Social Disparities and Social Distancing During the Covid Pandemic.

According to Putnam (2000) and Bourdieu (1986), social disparities may result in the formation of narrow social bonds that exacerbate existing social cleavages and impede collective action. Motivated by this insight, we examine the relationship between social disparities and social distancing during the pre-vaccine Covid pandemic in the US. Using a panel of weekly, county-level observations, we find that income, educational and racial disparities are associated with a statistically significant decrease in the social distancing.

Spreading the Veterans Health Administration's emergency department rapid access clinics (ED-RAC) innovation: Role of champions and local contexts.

Background: Champions frequently facilitate change in healthcare, but the literature lacks specificity regarding champion activities and interactions with local contexts. The Veterans' Health Administration (VA) Emergency Department (ED) Rapid Access Clinic (ED-RAC) initiative used champions to spread an innovation aimed at achieving timely specialty follow-up care for ED patients. We assessed the roles champions and local contexts played in successful ED-RAC spread in the initiative's first year.

Concomitant presentation of carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and trigger finger (TF) are common conditions that may occur in the same patient. The etiology of most cases is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate of concomitant occurrence of these two conditions at presentation and to compare the concomitant occurrence in normal and diabetic patients.

Lung cysts, spontaneous pneumothorax, and genetic associations in 89 families with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome.

Rationale: Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is an autosomal, dominantly inherited genodermatosis that predisposes to fibrofolliculomas, kidney neoplasms, lung cysts, and spontaneous pneumothorax.

Objectives: We evaluated 198 patients from 89 families with BHDS to characterize the risk factors for pneumothorax and genotype-pulmonary associations.

Methods: Helical computed tomography scans of the chest were used to screen for pulmonary abnormalities.

Policy perspectives of major nursing organizations, part II. Interview by David M Keepnews.

Understanding the roles of interest groups is an important element of examining policy change. There are a number of interest groups that affect the policy environment for nursing and that shape the profession's impact on health policy. This article, the second of a two-part series, presents interviews with executive directors and chief executive officers of major nursing organizations about their organizations' policy priorities and policy-related activities.