Performance-based accountability systems (PBASs), which link incentives to measured performance as a means of improving services to the public, have gained popularity. While PBASs can vary widely across sectors, they share three main components: goals, incentives, and measures. Research suggests that PBASs influence provider behaviors, but little is known about PBAS effectiveness at achieving performance goals or about government and agency experiences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMatern Child Health J
September 2003
Objectives: To determine the influence of a state's legal environment and a hospital's Prenatal Substance Exposure (PSE) protocol on physicians' propensity to respond when prenatal substance exposure is suspected.
Methods: Using a sample of 1367 physicians from every state and the District of Columbia, we formulate a set of linear models to determine the impact of the legal environment and hospital protocol on physicians' response to PSE, the agreement between physicians' perceptions and actual state legal environments, and physicians' motivation to act when PSE is suspected.
Results: Both protocol and legal environment showed to be significantly correlated with physicians' propensity to take action when PSE is suspected (p < 0.
Thirty-four schools (n=7426 consented sixth graders, 71% of the eligible population) were randomized to conditions to test the hypothesis that Skills for Adolescence (SFA), a widely used comprehensive life skills training curriculum with a dedicated drug education unit, is more effective than standard care in deterring and delaying substance use through middle school. Two-year posttest (1-year post-intervention) data were collected from 5691 eighth graders (77% of those who completed the sixth-grade survey and 87% of those who completed the seventh-grade survey). Lifetime and recent (last 30 days) use of five substances or combinations of substances was compared using mixed-model regression to control for school clustering.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To determine the number of embryos stored at assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics in the United States and their current disposition.
Design: A targeted survey instrument sent by the SART-RAND team to all medical practices providing in vitro fertilization services in the United States.
Results: The SART-RAND team surveyed all 430 ART practices in the United States.
Matern Child Health J
September 2002
Objectives: To describe key elements of a set of hospital prenatal substance exposure protocols, and to relate variations in protocol content to the state legislative environment and hospital characteristics.
Methods: Nurse managers and hospital administrators with responsibility for perinatal care were asked to provide their hospital's prenatal substance exposure protocol. Using a structured coding form, two independent coders read and abstracted information from the 87 protocols received.
Thirty-four schools (n=7426 consented sixth graders, 71% of the eligible population) were randomized to conditions to test the hypothesis that "Skills for Adolescence" (SFA) is more effective than standard care in deterring and delaying substance use through middle school. One-year posttest data were collected from 6239 seventh graders (84% of those eligible). Initiation of "ever" and "recent" use of five substances for baseline nonusers and changes in recent use for baseline users by experimental condition were compared using mixed model regression to control for school clustering.
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