Recruiting and enrolling pregnant adolescents for research.

Difficulty obtaining a sample is not justification for failure to study a hard-to-enroll population, particularly a vulnerable population such as pregnant adolescents. Recruitment of a representative, adequate sample of pregnant adolescents for a recent instrument development study provided multiple challenges. Although carefully developed, the sampling plan required several modifications to achieve the sample (n=145).

Health-risk behaviors in a sample of first-time pregnant adolescents.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency of prenatal health-risk behaviors (substance use, sexual risk taking, and prenatal class attendance) among a nonrandom sample of first-time pregnant adolescents.

Design: The design is descriptive.

Sample: 145 ethnically diverse first-time pregnant adolescents aged 15-18 years.

Setting a new course for advanced practice community/public health nursing.

In recent years the changes in the organization and delivery of health care have created an environment that places great demands on nursing education at all levels. Determining a sound, responsive course of study in advanced practice community/public health nursing (C/PHN) is dependent on clear educational outcomes and competencies. Outcomes and competencies for C/PHN practice need to continue to be derived from the rich knowledge, experience, and research tradition with populations living in the community.

Determinants of Medicare home healthcare service use among Medicare recipients.

Background: Medicare reimbursement for home healthcare (HHC) services has changed dramatically in recent years. A clear understanding of the determinants of Medicare HHC services use is needed so that HHC agencies can meet the demand for services from an aging population while remaining financially sound.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to identify the determinants of Medicare HHC service within the framework of the Andersen Behavioral Model.

Seniors' need for and use of Medicare home health services.

This study examined: (a) nature and extent of seniors' need for care both at time of admission to and discharge from Medicare home health services, and (b) relationships among admission need, service utilization, need at discharge, and discharge disposition for one episode of home care services. The sample of 195 was stratified by home health discharge disposition: (a) acute group, (b) chronic group, and (c) stable home group. Two classification systems were used to access the seniors' level of need, the mandated Medicare case-mix system (CMS) and a holistic intensity of need system.