BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study evaluated clustering of stroke hospitalization rates, patterns of the clustering over time, and associations with community-level characteristics. METHODS We used Medicare hospital claims data from 1995-1996 to 2005-2006 with a principal discharge diagnosis of stroke to calculate county-level stroke hospitalization rates. We identified statistically significa...

OBJECTIVES In 2006, a new variant of Chlamydia trachomatis (nvCT) was discovered in Sweden. It has a deletion in the plasmid resulting in failed detection by the single target systems from Abbott and Roche used at that time, whereas the third system used, from Becton Dickinson (BD), detects nvCT. The proportion of nvCT was initially up to 65% in counties using Abbott/Roche systems. This study a...

In 1994,2 ongoing rabies epizootics were declared a state health emergency: canine rabies in South Texas and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) rabies in West-Central Texas. Prior to 1988, rabid coyotes (Canis latrans) were infrequently reported in Texas. In 1988, Starr and Hidalgo counties, located in extreme South Texas, experienced an epizootic of canine rabies resulting in 11 laboratory-co...

OBJECTIVES We examined variability in disease rates to gain understanding of the complex interactions between contextual socioeconomic factors and health. METHODS We compared mortality rates between New York and California counties in the lowest and highest quartiles of socioeconomic status (SES), assessed rate variability between counties for various outcomes, and examined correlations betwe...

In this paper, tests are made for the effect that the spatial distribution of welfare and Food Stamp caseloads may have on caseload change in the South. Spatial effects are captured by contrasting caseload trends overtime in metropolitan (urban) counties and nonmetropolitan (rural) counties within two southern states, Mississippi and South Carolina. Tests for a location effect on caseload chang...

Using recently available night lights and electricity consumption data for the 212 municipios (counties) of Veracruz state in southern Mexico, the informal economy is analyzed at the Mexican county level for the first time with such data. Most counties between 2000 and 2006 are found to have growing informal economies though the richest county, Boca Del Rio, exhibits a decline in informality su...

Abstract Croatia as EU accession country is divided into three Nomenclature des unites territoriales statistiques (NUTS 2) regions which are quite different from twenty one official administrative Croatian Counties. Furthermore, Croatian Counties show significant economic and social disproportions. These disproportions are in the focus of the extended on-going scientific research. The focus of ...

Key Findings. (1) State-level decisions in implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA) have led to significant state variation in the design of Health Insurance Marketplace (HIM) rating areas. In some designs, rural counties are grouped together, while in others, rural and urban counties have been deliberately mixed. (2) Urban counties have, on average, approximate...

In the present study, serum samples from 650 goats were collected from five counties between May and June 2012 and antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were detected by indirect haemagglutination assay; 58 (9%) had antibodies to T. gondii with antibody titres of 1:64 to 1:1024. Seropositive samples were distributed in all five counties: seroprevalences in Kuandian county (15%, 21/139, 95% confidence...

Voter registration, it is widely argued, raises the costs of voting, thereby decreasing turnout. Studies of turnout across states find that states with later registration dates or election day registration have much higher turnout rates. Eliminating registration barriers altogether is estimated to raise voter participation rates by 5 to 10 percentage points. This paper presents panel estimates ...