New York State Counties Research Articles

Adolescent medicine in pediatric practice

Adolescents report important unmet health care needs. This study directly assesses pediatricians' current practices pertinent to the primary care of adolescents. An anonymous questionnaire survey of general pediatricians was conducted in two suburban counties in New York State. Of the 101 respondents, 51% were older than age 50 and 88% were in private practice. The “average” pediatrician saw 28 patients in a 7-hour office day. Approximately 1 in 10 regularly saw patients with a sexuality-related concern, substance abuse problem, or anorexia nervosa. Fewer than half provided anticipatory guidance regarding sexuality, and only 14% questioned teens about depression. Respondents perceived factors related to fees, lack of time, lack of knowledge, and their image as obstacles to an expanded care of adolescents. Those with some training in adolescent medicine during residency were significantly more likely to provide care and anticipatory guidance related to sexuality and substance abuse. Thirty percent reported an interest in increasing their involvement with adolescents. We conclude that most of these pediatricians played a small role in meeting the health needs of adolescents.

Environmental selection and physician supply.

A new conceptual framework for explaining physician distribution and forecasting regional physician supply is presented. Unlike existing efforts at explaining physician distribution, which rely on models of individual physicians making choices regarding location of practice (e.g., economic and psychological models), this paper develops an environmental selection model which views populations of physicians as the unit of analysis and identifies the environmental conditions under which these populations grow and decline. Nine dimensions of the environment affecting populations of physicians are described and hypotheses regarding the effect of four dimensions-residential population size, density, growth, and health system development are pooled cross-sectional and time-series data for counties in New York state. A modified generalized least-squares routine is used to estimate the coefficients. Results reveal substantial support for fundamental aspects of the model: a carrying capacity varying with density of...

CRIMINAL DETERRENCE IN NEW YORK: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COURT ACTIVITIES AND CRIME

This study provides new evidence on the deterrent effects of criminal justice sanctions. The supply-of-crime function is tested using 1970 cross-sectional data for the 62 counties in New York State. Most studies consider only expected length of sentence when estimating the offender's cost of crime. The current analysis includes the length of time needed to dispose of a case and the severity of conviction charge as well as the expected prison sentence

Right-Of-Way Management Program

Orange and Rockland Utilities (O&R), and its wholly owned susidiaries, Rockland Electric Company and Pike County Light & Power Company serve almost 200,000 electric customers in Orange, Rockland and Sullivan Counties in New York State, a portion of Pike County in Pennsylvania and portions of Bergen, Passaic and Sussex Counties in New Jersey, a total territory of some 1,350 square miles. The Company operates high voltage lines on over 380 miles of right-ofway, some 556 circuit miles. In 1975, an effective vegetation maintenance program for its transmission facilities was developed to prevent tree caused outages, to meet the inception of Article VII of the New York State Public Service Law, to more closely monitor the maintenance of several new high voltage transmission facilities and to meet a Company commitment of selective clearing on all facilities. All transmission rights-of-way, including 34.5KV to 500KV, were surveyed and inventoried according to a "land use type" code. The code, a four digit number, depicted the following information: land use (i.e. forest, field, residential, commercial, and lakes or wetlands), vegetation density, and general previous treatments (i.e. clearcut or selectively cut). The land use code was used as the principal parameter for dividing the transmission line into segments. After surveying was completed, a vegetation management plan was established for each right-of-way for a ten year period. Survey information and vegetation management plans were converted to an electronic data processing system for record keeping purposes. Through this system the company has a detailed record keeping system of all treatments, costs, and its future maintenance and budgetary requirements.

Clustering Services for Services Intergration:

This paper demonstrates an empirical method for clustering human services into more general categories. Nine clusters of services are obtained by factor analyzing 66 human services provided by the agencies in urban and rural counties in New York State. The structure of the particular nine clusters is then examined as a means of understanding how services naturally combine and cluster. The particular groupings suggest several characteristics about the organization of services that may assist in planning for service delivery. Regardless of whether nine clusters are the right number to describe service networks, the application of factor analysis to services data shows the usefulness of empirical clustering techniques in the study of service delivery networks and in the development of services integration plans.

Ecological Validity of Indicator Data as Predictors of Survey Findings

In a series of sh1die.r the validity of preexisting indicator data, based on child and family variables, was tested by means of an extensive sample survey with individual case interviews in two counties in New York State. The counties included one of the highest and one of the lowest in the state, as measured on a specially developed index. On comparable variables a close fit was found between the indicator and the survey data. When the more extensive field data were subjected to multiple regression analyses to determine how broadly predictive the indicators are, however, it was found that prediction was much better for subcounty areas than for counties as a whole. These findings have implications for planning at both national and local levels.

A Preliminary Study of Some Ecological Correlates of Child Abuse: The Impact of Socioeconomic Stress on Mothers

The ecological correlates of child abuse and maltreatment are explored. A model which focuses on the degree to which mothers are given support for the parent function is considered. This model, based on studies by Gil (1970) and Bronfenbrenner's (1974c) analysis of "support systems for parents", is examined empirically. Data on rates of child abuse/maltreatment for counties in New York State - based on reports made pursuant to a new, more stringent 1973 reporting law - are examined in light of indices of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the 58 counties under study. The data suggest that the degree to which mothers in a particular county are subjects to socioeconomic stress without adequate support systems accounts for a substantial proportion (36%) of the variance in rates of child abuse/maltreatment across New York counties, while economic conditions more generally affecting the family account for 16% of the variance. Application of them empirical model (based on the stepwise multiple regression analysis) to 2 additional samples of child abuse/maltreatment reports (1974) in New York State counties yields results consistent with the initial sample from which the multiple regression equation was drawn.

Serologic survey for arbovirus activity in deer sera from nine counties in New York State.

Sera from 352 deer from nine New York State counties were tested for neutralizing and hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies to six arboviruses representing four groups. Antibody titers to California encephalitis and Cache Valley viruses were detected in varying frequency in the 9 counties with foci for the Bunyamwera group in Seneca, Dutchess, and Erie counties. Neutralizing antibodies to western equine encephalomyelitis were noted in sera collected in 1959–61 from Albany and Seneca counties while a focus of group B arbovirus activity, most probably due to Powassan virus, was found in Shelter Island, Suffolk County. Our experience indicates the usefulness of deer as natural indicators of activity of certain arboviruses.

SEROLOGIC EVIDENCE OF GROUP A AND B ARTHROPOD-BORNE VIRUS ACTIVITY IN NEW YORK STATE.

SummaryTwo hundred and ninety-nine sera from wild animals of various species (bats, bear, foxes, raccoons, meadow mice, cottontails, and deer) were tested by hemagglutination-inhibition or neutralization in mice, or both, for antibody to group A (Eastern encephalomyelitis and Western encephalomyelitis) and group B (Powassan [POW] and St. Louis encephalitis) arboviruses. The sera were obtained from animals trapped in 15 counties in New York State. Group B antibody was found in animals from 12 counties. In one, Schuyler County, up to 52% of 100 fox and raccoon sera tested had antibody for group B viruses, predominantly for POW, and up to 11% had reactivity for group A.Sera from 411 persons from institutions for the mentally retarded and from 31 patients with suspected encephalitis were examined by one or both of the test methods. Arbovirus antibody was infrequent in the human sera. Six persons (1.3%) showed some antibody for group A, and 28 (6%) for group B; more were detected by hemagglutination-inhibition tests than by neutralization. Neutralizing and hemagglutinstion-inhibiting activity for POW virus was found in 2 sera from a young boy in Albany County whose history did not indicate an apparent infection.

The Effect of Sevin on Honey Bees

Aerial applications of 1¼pounds of Sevin® (1-naphthyl N methylcarbamate) per acre were made on 73,610 acres in two counties in New York State between May 21 and June 10, 1959, Twenty-one colonies of honey bees were placed in five locations within the treated area, Five check colonies were placed 3; miles outside of the treated area. Gary traps were placed 011 all colonies. During the spray and postspray period of 47 days treated colonies lost a mean of 19,917 bees while check colonies lost a mean of 2,936 bees, Mortalities were above normal for up to tl weeks following the insecticide applications. Colony recovery was rapid. Some cases of European foul brood resulted from weakening of the colonies.

Otsego Reports on New Program

Reports on county‐wide programs of vocational guidance have previously been made in this journal—Kearney County, Nebr., XIV, pp. 656–660; Rockland County, N. Y., XIV, pp. 394–410, 835–911; Breathitt County, Ky., XIV, pp. 1011–1110. Here is a report of the first year's operation of the program in effect in Otsego County, N. Y. Its record will furnish encouragement to other counties contemplating a similar program. There are now three counties in New York State—Rockland, Otsego, and Lewis—which give vocational guidance service from the office of the County Superintendent of Schools.