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Recent declines in New York City infant mortality rates.

BACKGROUND: Although infant mortality rates have declined gradually in New York City for many years, the rate of that decline began to accelerate dramatically at the end of the 1980s. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the recent accelerated decline in infant mortality for three race/ethnicity designations in New York City and to investigate whether shifts in birth weight distribution or changes in birth weight-specific death rates were more important in determining these declines between 1988 to 1989 and 1992 to 1993. METHODS: Two complete cohorts of linked birth-death certificate files consisting of all live births in New York City in 1988 to 1989 and 1992 to 1993 were examined. For each cohort, separate multinomial logistic regressions were estimated by race/ethnicity to analyze the probability of a neonatal or postneonatal death relative to survival as a function of a spectrum of covariates. The coefficients from these regressions were used to construct direct and indirect standardization exercises to predict changes in infant mortality holding characteristics of the cohort, including birth weight distribution, constant over time, or holding the influence of determinants, including birth weight-specific death rates, constant over time. RESULTS: For whites, Hispanics, and blacks, infant mortality rates declined by 27.4%, 24.8%, and 22.7%, respectively, between 1988 to 1989 and 1992 to 1993. For whites and blacks, the largest decreases occurred for neonatal mortality rates, whereas for Hispanics, postneonatal rates fell the greatest. Although infant mortality rates among very low birth weight infants (<1500 g) fell by 27.8%, 19.3%, and 16.6% for whites, Hispanics, and blacks, the greatest decreases in rates were seen among normal birth weight infants (>2500 g). Infant mortality rate declines for this category of infants reached 31%, 31.7%, and 31.3%, respectively, for whites, Hispanics, and blacks. Direct and indirect standardization exercises indicated that the most important factor in determining these declines were decreases in birth weight-specific death rates, not improvements in the birth weight distribution over time. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the large decreases in infant mortality rates witnessed in New York City between 1988 to 1989 and 1992 to 1993 were attributable not to improvements in birth weight distribution of the population but to declines in birth weight-specific death rates and that normal birth weight infants showed the greatest improvement.

Black or African American↗

The disappearing income gradient in New York City birth outcomes: thirteen years of convergence from 1988 to 2001.

OBJECTIVE: Income has long been identified as a potent determinant of infant mortality, yet little is known about the stability of its influence over time in defined populations. The objective of this study was to characterize trends in the income gradient in infant mortality in New York City from 1988 to 2001. METHODS: An ecological analysis was conducted of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates in 30 health districts from 14 years (1988-2001) of birth cohorts of the 5 boroughs of New York City divided by quartile of income based on the 1990 census (N = 1,692721 births). Infant mortality (deaths occurring at <365 days of age), neonatal mortality (deaths occurring at <28 days of age), and postneonatal mortality (deaths occurring from 28 to 364 days of age) expressed as rates per 1000 live births were measured. RESULTS: From 1988 to 2001, infant mortality in the highest income quartile in New York City fell 50.5% from 10.5 to 5.2, whereas in the lowest income quartile, it fell 62.6% from 17.4 to 6.5 per 1000 live births. The equivalent declines in neonatal mortality were 46.6% from 7.3 to 3.9 in the highest income quartile and 61.4% from 11.4 to 4.4 per 1000 live births in the lowest income quartile. For postneonatal mortality, rates fell 58.1% from 3.1 to 1.3 in the highest income quartile and 65% from 6 to 2.1 per 1000 live births in the lowest income quartile. Adjusted for covariates, relative to the highest income quartile, infant, neonatal, and postneonatal morality rates in the lowest income quartile declined 0.36 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.52 to -0.19), 0.20 (95% CI: -0.34 to -0.07), and 0.15 (95% CI: -0.23 to -0.07) per 1000 live births more per year. CONCLUSIONS: From 1988 to 2001, New York City witnessed a significant convergence in the income gradients of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates. Understanding the origins of this trend should constitute an important public policy priority.

Birth Weight↗

Use of pharmacy data to evaluate smoking regulations' impact on sales of nicotine replacement therapies in New York City.

OBJECTIVES: Recently, New York City and New York State increased cigarette excise taxes and New York City implemented a smoke-free workplace law. To assess the impact of these policies on smoking cessation in New York City, we examined over-the-counter sales of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. METHODS: Pharmacy sales data were collected in real time as part of nontraditional surveillance activities. We used Poisson generalized estimating equations to analyze the effect of smoking-related policies on pharmacy-specific weekly sales of nicotine patches and gum. We assessed effect modification by pharmacy location. RESULTS: We observed increases in NRT product sales during the weeks of the cigarette tax increases and the smoke-free workplace law. Pharmacies in low-income areas generally had larger and more persistent increases in response to tax increases than those in higher-income areas. CONCLUSIONS: Real-time monitoring of existing nontraditional surveillance data, such as pharmacy sales of NRT products, can help assess the effects of public policies on cessation attempts. Cigarette tax increases and smoke-free workplace regulations were associated with increased smoking cessation attempts in New York City, particularly in low-income areas.

Health Promotion↗

Adult tobacco use levels after intensive tobacco control measures: New York City, 2002-2003.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the impact of comprehensive tobacco control measures in New York City. METHODS: In 2002, New York City implemented a tobacco control strategy of (1) increased cigarette excise taxes; (2) legal action that made virtually all work-places, including bars and restaurants, smoke free; (3) increased cessation services, including a large-scale free nicotine-patch program; (4) education; and (5) evaluation. The health department also began annual surveys on a broad array of health measures, including smoking. RESULTS: From 2002 to 2003, smoking prevalence among New York City adults decreased by 11% (from 21.6% to 19.2%, approximately 140000 fewer smokers). Smoking declined among all age groups, race/ethnicities, and education levels; in both genders; among both US-born and foreign-born persons; and in all 5 boroughs. Increased taxation appeared to account for the largest proportion of the decrease; however, between 2002 and 2003 the proportion of cigarettes purchased outside New York City doubled, reducing the effective price increase by a third. CONCLUSIONS: Concerted local action can sharply reduce smoking prevalence. However, further progress will require national action, particularly to increase cigarette taxes, reduce cigarette tax evasion, expand education and cessation services, and limit tobacco marketing.

Adolescent↗

Reporting efficiency during a measles outbreak in New York City, 1991.

OBJECTIVES: During an epidemic of measles among preschool children in New York City, an investigation was conducted in 12 city hospitals to estimate reporting efficiency of measles to the New York City Department of Health. METHODS: Measles cases were identified by review of hospital emergency room and infection control logs and health department surveillance records. The Chandra Sekar Deming method was used (1) to estimate the total number of measles cases in persons less than 19 years old who presented to the 12 hospitals from January through March 1991 and (2) to estimate reporting efficiency. Information on mechanisms for reporting measles cases was collected from hospital infection control coordinators. RESULTS: The Chandra Sekar Deming method estimated that 1487 persons with measles presented to the 12 hospitals during the study period. The overall reporting efficiency was 45% (range = 19% to 83%). All 12 hospitals had passive surveillance for measles; 2 also had an active component. These 2 hospitals had the first and third highest measles reporting efficiencies. CONCLUSIONS: The reporting efficiency of measles cases by New York City hospitals to the health department was low, indicating that the magnitude of the outbreak was substantially greater than suggested by the number of reported cases.

Adolescent↗

Building momentum: an ethnographic study of inner-city redevelopment.

OBJECTIVES: One factor contributing to the decay of inner-city areas, and to consequent excess mortality, is the massive loss of housing. This report studied the effects of a redevelopment project on social functioning in an inner-city community. METHODS: This ethnographic study included the following elements: a longitudinal study of 10 families living in renovated housing, repeated observations and photographing of the street scene, focus groups, and informal interviews with area residents. The project was located in the Bradhurst section of Harlem in New York City and was focused on a redevelopment effort sponsored by local congregations. RESULTS: Those who were able to move into newly renovated housing found that their living conditions were greatly improved. Neighborhood revitalization lagged behind the rehabilitation of individual apartment houses. This uneven redevelopment was a visual and sensory reminder of "what had been." Residents missed the warmth and social support that existed in Harlem before its decline. CONCLUSIONS: Rebuilding damaged housing contributes greatly to the well-being of inner-city residents. The current pace and scope of rebuilding are insufficient to restore lost vitality.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Welfare reform and the perinatal health and health care use of Latino women in California, New York City, and Texas.

OBJECTIVES: This study analyzed changes in the financing of prenatal care and delivery, the use of prenatal care, and birth outcomes among foreign-born vs US-born Latino women following enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in August 1996. METHODS: We used a pre-post design with a comparison group. The sample consisted of resident Latinas in California, New York City, and Texas who delivered a live infant in 1995 or 1998. RESULTS: The proportion of births to Latinas that initiated prenatal care in the first 4 months of pregnancy increased for all foreign-born Latinas in California, New York City, and Texas between 1995 and 1998 (P <.05). Except for non-Dominicans in New York City, there was no increase in the proportion of low- or very-low-birthweight births among foreign-born vs US-born Latinas in the 3 localities between 1995 and 1996. CONCLUSIONS: There is little evidence from vital statistics in California, New York City, and Texas that PRWORA had any substantive impact on the perinatal health and health care utilization of foreign-born relative to US-born Latinas.

California↗

Community gardens: lessons learned from California Healthy Cities and Communities.

Community gardens enhance nutrition and physical activity and promote the role of public health in improving quality of life. Opportunities to organize around other issues and build social capital also emerge through community gardens. California Healthy Cities and Communities (CHCC) promotes an inclusionary and systems approach to improving community health. CHCC has funded community-based nutrition and physical activity programs in several cities. Successful community gardens were developed by many cities incorporating local leadership and resources, volunteers and community partners, and skills-building opportunities for participants. Through community garden initiatives, cities have enacted policies for interim land and complimentary water use, improved access to produce, elevated public consciousness about public health, created culturally appropriate educational and training materials, and strengthened community building skills.

California↗

Exploring racial and ethnic differences in recreational drug use among gay and bisexual men in New York city and Los Angeles.

Reported rates of recreational drug use among gay and bisexual men are currently rising. Although there has been much empirical research documenting current trends in drug use among gay and bisexual men, little research has empirically contrasted differential rates across urban epicenters, while even less has addressed racial or ethnic variation (between and within cities). This knowledge is essential both for the development of effective culturally-sensitive health education prevention/services and for understanding drug use prevalence among urban epicenters. Using the men's data gathered from large-scale gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) community events in New York and Los Angeles in the fall of 2003 and spring of 2004 (N = 2,335), this study explored racial and ethnic variance in the use of methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA/ecstasy (methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), ketamine, GHB (gamma-hydroxy-butyrate), marijuana, and nitrate inhalants (poppers) among gay and bisexual men both between and within cities (NYC and LA). Levels of recent drug use were fairly consistent between New York City and Los Angeles; however there was some between and within city racial and ethnic variance. In particular, Asian/Pacific Islander men were among those least likely to report use of some drugs. Findings suggest substance use in the gay community permeates geographic boundaries in addition to some racial and ethnic boundaries such that interventions targeting drug-using gay and bisexual men should appropriately attend to racial and ethnic diversity within communities.

Adolescent↗

A comparative study of values and attitudes of inner-city and middle-class postpartum women.

This study compared postpartum women from the inner city (n = 94) and postpartum women from the urban middle class (n = 80) on values and goals for themselves and their newborn children. Terminal values of inner-city women for themselves related more to social and religious goals in contrast to the more intrapersonal and personal goals of middle-class women. Instrumental values of inner-city women for their newborn children demonstrated concern with conformity and control, whereas for the middle class there was more concern with competence. Goals for the near future of the inner-city mothers were based on a desire for jobs and education.

Achievement↗

Aging without Medicare? Evidence from New York City.

Medicare and Social Security often are assumed to provide universal coverage for the population age 65 and older. Evidence from New York City raises doubts. Data from the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Social Security Administration, and the U.S. Bureau of the Census provide evidence that 16% to 20% of New York City residents age 65 and older lack such coverage. Noncoverage is not unique to this city, but it may be particularly common there. Noncoverage is pronounced in, but not limited to, certain immigrant groups. Because the population share covered by Medicare increases with age and most hospitalizations not covered by Medicare are paid by Medicaid, Medicaid gradually may be replacing Medicare as the payer for hospitalizations for a substantial share of the 65+ population in New York City.

Age Factors↗

Is counting the dead enough? Strategies for monitoring health needs in New York City.

Determining health care needs--especially unmet needs--in New York City should continue as a research and policy priority, especially in a rapidly changing health care environment. Among the many data sources that can be used in assessing needs are: mortality data; census data; other vital statistics; National Health Interview Survey data; other interview and survey data; physician examination of patients. Among the uses to which these and other data are being put in an effort to determine unmet need and health status are: predicting age-sex-specific demographic, health status, and utilization trends; analysis of sentinel health events; developing hierarchies of need for small areas; development of city and neighborhood "health profiles"; provider determination of needs for program planning. Obstacles to progress persist, however, including the increasing costs of data gathering and analysis; lack of popular or political support for needs assessment; and problems in defining what health care needs are. Among high priorities for those interested in better assessment of health care needs in New York City are: recreating public and political interest in the issue; garnering more financial support for research; countering trends toward privatization and fragmentation of data collection and analysis efforts; new relationships between academic and other researchers; better definition of need and refinement of research methodologies and data bases; development of a clear strategy for assessing health needs in New York City in the future, and garnering broad support for implementing it.

Data Collection↗

[Landscape ecological studies on autumnal Chinese cabbage fields in Shenyang city suburb. I. Features of autumnal Chinese cabbage field patches].

Some typical patches of autumnal Chinese cabbage fields in the agricultural landscapes of Shenyang city suburb were investigated, and their basic features, such as areas, shapes, neighborings and connections, were recorded. Their mosaic features were also analyzed and discussed. In the region of less 5 km distance from city, many Chinese cabbage patches neighbored each other and connected to highways, while in the region of 5-10 km distance from city, they neighbored with corn patches and connected to countryside roads. In the region over 10 km distance from city, many Chinese cabbage patches are surrounded by corn patches and connected to countryside roads.

Agriculture↗

Annual radiation background in the City of Isfahan.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of environmental exposure is very important from different points of view especially for human health. In Iran, it is measured in some cities especially in high background areas such as Ramsar, but so far there is not any measurement in Isfahan. MATERIAL/METHODS: Measurements were performed using CaSO4: Dy TLDs. The locations under investigations were 52 health centers distributed all around Isfahan city. Each TLD badge was put in a special plastic bag and left over the roofs of the selected health center for a month. The procedure was repeated for all 12 months of the year 1379 (21st March 2000 to 20th March 2001). RESULTS: The maximum and the minimum of obtained results for dose equivalent in different months and locations were 15.9 x 10(-2) and 6.5 x 10(-2) mSv. Obtained maximum and minimum of the means between all the locations were 10.5 x 10(-2) and 8.6 x 10(2) mSv for the whole year. Monthly mean and SD for Isfahan city for the whole year were 9.7 x 10(-2) and 1.5 x 10(-2) respectively therefore mean annual dose equivalent in Isfahan city is 1.16 x 0.18 mSv. The results do not show any high background radiation area. CONCLUSIONS: From the total of 624 measurements at 52 sites of Isfahan, obtained annual outdoor X and gamma ray dose equivalent for a person living in isfahan is 1.16 x 0.18 mSv. This figure is about 48.3% of the world average total radiation background reported by UNSCEAR.

Background Radiation↗

[City guides for the disabled - an interim balance (author's transl)].

The following article wants to bring city guides for the disabled into focus, which appeared in rapid succession in the Federal Republic of Germany since 1971. After reflecting about the purpose and effect of city guides upon the consumer, city planners, and the wider public the author surveys hitherto published guides. Based on his own essential contribution to the making of the guide to the city of Ludwigshafen the author retraces the various stages of conception.

Aged↗

Community empowerment to reduce childhood immunization disparities in New York City.

This paper reports on the impact of the community-based Start Right program on childhood immunization coverage in 2 communities of color in New York City. Fully launched in 2002, Start Right operates through the major social service programs of its 23 member organizations. Immunization promotion strategies are based on the following guiding principles: community leadership; integration with community programs; parental empowerment; peer health educators; tracking and feedback; and linkage with health providers. By September 2003, 2,433 children under age 5 years (14% of that age group in the community) were enrolled in Start Right. The rates for the cohort of children enrolled in 2003 were substantially higher than for those enrolled in 2002. Among the 2003 cohort of 19- to 35-month-old children, the coverage rate was 88%, significantly more than national rates: 75% for total population, 68% for African Americans, and 73% for Hispanics. The rate for our 2003 enrollment cohort exceeded the rate for New York City (78%) but did not exceed the New York City average for Hispanics (79%). Of the 2003 enrollment cohort, the Washington Heights children had the highest rates for enrollment (89.6%), exceeding New York City rates. Parents reported a high level of satisfaction with the program.

Black or African American↗

A status survey of common water-borne diseases in desert city Bikaner (NW Rajasthan, India).

Water is scarce and, in general, a low quality resource in desert areas and the Indian desert is no exception. With this in view, the present study was taken up to survey the status of common water-borne diseases epidemiological trends in the desert city Bikaner (NW Rajasthan). In the city, 15.5 per cent population and 44.5 per cent families were found to suffer from one or more common water-borne diseases including amoebiasis, diarrhoea, dysentery, jaundice and typhoid. No case of fluorosis was recorded. The highest incidence was that of diarrhoea (5.4 per cent population). The worst affected and safe zones in the city were identified and the trends of different diseases in different zones of the city are discussed. The highest incidence of diseases was noted during summer (58.8 per cent) followed by winter (34.1 per cent) and monsoon (7.0 per cent). Relationship of diseases with population attributes like age, education, economy and family size are also discussed. Attributes for contamination of drinking water have been tried to identify and safety measures suggested.

Adolescent↗

[Landscape ecological planning of Jiaozuo city].

With the application of the principles of landscape ecology and the techniques of geographic information systems, the landscape of Jiaozuo city was divided into six types, i. e., farmland, garden plot, woodland, residential and industrial area, waters, and others. The landscape diversity, dominance, fragmentation, and isolation indexes were calculated by models and GIS to analyze the spatial patterns of these landscape types. Based on the optimization of landscape spatial patterns, a pattern for developing a rational and natural ecosystem in Jiaozuo city was proposed, i. e., keeping four or five large natural patches, planning small artificial green patches, linking the large and small patches by various corridors to ensure the ecosystem inside the city to circulate well, combining residential areas properly to form a urban troop with Jiaozuo town as the center and with seven surrounding towns joined through highways to form a network city pattern. After doing these, urban built-up areas could be linked each other, and inlayed in a natural ecological matrix. This pattern could strengthen the ecological connection, raise the stability of the ecosystem, and maintain the balance of urban ecological system.

China↗