The secret life of the city rat: a review of the ecology of urban Norway and black rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus)

Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and black rats (Rattus rattus) are among the most prolific and widespread urban pest species in the world. Yet despite their ubiquity, a unified understanding of the ecology of these species in urban habitats eludes us. A comprehensive understanding of urban rat ecology is important for managing rat populations and mitigating the harmful effects that they may have on urban ecosystems (e.g., structural damage, food contamination, and disease spread). The objective of this systematic review and narrative synthesis is to collate, compare, and contrast data from the published literature regarding the ecology of Norway and black rats in urban centers. Themes emerging from the synthesis process, and discussed in detail, include population dynamics, behavior, movement, and environmental influences on rat populations.     

Changes in Young Children’s Family Structures and Child Care Arrangements

Family structure change can disrupt the settings of children’s daily lives. Most scholarship focuses on disruption in the home environment. Moving beyond the home, this study explores the association between changes in family structure and changes in several dimensions of early child care. With longitudinal data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (n = 1,298), first-difference models reveal that family structure transitions are associated with changes in the type and quantity of early care as well as the number of care arrangements used, especially during the latter part of infancy. Given prior evidence linking these child care dimensions to behavioral and cognitive outcomes, these results suggest a policy-relevant mechanism by which family change may create inequalities among children.     

Allowing Family to be Family: End-of-Life Care in Veterans Affairs Medical Foster Homes

The Medical Foster Home program is a unique long-term care program coordinated by the Veterans Health Administration. The program pairs Veterans with private, 24-hour a day community-based caregivers who often care for Veterans until the end of life. This qualitative study explored the experiences of care coordination for Medical Foster Home Veterans at the end of life with eight Veterans’ family members, five Medical Foster Home caregivers, and seven Veterans Health Administration Home-Based Primary Care team members. A case study, qualitative content analysis identified these themes addressing care coordination and impact of the Medical Foster Home model on those involved: (a) Medical Foster Home program supports Veterans’ families; (b) Medical Foster Home program supports the caregiver as family; (c) Veterans’ needs are met socially and culturally at the end of life; and (d) the changing needs of Veterans, families, and caregivers at Veterans’ end of life are addressed. Insights into how to best support Medical Foster Home caregivers caring for Veterans at the end of life were gained including the need for more and better respite options and how caregivers are compensated in the month of the Veteran’s death, as well as suggestions to navigate end-of-life care coordination with multiple stakeholders involved.