Associations of Cost Sharing With Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Burden.

Objective: To evaluate the regional variation of cost sharing and associations with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease burden in the US.

Methods: Patients with RA from rheumatology practices in Northeast, South, and West US regions were evaluated. Sociodemographics, RA disease status, and comorbidities were collected, and Rheumatic Disease Comorbidity Index (RDCI) score was calculated.

Geographic Variation in Disease Burden and Mismatch in Care of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis in the United States.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the factors associated with regional variation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease burden in the US.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort analysis of Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry data, seropositivity, RA disease activity (Clinical Disease Activity Index [CDAI], Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data-version 3 [RAPID3]), socioeconomic status (SES), geographic region, health insurance type, and comorbidity burden were recorded. An Area Deprivation Index score of more than 80 defined low SES.

Mapping bare ground in New Zealand hill-country agriculture and forestry for soil erosion risk assessment: An automated satellite remote-sensing method.

Removing vegetation cover from hill-slope land increases risk for soil erosion and delivery of sediment to waterways. In New Zealand's productive landscapes, clear-fell harvesting of forestry blocks and winter forage grazing by agricultural livestock are two significant causes of vegetation removal. Bare ground exposed by these activities varies annually and seasonally in location and spatial extent.