The Health and Libraries of Public Use Retrospective Study (HeLPURS).

Background: Public libraries may promote health through literacy, education and social connections.

Objective: To conduct the first broad-based, quantitative exploration of health and public library patronage.

Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

The association between primary language spoken and all-cause mortality in critically ill patients.

Purpose: The study objective was to investigate the association between primary language spoken and all-cause mortality in critically ill patients.

Materials And Methods: We performed a cohort study on 48 581 patients 18 years or older who received critical care between 1997 and 2007 in 2 Boston hospitals. The exposure of interest was primary language spoken determined by the patient or family members who interacted with administrative staff during hospital registration.

Relationship between neighborhood poverty rate and bloodstream infections in the critically ill.

Background: Poverty is associated with increased risk of chronic illness, but its contribution to bloodstream infections is not well-defined.

Methods: We performed a multicenter observational study of 14,657 patients, aged 18 yrs or older, who received critical care and had blood cultures drawn between 1997 and 2007 in two hospitals in Boston, Massachusetts. Data sources included 1990 U.

Neighborhood poverty rate and mortality in patients receiving critical care in the academic medical center setting.

Background: Poverty is associated with increased risk of chronic illness but its contribution to critical care outcome is not well defined.

Methods: We performed a multicenter observational study of 38,917 patients, aged ≥ 18 years, who received critical care between 1997 and 2007. The patients were treated in two academic medical centers in Boston, Massachusetts.