Reduced COVID-19 Hospitalizations among New York City Residents Following Age-Based SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Eligibility: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design

Background: In clinical trials, several SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were shown to reduce risk of severe COVID-19 illness. Local, population-level, real-world evidence of vaccine effectiveness is accumulating. We assessed vaccine effectiveness for community-dwelling New York City (NYC) residents using a quasi-experimental, regression discontinuity design, leveraging a period (January 12-March 9, 2021) when ≥65-year-olds were vaccine-eligible but younger persons, excluding essential workers, were not. Methods: We constructed segmented, negative binomial regression models of age-specific COVID-19 hospitalization rates among 45-84-year-old NYC residents during a post-vaccination program implementation period (February 21-April 17, 2021), with a discontinuity at age 65 years. The relationship between age and hospitalization rates in an unvaccinated population was incorporated using a pre-implementation period (December 20, 2020-February 13, 2021). We calculated the rate ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the interaction between implementation period (pre or post) and age-based eligibility (45-64 or 65-84 years). Analyses were stratified by race/ethnicity and borough of residence. Similar analyses were conducted for COVID-19 deaths. Results: Hospitalization rates among 65-84-year-olds decreased from pre- to post-implementation periods (RR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74-0.97), controlling for trends among 45-64-year-olds. Accordingly, an estimated 721 (95% CI: 126-1,241) hospitalizations were averted. Residents just above the eligibility threshold (65-66-year-olds) had lower hospitalization rates than those below (63-64-year-olds). Racial/ethnic groups and boroughs with higher vaccine coverage generally experienced greater reductions in RR point estimates. Uncertainty was greater for the decrease in COVID-19 death rates (RR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.66-1.10). Conclusion: The vaccination program in NYC reduced COVID-19 hospitalizations among the initially age-eligible ≥65-year-old population by approximately 15%. The real-world evidence of vaccine effectiveness makes it more imperative to improve vaccine access and uptake to reduce inequities in COVID-19 outcomes.

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Short-Run Impacts of Accountability on School Quality

American Economic Journal Economic Policy ◽

10.1257/pol.2.4.119 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 119-147 ◽

Cited By ~ 40

Author(s):

Jonah Rockoff ◽

Lesley J Turner

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

Student Achievement ◽

York City ◽

School Quality ◽

Regression Discontinuity ◽

Time Frame ◽

School Closure ◽

Low Grade ◽

Short Run

In the fall of 2007, New York City began using student tests and other measures to assign each school a grade (A to F), and linked grades to rewards and consequences, including possible school closure. These grades were released in late September, arguably too late for schools to make major changes in programs or personnel, and students were tested again in January (English) and March (math). Despite this time frame, regression discontinuity estimates indicate that receipt of a low grade significantly increased student achievement, more so in math than English, and improved parental evaluations of school quality. (JEL H75, I21, I28, J45)

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Impacts of classifying New York City students as overweight

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1518443113 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 113 (13) ◽

pp. 3488-3491 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Douglas Almond ◽

Ajin Lee ◽

Amy Ellen Schwartz

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

York City ◽

Female Students ◽

Report Cards ◽

Regression Discontinuity Design ◽

Healthy Weight ◽

School Students ◽

Public School Students ◽

Academic Year

US schools increasingly report body mass index (BMI) to students and their parents in annual fitness “report cards.” We obtained 3,592,026 BMI reports for New York City public school students for 2007–2012. We focus on female students whose BMI puts them close to their age-specific cutoff for categorization as overweight. Overweight students are notified that their BMI “falls outside a healthy weight” and they should review their BMI with a health care provider. Using a regression discontinuity design, we compare those classified as overweight but near to the overweight cutoff to those whose BMI narrowly earned them a “healthy” BMI grouping. We find that overweight categorization generates small impacts on girls’ subsequent BMI and weight. Whereas presumably an intent of BMI report cards was to slow BMI growth among heavier students, BMIs and weights did not decline relative to healthy peers when assessed the following academic year. Our results speak to the discrete categorization as overweight for girls with BMIs near the overweight cutoff, not to the overall effect of BMI reporting in New York City.

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An Important Armenian MS. with Greek Miniatures

Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society ◽

10.1017/s0035869x00097884 ◽

1942 ◽

Vol 74 (3-4) ◽

pp. 155-162

Author(s):

H. Kurdian

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

York City ◽

Christian Iconography

In 1941 while in New York City I was fortunate enough to purchase an Armenian MS. which I believe will be of interest to students of Eastern Christian iconography.

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Hospitals: N.Y. Appellate Court Denies Move to Privatize Public Hospital

The Journal of Law Medicine & Ethics ◽

10.1017/s1073110500012961 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 27 (2) ◽

pp. 202-203

Author(s):

Robert Chatham

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

York City ◽

Public Health System ◽

Municipal Hospital ◽

The Public ◽

Public Benefit ◽

For Profit ◽

Benefit Corporation ◽

The City

The Court of Appeals of New York held, in Council of the City of New York u. Giuliani, slip op. 02634, 1999 WL 179257 (N.Y. Mar. 30, 1999), that New York City may not privatize a public city hospital without state statutory authorization. The court found invalid a sublease of a municipal hospital operated by a public benefit corporation to a private, for-profit entity. The court reasoned that the controlling statute prescribed the operation of a municipal hospital as a government function that must be fulfilled by the public benefit corporation as long as it exists, and nothing short of legislative action could put an end to the corporation's existence.In 1969, the New York State legislature enacted the Health and Hospitals Corporation Act (HHCA), establishing the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) as an attempt to improve the New York City public health system. Thirty years later, on a renewed perception that the public health system was once again lacking, the city administration approved a sublease of Coney Island Hospital from HHC to PHS New York, Inc. (PHS), a private, for-profit entity.

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ASHA Voices: What a New York City SLP's Seen During COVID-19

PodCast Digital Object Group ◽

10.1044/2020-0730-ashavoices-tami-nyu-icu-covid ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

York City

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Cultural Competence Needed to Distinguish Disorder from Difference: Beyond Kumbaya

Perspectives on Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations ◽

10.1044/cds22.2.64 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 64-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Catherine J. Crowley ◽

Kristin Guest ◽

Kenay Sudler

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

New York City ◽

Public Schools ◽

Cultural Competence ◽

York City ◽

Cultural Sensitivity ◽

Graduate Program ◽

Language Disorder ◽

New York State ◽

Deep Understanding

What does it mean to have true cultural competence as an speech-language pathologist (SLP)? In some areas of practice it may be enough to develop a perspective that values the expectations and identity of our clients and see them as partners in the therapeutic process. But when clinicians are asked to distinguish a language difference from a language disorder, cultural sensitivity is not enough. Rather, in these cases, cultural competence requires knowledge and skills in gathering data about a student's cultural and linguistic background and analyzing the student's language samples from that perspective. This article describes one American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)-accredited graduate program in speech-language pathology and its approach to putting students on the path to becoming culturally competent SLPs, including challenges faced along the way. At Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) the program infuses knowledge of bilingualism and multiculturalism throughout the curriculum and offers bilingual students the opportunity to receive New York State certification as bilingual clinicians. Graduate students must demonstrate a deep understanding of the grammar of Standard American English and other varieties of English particularly those spoken in and around New York City. Two recent graduates of this graduate program contribute their perspectives on continuing to develop cultural competence while working with diverse students in New York City public schools.

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