Preference for same-race health care providers and perceptions of interpersonal discrimination in health care

This article examines black Americans' preference for black health care providers. Using data from a national survey, we assess how blacks 'perceptions of discrimination are related to preference for same-race health care providers. Overall, the belief that discrimination is frequent in different-race doctor-patient dyads is associated with greater preference for a same-race provider However; the belief that discrimination occurs regardless of a doctor's race reduces preference for a same-race provider Finally, general perceptions of discrimination are distinct from concerns about personally being treated unfairly, and low personal concern about unfair treatment reduces preference for a same-race provider among those who believe that interpersonal discrimination occurs frequently. These results suggest a complex picture of how perceptions of discrimination influence preferred race of health care provider among blacks in the United States.     

How to improve the fit of Archimedean copulas by means of transforms

The selection of copulas is an important aspect of dependence modeling issues. In many practical applications, only a limited number of copulas is tested and the copula with the best result for a goodness-of-fit test is chosen, which, however, does not always lead to the best possible fit. In this paper we develop a practical and logical method for improving the goodness-of-fit of a particular Archimedean copula by means of transforms. In order to do this, we introduce concordance invariant transforms which can also be tail dependence preserving, based on an analysis on the λ-function, l = \fracjj￠{\lambda=\frac{\varphi}{\varphi'}}, where j{\varphi} is the Archimedean generator. The methodology is applied to the data set studied in Cook and Johnson (J R Stat Soc B 43:210–218, 1981) and Genest and Rivest (J Am Stat Assoc 88:1043–1043, 1993), where we improve the fit of the Frank copula and obtain statistically significant results.     

Links between social environment and health care utilization and costs

The social environment influences health outcomes for older adults and could be an important target for interventions to reduce costly medical care. We sought to understand which elements of the social environment distinguish communities that achieve lower health care utilization and costs from communities that experience higher health care utilization and costs for older adults with complex needs. We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods approach. We classified community performance based on three outcomes: rate of hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions, all-cause risk-standardized hospital readmission rates, and Medicare spending per beneficiary. We conducted in-depth interviews with key informants (N = 245) from organizations providing health or social services. Higher performing communities were distinguished by several aspects of social environment, and these features were lacking in lower performing communities: 1) strong informal support networks; 2) partnerships between faith-based organizations and health care and social service organizations; and 3) grassroots organizing and advocacy efforts. Higher performing communities share similar social environmental features that complement the work of health care and social service organizations. Many of the supportive features and programs identified in the higher performing communities were developed locally and with limited governmental funding, providing opportunities for improvement.     

BRINGING CLIENTS BACK IN:

Using qualitative data from a cohort sample of 76 current or former Wall Street professionals, I argue that the perception that clients prefer homophily with their service providers shapes Wall Street careers and contributes to gender inequality. I also reveal how some women on Wall Street partially insulate themselves from biases against them by deliberately avoiding positions that are most dependent on client relationships. I hypothesize that the strength of client preferences for homophily in service providers in the Wall Street context is related to the high status of this service profession and its clients.     

Education of social workers for intervention with families of children with special needs

With the passage of Public Law 99-457, social workers may be expected to have increased involvement with the special needs of families who have children with handicaps. Specific knowledge, skills, and competency are needed to work with these special needs children and their families. Social work education must be responsive to these needs. The authors suggest competency-based educational responses.     

The Concept of Rationality in the Work of Max Weber

This paper attempts to clarify the concept of rationality in Max Weber's sociology of religion. Three new terms: rationalism, rationalization, and rationality, are used to distinguish the different meanings Weber gives to rationality. Efficient orientation of means to ends (rationalism) is distinguished from the systematization of ideas (rationalization). Rationality, finally, is the control of action by ideas. Rational social action is produced only by powerful irrational motives, and it holds a distinct place in Weber's sociology of ideas.