Biomedical subjects

M M Casey

Publications and source records attributed to M M Casey.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Upper limits on a stochastic background of gravitational waves.

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory has performed a third science run with much improved sensitivities of all three interferometers. We present an analysis of approximately 200 hours of data acquired during this run, used to search for a stochastic background of gravitational radiation. We place upper bounds on the energy density stored as gravitational radiation for three different spectral power laws. For the flat spectrum, our limit of omega0 < 8.4 x 10(-4) in the 69-156 Hz band is approximately 10(5) times lower than the previous result in this frequency range.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Limits on gravitational-wave emission from selected pulsars using LIGO data.

We place direct upper limits on the amplitude of gravitational waves from 28 isolated radio pulsars by a coherent multidetector analysis of the data collected during the second science run of the LIGO interferometric detectors. These are the first direct upper limits for 26 of the 28 pulsars. We use coordinated radio observations for the first time to build radio-guided phase templates for the expected gravitational-wave signals. The unprecedented sensitivity of the detectors allows us to set strain upper limits as low as a few times 10(-24). These strain limits translate into limits on the equatorial ellipticities of the pulsars, which are smaller than 10(-5) for the four closest pulsars.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Are rural residents less likely to obtain recommended preventive healthcare services?

BACKGROUND: This study examined rural-urban differences in utilization of preventive healthcare services and assessed the impact of rural residence, demographic factors, health insurance status, and health system characteristics on the likelihood of obtaining each service. METHODS: National data from the 1997 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and the 1999 Area Resource File were used to evaluate the adequacy of preventive services obtained by rural and urban women and men, using three sets of nationally accepted preventive services guidelines from the American Cancer Society, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, and Healthy People 2010. Logistic regression models were developed to control for the effect of demographic factors, health insurance status, and health system characteristics. RESULTS: Rural residents are less likely than urban residents to obtain certain preventive health services and are further behind urban residents in meeting Healthy People 2010 objectives. CONCLUSIONS: Efforts to increase rural preventive services utilization need to build on federal, state, and community-based initiatives and to recognize the special challenges that rural areas present.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Validating a double-press method for computer administration of personality inventory items.

This study describes a double-press method for experimentally controlling item length and reading speed when measuring response latency to computer-administered personality items. Previous research has required several statistical transformations to control for item length and reading speed. Five approaches validated the new, double-press method. First, valid profiles showing reasonable read time and psychological response time resulted in few outliers. Second, read and psychological response times were internally consistent. Third, valid separation of read time from total response time was demonstrated by a positive relationship between read time and item length. Fourth, negatively stated items took longer to understand than positively stated items. Fifth, in accordance with schema research, items that were highly similar or dissimilar to the self-schema were answered more quickly than other items, resulting in an inverted-U effect.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Rural beneficiaries with chronic conditions: does prevalence pose a risk to Medicare managed care?

One of several possible barriers to the growth of Medicare managed care in rural areas is the fear of adverse selection (i.e., the perception that rural beneficiaries are less healthy and have pent-up demand for services). Using 1993 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data, we conclude that specific chronic conditions common among the elderly are not more prevalent among rural than urban beneficiaries. Medicare reimbursements for beneficiaries with chronic conditions are generally lower in rural counties. However, the difference between actual Medicare reimbursements and projected capitated payments to managed care organizations is similar in magnitude for rural and urban beneficiaries with these conditions.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Rural health network development: public policy issues and state initiatives.

Rural health networks are a potential way for rural health care systems to improve access to care, reduce costs, and enhance quality of care. Networks provide a means for rural providers to contract with managed care organizations, develop their own managed care entities, share resources, and structure practice opportunities to support recruitment and retention of rural physicians and other health care professionals. The results of early network development initiatives indicate a need for state officials and others interested in encouraging network development to agree on common rural health network definitions, to identify clearly the goals of network development programs, and to document and analyze program outcomes. Future network development efforts need to be much more comprehensive if they are to have a significant impact on rural health care. This article analyzes public policy issues related to integrated rural health network development, discusses current efforts to encourage network development in rural areas, and suggests actions that states may take if they desire to support rural health network development. These actions include adopting a formal rural health network definition, providing networks with alternatives to certain regulatory requirements, and providing incentives such as matching grants, loans, or technical assistance. Without public sector support for networks, managed care options may continue to be unavailable in many less densely populated rural areas of the country, and locally controlled rural health networks are unlikely to develop as an alternative to the dominant pattern of managed care expansion by large urban entities. Implementation of Medicare reform legislation could provide significant incentives for the development of rural health networks, depending on the reimbursement provisions, financial solvency standards, and antitrust exemptions for provider-sponsored networks in the final legislation and federal regulations.

Antitrust Laws↗

PubMed1997

Integrated networks and health care provider cooperatives: new models for rural health care delivery and financing.

Minnesota's 1994 health care reform legislation authorized the establishment of community integrated service networks (CISNs) and health care provider cooperatives, which were envisioned as new health care delivery models that could be successfully implemented in rural areas of the state. Four CISNs are licensed, and three organizations are incorporated as health care provider cooperatives. Many of the policy issues Minnesota has faced regarding the development of CISNs and health care provider cooperatives in rural areas are similar to those raised by current Medicare reform proposals.

Community Networks↗