No Crystal Ball Needed: Teens Are Heading in the Wrong Direction
Source: Guttmacher Institute

Between 2003 and 2007, the progress made in the 1990s and early 2000s in improving teen contraceptive use and reducing teen pregnancy and childbearing stalled, and may even have reversed among certain groups of teens, according to “Changing Behavior Risk for Pregnancy Among High School Students in the United States, 1991–2007,” by John S. Santelli et al. Between 1991 and 2003, teens’ condom use increased while their use of no contraceptive method declined, leading to a decreased risk of pregnancy and to declines in teen pregnancy and childbearing. These new findings paint a very different picture since 2003.

Using data from young women in grades 9–12 who participated in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the authors estimated teens’ risk of becoming pregnant based on their sexual activity, the contraceptive method they used and the effectiveness of that method in preventing pregnancy. The authors found no change in teen sexual activity between 2003 and 2007, but did find a small decline in contraceptive use.

“After major improvements in teen contraceptive use in the 1990s and early 2000s, which led to significant declines in teen pregnancy, it is disheartening to see a reversal of such a positive trend,” says lead author John Santelli, M.D., chair of the Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Guttmacher Institute senior fellow. “Teens are still having sex, but it appears many are not taking the necessary steps to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.”

+ Full document (PDF; 110 KB)

More than 80 Percent Say Emergency Care Should be a Public Plan Benefit
Source: American College of Emergency Physicians

As the health care reform debate gains momentum in Washington, a new Harris Interactive survey indicates that two-thirds of those polled say the government should increase funding to emergency departments in order to hire more doctors and expand vital lifesaving services. In addition, an overwhelming 81 percent say emergency care benefits should be included as part of any government sponsored health insurance plan being designed by Congress and the Obama Administration.

“This is the strongest evidence yet that the public supports significant reforms to help emergency patients,” said Dr. Nick Jouriles, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians. “Emergency physicians treat 120 million patients each year — nearly one-third of the national population — yet our policymakers have not yet focused on addressing emergency care in the health care reform discussions. This comes at a time when emergency departments are closing at rapid rates and overcrowding is increasing dramatically. Emergency care consumes only 3 percent of the nation’s $2 trillion in health care expenditures, but is a priceless public resource.”

+ Survey results (PDF; 371 KB)

New Report Finds Unprecedented Amount of Natural Gas Supply in the U.S.
Source: American Gas Association

The American Gas Association (AGA) today held a press conference with the Potential Gas Committee (PGC) to release its year-end 2008 biennial report: Potential Supply of Natural Gas in the United States. The assessment found that the United States possesses a total natural gas resource base of 1,836 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) and a total available future supply of 2,074 Tcf—the highest resources evaluation in the PGC’s 44-year history, equaling about 100 years of supply. Americans consume an average of 22 Tcf per year.
…
Despite a 70 percent increase in households using natural gas during the past three decades, there has been virtually no growth in emissions in this sector. Natural gas customers continue to reduce household consumption and carbon emissions dramatically by using energy wisely, weatherizing their homes, using energy-efficient appliances and installing programmable thermostats.

+ Detailed press release with tables (PDF; 45 KB)
+ Slide show (PDF: 904 KB)
+ Video presentation

Save the Children Report Reveals Government Unprepared to Protect Children During Disasters
Source: Save the Children

Ten years after a relentless assault of unprecedented natural and manmade disasters, a report released today by Save the Children’s U.S. Programs reveals that only seven states are meeting crucial minimum standards to ensure that schools and child-care facilities are prepared to respond to the needs of children during a disaster.

The report, “The Disaster Decade: Lessons Unlearned for the United States,” was released at a D.C.-area child-care center by Mark Shriver, Save the Children U.S. Programs Managing Director, along with actor and advocate Julianne Moore, Artist Ambassador.

“The past decade is defined by unrelenting and unprecedented disasters that left children unprotected in schools and child care,” said Shriver. “The most vulnerable Americans in the most vulnerable settings are made more vulnerable because of government inaction.”

Commissioned by Save the Children and conducted by Brown, Berkley and Tucker, the report reviewed four standards in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and found that only seven states — Arkansas, Maryland, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Alabama and Vermont — are meeting four key standards.

The four key standards identified by Save the Children include evacuation and relocation, reunification and plans for special needs children at child-care facilities, as well as multi-hazard plans at schools.

+ Full Report (PDF; 933 KB)

U.S. DOT Proposes New Tire Fuel Efficiency Ratings for American Consumers
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The U.S. Department of Transportation today proposed a new, consumer-friendly replacement tire label which would include, for the first time, information about the tire’s impact on fuel economy and CO2 emission reductions. Tires with lower rolling resistance – and proper inflation pressure - can contribute to improved fuel economy.

In addition to the new fuel efficiency ratings, the proposal by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) also would provide consumers with two other key pieces of tire performance information - wet weather traction and tread wear. All three ratings would be prominently displayed on a removable label attached to the replacement tire at the point of sale.

The new, three-tiered ratings also will appear on safercar.gov to help consumers in compare ratings as they shop for new tires.

+ Proposal (PDF; 691 KB)
+ Proposed ratings label (PDF; 445 KB)

Juice From Concentrate: Reducing Emissions with Concentrating Solar Thermal Power
Source: World Resources Institute

This report examines Concentrating Solar Thermal power (CST), a renewable energy resource that presents policy-makers and investors with a significant potential for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector.

In a world of rising energy prices, security concerns, and climate change, the production of energy will need to change in fundamental ways. In the electricity sector, certain renewable energy sources appear ready for the mainstream, offering not just a solution to these challenges but an exciting opportunity for investment, innovation, and job creation. Many regions are deploying wind and solar energy, successfully managing their intermittency. However, these resources are innately less predictable than coal, which limits their use at high rates of market penetration and as reliable sources of power around the clock (i.e., baseload electricity). Both developed and emerging economies require reliable power supplies on demand, and many energy analysts routinely assert that there is no realistic alternative to building more coal-fired power generators.

+ Full Report (PDF; 2.6 MB)

Economic Costs of Underage Drinking in Florida (PDF; 115 KB)
Source: Florida Department of Children and Families

Underage drinking is a persistent public health problem that generates significant costs to society from alcohol-related consequences such as criminal activity/delinquency, antisocial behavior, academic difficulties, risky sexual behavior, health problems, unintentional injuries, and traffic crashes. Florida faces a particularly tough challenge in this regard as Florida youth have higher rates of alcohol use than the national average (Florida’s State Epidemiology Workgroup (FL SEW), 2007). Moreover, Florida is a popular tourist destination, attracting thousands of youth each year for Spring Break, sporting events, and other holidays. According to the 2007 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey (FYSAS), alcohol is the most prevalent substance used by Florida students; 55.6% reported any lifetime use and 31.2% reported past-30-days-use. More than 78% of high school seniors report having tried alcohol at least once. 9.9% of 6th graders and more than 48% of 12th graders report using alcohol in the past month, and about one out of six Florida students (16.4%) report binge drinking within the past two weeks. Policies and programs that successfully target underage drinking have the potential to generate significant savings to state government, taxpayers, businesses, schools, and other segments of society by reducing many of the negative consequences that are associated with underage drinking.

State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08: Part I, Is the Emphasis on “Proficiency” Shortchanging Higher- and Lower-Achieving Students?
Source: Center on Education Policy

This report is the first in a series of reports describing results from CEP’s third annual analysis of state testing data. The report provides an update on student performance at the proficient level of achievement, and for the first time, includes data about student performance at the advanced and basic levels. Also included are profiles for each state, which show trends in reading and math for basic, proficient, and advanced levels in elementary, middle, and high school. The study provides an in-depth look at the full range of student performance in order to better understand whether the No Child Left Behind Act’s focus on proficiency has caused teachers to shortchange students at either end of the academic spectrum.

+ Full Report (PDF; 362 KB)

(When) are Religious People Nicer? Religious Salience and the ‘Sunday Effect’ on Pro-Social Behavior
Source: Harvard Business School — Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit Working Papers

Prior research has found mixed evidence for the long-theorized link between religiosity and pro-social behavior. To help overcome this divergence, we hypothesize that pro-social behavior is linked not to religiosity per se, but rather to the salience of religion and religious norms. We report on a field experiment that examines when auction participants will respond to an appeal to continue bidding for secular charitable causes. The results reveal that religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to respond to an appeal for charity only on days that they visit their place of worship; on other days of the week, religiosity has no effect. Notably, the result persists after controlling for a host of factors that may influence bidding, but disappears when the appeal for charity is replaced by an appeal to bid for other reasons. Implications for the link between religion and pro-social behavior are discussed.

Several options available for retrieval of full text.

How Does Retirement Affect Health? (PDF; 350 KB)
Source: Institute for the Study of Labor

This paper investigates the effects of retirement on various health outcomes. Data stem from the first three waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). With this informative data, non-parametric matching methods can be applied to identify causal effects. It is found that retirement significantly increases the risk of being diagnosed with a chronic condition. In particular, it raises the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease and being diagnosed with cancer. Estimates also indicate that retirement has quite diverse effects for different individuals.

Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2009
Source: Productivity Commission, Australia

From Overview:

In 2002, Australian governments committed themselves collectively to overcoming the disadvantage experienced by Indigenous Australians. As part of this commitment, governments agreed to a regular public report on progress — the Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators report. This is the fourth edition of that report.

This report is more than a collection of data. It draws on extensive evidence to identify the areas where government policies will have the greatest impact. Over time, the report measures the effects of those policies — and reveals where more effort is required. This was recognised in the updated terms of reference for this report, provided this year by the Prime Minister on behalf of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG):

The OID report has been used by Governments and the broader community to understand the nature of Indigenous disadvantage and as a result has helped to inform the development of policies to address Indigenous disadvantage. Governments acting alone are unable to overcome Indigenous disadvantage. Meaningful change will also require commitment and actions by Indigenous people themselves, with support from the private and non-profit sectors and the general community, as well as governments. This report provides Indigenous people with a clear summary of current outcomes, and some examples of programs and policies that are improving those outcomes.

+ Direct link to Report (PDF; 7.3 MB)
+ Overview booklet (PDF; 3.8 MB)

 
GDP Growth - Economy contracts 2.4% in Q1 2009
Source: Office for National Statistics

UK gross domestic product (GDP) in volume terms fell by 2.4 per cent compared with the previous quarter, revised down from last month’s estimate of 1.9 per cent. The level of GDP is now 4.9 per cent lower than the first quarter of 2008. The estimates in this bulletin release are consistent with the dataset to be published in this year’s United Kingdom National Accounts, The Blue Book 2009.

Between the fourth quarter of 2008 and first quarter of 2009:

The total volume of output in the production industries fell by 5.1 per cent, including manufacturing output which fell by 5.5 per cent.

Construction output fell by 6.9 per cent over the quarter. The output of the service industries decreased by 1.6 per cent.

The household saving ratio was 3.0 per cent in the latest quarter compared with 4.0 per cent in the previous quarter.

Real households’ disposable income fell by 2.4 per cent in the latest quarter following 2.4 per cent rise in 2008 quarter four .

+ Direct link to document (PDF; 157.2 KB)

Medical Malpractice Payments Fall to Record Low, Public Citizen Study Shows
Source: Public Citizen

Medical malpractice payments were at or near record lows in 2008, but the decline almost certainly indicates that a lower percentage of injured patients received compensation, not that health safety has improved, Public Citizen reported in a study released today.

Medical malpractice is so common, and litigation over it so rare, that between three and seven Americans die from medical errors for every one who receives a payment for any malpractice claim, Public Citizen’s analysis of medical malpractice payment data and the best available patient safety estimates indicate.

For the third straight year, 2008 saw the lowest number of medical malpractice payments since the federal government’s National Practitioner Data Bank began tracking such data in 1990. The 11,037 payments in 2008 were 30.7 percent lower than the average number of payments recorded by the NPDB in all previous years. Ratios of payments per capita and per physician have fallen even lower compared to historical norms. There were 13.5 payments per million physicians in 2006 (the most recent year for which the number of physicians is available), which is 29.2 percent lower than the average in previous years. The value of payments in 2008 (as distinct from the number of payments) was the lowest or second lowest on record, depending on the method used to adjust for inflation.

+ Full Report (PDF; 808 KB)

Center Joins New Nonprofit Investigative News Network
Source: Center for Public Integrity

The Center for Public Integrity has joined with nearly two dozen other nonprofit news organizations nationwide in announcing plans for creation of a new Investigative News Network for watchdog journalism.

The agreement is the result of a three-day meeting at the Pocantico Conference Center in Tarrytown, NY, sponsored by the Center for Public Integrity and the Center for Investigative Reporting. A joint statement issued by the groups in attendance — the Pocantico Declaration — lays the groundwork for an unprecedented collaborative network of newly established and veteran nonprofit investigative journalism organizations.

“The Center for Public Integrity joins an ambitious and energetic group of investigative journalists who will help confront the extraordinary challenges faced by newsrooms nationwide,” said Bill Buzenberg, Executive Director of the Center. “This groundbreaking collective network will explore new opportunities to strengthen and sustain investigative journalism and ensure its enduring value to our industry and society.”

The mission of this new Investigative News Network, according to the declaration, is to facilitate the work and public reach of its member organizations, to foster high-quality, original investigative journalism, and to hold government and corporate power accountable at the local, national and international levels.

+ The Pocantico Declaration: Creating a Nonprofit Investigative News Network

Report Calls for National Initiative to Improve Mathematics Education for Preschoolers
Source: National Research Council

To ensure that all children enter elementary school with the foundation they need for success, a major national initiative is needed to improve early childhood mathematics education, says a new report from the National Research Council. Opportunities for preschoolers to learn mathematics are currently inadequate, particularly for those in low-income groups, says the report, which is intended to inform the efforts of Head Start, state-funded preschool programs, curriculum developers, and teachers.

“Young children have a keen interest in learning about everything in their environment. That naturally translates into becoming competent in mathematics, but right now most children’s potential is not being realized because we have not given parents, educators and caregivers the tools that they need to build on that interest,” said Christopher T. Cross, chair of the committee that wrote the report, and chairman of Cross & Joftus LLC, an education-policy consulting firm. “Evidence shows that early success in math is linked to later success in both math and reading. Given the increasing importance of science and technology in everyday life and for gaining entry into many careers, it’s crucial that we give all children a strong foundation in math and that we start many years before they enter formal schooling.”

Historically, mathematics has been viewed by many early-childhood educators as unimportant or developmentally inappropriate for young children, but research indicates otherwise, the report says. As early as infancy, children are able to think about their world in mathematical ways; by 10 months of age, babies can distinguish a set of two items from a set of three. Young children continue to expand their competence in informal, spontaneous ways — by counting toys, for example, or pointing out shapes. Adult support in a positive learning environment is crucial to helping children expand their knowledge and see the mathematical aspects of everyday situations, the committee said.

The amount of time devoted to and focused on mathematics needs to be increased in all public and private preschool settings, the report says. Currently mathematics activities are often embedded in other lessons and secondary to other learning goals. But emerging research indicates that learning experiences in which mathematics is the secondary rather than the primary goal are less effective for promoting math learning.

Read full report for free online. (National Academies Press)