Institute

About: Urban Institute is a nonprofit organization based out in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Medicaid & Population. The organization has 927 authors who have published 2330 publications receiving 86426 citations.

No community is an island: the effects of resource deprivation on urban violence in spatially and socially proximate communities

Abstract: The link between resource deprivation and urban violence has long been explored in criminological research. Studies, however, have largely ignored the potential for resource deprivation in particular communities to affect rates of violence in others. The relative inattention is notable because of the strong theoretical grounds to anticipate influences that extend both to geographically contiguous areas and to those that, though not contiguous, share similar social characteristics. We argue that such influences—what we term spatial and social proximity effects, respectively—constitute a central feature of community dynamics. To support this argument, we develop and test theoretically derived hypotheses about spatial and social proximity effects of resource deprivation on aggregated and disaggregated homicide counts. Our analyses indicate that local area resource deprivation contributes to violence in socially proximate communities, an effect that, in the case of instrumental homicides, is stronger when such communities are spatially proximate. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for theories focused on community-level social processes and violence, and for policies aimed at reducing crime in disadvantaged areas.

Correlates of Cyber Dating Abuse Among Teens

Abstract: Recent advancements in technology (e.g., social networking, texting) have created new ways for dating youth to relate to one another, including in abusive ways via “cyber dating abuse.” Cyber dating abuse is a form of teen dating violence that overlaps with other types of abuse (e.g., psychological) but also has several unique characteristics. Given the phenomenon’s limited presence in dating violence literature, we focus on identifying how experiencing cyber dating abuse relates to youths’ individual behaviors and experiences (e.g., substance use, sexual activity), psychosocial adjustment, school connection, family relationships, and partner relationships. A total of 3,745 youth (52 % female, 74 % White) in three northeastern states participated in the survey and reported currently being in a dating relationship or having been in one during the prior year. We found that experiences of cyber dating abuse were most significantly correlated with being female, committing a greater variety of delinquent behaviors, having had sexual activity in one’s lifetime, having higher levels of depressive symptoms, and having higher levels of anger/hostility. Further, cyber dating abuse appeared somewhat more strongly related to depressive symptoms and delinquency than did other forms of teen dating violence and abuse.

Trends In Medicaid Physician Fees, 2003–2008

Abstract: Medicaid physician fees increased 15.1 percent, on average, between 2003 and 2008. This was below the general rate of inflation, resulting in a reduction in real fees. Only primary care fees grew at the rate of inflation—20 percent between 2003 and 2008. However, because of slow growth in Medicare fees, Medicaid fees closed a small portion of their ongoing gap relative to Medicare—growing from 69 percent to 72 percent of Medicare. The increase in Medicaid fees relative to Medicare fees resulted from relative increases for primary care and obstetrical services, but not for other services.

Expanding Public Health Insurance to Parents: Effects on Children's Coverage under Medicaid

Abstract: This paper assessed whether expanding public health insurance coverage to parents leads to increases in Medicaid participation among children. We find that children who reside in states that expanded coverage to parents participate in Medicaid at a rate of 20 percentage points higher than those who live in states without such expansions. Particularly noteworthy, Massachusetts's expansion in coverage to parents led to a 14 percentage point increase in Medicaid coverage among children, largely due to the reduction in uninsurance among Medicaid-eligible children. These study findings suggest that expanding coverage to parents has important spillover effects on children's participation in Medicaid. (Dubay, Lisa, and Genevieve Kenney. October 2003. Expanding Public Health Insurance to Parents: Effects on Children's Coverage under Medicaid. Health Services Research 38(5): 1283-1302.)