scholarly journals The Impact of Early or Late Lockdowns on the Spread of COVID-19 in US Counties

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolin Huang ◽  
Xiaojian Shao ◽  
Li Xing ◽  
Yushan Hu ◽  
Don Sin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflection Point ◽  
Family Income ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
The United States ◽  
County Level ◽  
Functional Principal Component ◽  
Case Count ◽  
Us Census ◽  
The Impact

Background: COVID-19 is a highly transmissible infectious disease that has infected over 122 million individuals worldwide. To combat this pandemic, governments around the world have imposed lockdowns. However, the impact of these lockdowns on the rates of COVID-19 transmission in communities is not well known. Here, we used COVID-19 case counts from 3,000+ counties in the United States (US) to determine the relationship between lockdown as well as other county factors and the rate of COVID-19 spread in these communities. Methods: We merged county-specific COVID-19 case counts with US census data and the date of lockdown for each of the counties. We then applied a Functional Principal Component (FPC) analysis on this dataset to generate scores that described the trajectory of COVID-19 spread across the counties. We used machine learning methods to identify important factors in the county including the date of lockdown that significantly influenced the FPC scores. Findings: We found that the first FPC score accounted for up to 92.81% of the variations in the absolute rates of COVID-19 as well as the topology of COVID-19 spread over time at a county level. The relation between incidence of COVID-19 and time at a county level demonstrated a hockey-stick appearance with an inflection point approximately 7 days prior to the county reporting at least 5 new cases of COVID-19; beyond this inflection point, there was an exponential increase in incidence. Among the risk factors, lockdown and total population were the two most significant features of the county that influenced the rate of COVID-19 infection, while the median family income, median age and within-county move also substantially affect COVID spread. Interpretation: Lockdowns are an effective way of controlling the COVID-19 spread in communities. However, significant delays in lockdown cause a dramatic increase in the case counts. Thus, the timing of the lockdown relative to the case count is an important consideration in controlling the pandemic in communities.

scholarly journals Estimated Burden of Community-Onset Respiratory Syncytial Virus–Associated Hospitalizations Among Children Aged <2 Years in the United States, 2014–15

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 587-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen S Arriola ◽  
Lindsay Kim ◽  
Gayle Langley ◽  
Evan J Anderson ◽  
Kyle Openo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Respiratory Syncytial Virus ◽  
Census Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
Surveillance Network ◽  
Detection Probabilities ◽  
Syncytial Virus ◽  
Us Children ◽  
Us Census ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Community Onset

Abstract Background Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of hospitalizations in young children. We estimated the burden of community-onset RSV-associated hospitalizations among US children aged &lt;2 years by extrapolating rates of RSV-confirmed hospitalizations in 4 surveillance states and using probabilistic multipliers to adjust for ascertainment biases. Methods From October 2014 through April 2015, clinician-ordered RSV tests identified laboratory-confirmed RSV hospitalizations among children aged &lt;2 years at 4 influenza hospitalization surveillance network sites. Surveillance populations were used to estimate age-specific rates of RSV-associated hospitalization, after adjusting for detection probabilities. We extrapolated these rates using US census data. Results We identified 1554 RSV-associated hospitalizations in children aged &lt;2 years. Of these, 27% were admitted to an intensive care unit, 6% needed mechanical ventilation, and 5 died. Most cases (1047/1554; 67%) had no underlying condition. Adjusted age-specific RSV hospitalization rates per 100 000 population were 1970 (95% confidence interval [CI],1787 to 2177), 897 (95% CI, 761 to 1073), 531 (95% CI, 459 to 624), and 358 (95% CI, 317 to 405) for ages 0–2, 3–5, 6–11, and 12–23 months, respectively. Extrapolating to the US population, an estimated 49 509–59 867 community-onset RSV-associated hospitalizations among children aged &lt;2 years occurred during the 2014–2015 season. Conclusions Our findings highlight the importance of RSV as a cause of hospitalization, especially among children aged &lt;2 months. Our approach to estimating RSV-related hospitalizations could be used to provide a US baseline for assessing the impact of future interventions.

scholarly journals Firework-related injuries treated at emergency departments in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to 2018–2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan Maassel ◽  
Abbie Saccary ◽  
Daniel Solomon ◽  
David Stitelman ◽  
Yunshan Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Census Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Emergency Department Visits ◽  
Consumer Product Safety Commission ◽  
Injury Surveillance System ◽  
Time Period ◽  
National Estimates ◽  
Us Census

Abstract Background Despite a national decrease in emergency department visits in the United States during the first 10 months of the pandemic, preliminary Consumer Product Safety Commission data indicate increased firework-related injuries. We hypothesized an increase in firework-related injuries during 2020 compared to years prior related to a corresponding increase in consumer firework sales. Methods The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried from 2018 to 2020 for cases with product codes 1313 (firework injury) and narratives containing “fireworks”. Population-based national estimates were calculated using US Census data, then compared across the three years of study inclusion. Patient demographic and available injury information was also tracked and compared across the three years. Firework sales data obtained from the American Pyrotechnics Association were determined for the same time period to examine trends in consumption. Results There were 935 firework-related injuries reported to the NEISS from 2018 to 2020, 47% of which occurred during 2020. National estimates for monthly injuries per million were 1.6 times greater in 2020 compared to 2019 (p < 0.0001) with no difference between 2018 and 2019 (p = 0.38). The same results were found when the month of July was excluded. Firework consumption in 2020 was 1.5 times greater than 2019 or 2018, with a 55% increase in consumer fireworks and 22% decrease in professional fireworks sales. Conclusions Firework-related injures saw a substantial increase in 2020 compared to the two years prior, corroborated by a proportional increase in consumer firework sales. Increased incidence of firework-related injuries was detected even with the exclusion of the month of July, suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted firework epidemiology more broadly than US Independence Day celebrations.

Choice and Conflict about Census Data Adjusting the American Census Count

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Census Data ◽  
Political Representation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Conflict ◽  
Census Bureau ◽  
Census Count ◽  
Social Fact ◽  
The Us ◽  
Census Adjustment ◽  
Us Census

ABSTRACTThe census is a social fact, the outcome of a process that involves the interaction of public laws and institutions and citizens' responses to an official inquiry. However, it is not a ‘hard’ fact. Reasons for inevitable defects in the census count are listed in the first section; the second section reports efforts by the US Census Bureau to identify sources of error in census coverage, and make estimates of the size of the errors. The use of census data for policy purposes, such as political representation and allocating funds, makes these defects controversial. Errors may be removed by making adjustments to the initial census count. However, because adjustment reallocates resources between groups, it has become the subject of political conflict. The paper describes the conflict between statistical practices, laws and public policy about census adjustment in the United States, and concludes by considering the extent to which causes in America are likely to be found in other countries.

scholarly journals Econometric Analysis Suggests Possible Crowding Out of Public Libraries by Book Superstores among Middle Income Families in the 1990s

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Stephanie Hall
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The United States ◽  
Econometric Analysis ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
County Level ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Library Use ◽  
The Impact

Objective – To determine the effect of large bookstores (defined as those having 20 or more employees) on household library use. Design – Econometric analysis using cross-sectional data sets. Setting – The United States of America. Subjects – People in over 55,000 households across the U.S.A. Methods – Data from 3 1996 studies were examined using logit and multinomial logit estimation procedures: the National Center for Education Statistics’ National Household Education Survey (NHES) and Public Library Survey (PLS), and the U.S. Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns (CBP). The county level results of the NHES telephone survey were merged with the county level data from the PLS and the CBP. Additionally, data on Internet use at the state level from the Statistical Abstract of the United States were incorporated into the data set. A logit regression model was used to estimate probability of library use based on several independent variables, evaluated at the mean. Main results – In general, Hemmeter found that "with regard to the impact of large bookstores on household library use, large bookstores do not appear to have an effect on overall library use among the general population” (613). While no significant changes in general library use were found among high and low income households where more large bookstores were present, nor in the population taken as a whole, middle income households (between $25,000 and $50,000 in annual income) showed notable declines in library use in these situations. These effects were strongest in the areas of borrowing (200% less likely) and recreational purposes (161%), but were also present in work-related use and job searching. Hemmeter also writes that “poorer households use the library more often for job search purposes. The probability of library use for recreation, work, and consumer information increases as income increases. This effect diminishes as households get richer” (611). Finally, home ownership was also correlated with higher library use. Households with children were more than 20% more likely to use the library (610). Their use of the library for school-related purposes, general borrowing, program activities, and so on was not affected by the presence of book superstores. White families with children were somewhat less likely to use the library, while families with higher earning and education levels were more likely to use the library. Library use also increased with the number of children in the family. Shorter distances to the nearest branch and a higher proportion of AV materials were also predictive of higher library use. Educational level was another important factor, with those having less than high school completion being significantly less likely to use the library than those with higher levels of educational attainment. Conclusions – The notable decline in public library use among middle income households where more large bookstores are present is seen as an important threat to libraries, as it may result in a decline in general support and support for funding among an important voting block. More current data are needed in this area. In addition to the type of information examined in this study, the author recommends the inclusion of information on funding, support for library referenda, and library quality as they relate to the presence of large bookstores.

scholarly journals The prevalence of MS in the United States

Neurology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (10) ◽  
pp. e1029-e1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitchell T. Wallin ◽  
William J. Culpepper ◽  
Jonathan D. Campbell ◽  
Lorene M. Nelson ◽  
Annette Langer-Gould ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
The North ◽  
Time Period ◽  
The Us ◽  
Group A ◽  
Us Census

ObjectiveTo generate a national multiple sclerosis (MS) prevalence estimate for the United States by applying a validated algorithm to multiple administrative health claims (AHC) datasets.MethodsA validated algorithm was applied to private, military, and public AHC datasets to identify adult cases of MS between 2008 and 2010. In each dataset, we determined the 3-year cumulative prevalence overall and stratified by age, sex, and census region. We applied insurance-specific and stratum-specific estimates to the 2010 US Census data and pooled the findings to calculate the 2010 prevalence of MS in the United States cumulated over 3 years. We also estimated the 2010 prevalence cumulated over 10 years using 2 models and extrapolated our estimate to 2017.ResultsThe estimated 2010 prevalence of MS in the US adult population cumulated over 10 years was 309.2 per 100,000 (95% confidence interval [CI] 308.1–310.1), representing 727,344 cases. During the same time period, the MS prevalence was 450.1 per 100,000 (95% CI 448.1–451.6) for women and 159.7 (95% CI 158.7–160.6) for men (female:male ratio 2.8). The estimated 2010 prevalence of MS was highest in the 55- to 64-year age group. A US north-south decreasing prevalence gradient was identified. The estimated MS prevalence is also presented for 2017.ConclusionThe estimated US national MS prevalence for 2010 is the highest reported to date and provides evidence that the north-south gradient persists. Our rigorous algorithm-based approach to estimating prevalence is efficient and has the potential to be used for other chronic neurologic conditions.

Assessing the Impact of Remittances on Schooling: the Mexican Experience

2005 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 1850033 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Borraz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Census Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Child Human Capital ◽  
The Impact

This paper analyzes the impact of remittances on child human capital in Mexico. During the 90’s and in particular after the “tequila crisis” Mexican workers increased the remittances that were sent to their homes from the United States. I will analyze the effect of such increasing source of income on child human capital decisions. Contrary to Hanson and Woodruff (2003) the results obtained from Census data indicate a positive and small effect of remittances on schooling only for children living in cities with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants and with mothers with a very low level of education. However its magnitude is not substantial.

scholarly journals Assessing Households’ Gas and Electricity Consumption: A Case Study of Djelfa, Algeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 111-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soufiane Boukarta ◽  
Ewa Berezowska-Azzag
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Census Data ◽  
Population Distribution ◽  
Electricity Consumption ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Building Energy Efficiency ◽  
Housing Type ◽  
Bivariate Correlation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Households are the major energy consumer and contributor to the emission of greenhouse gases. The Algerian policy of mastering energy has improved building energy efficiency since 1994 by introducing thermal regulation (DTR). However, energy consumption is still increasing instead of decreasing, which is mainly due to occupants’ behaviour which is difficult to estimate and predict. This paper explores the impact of households and housing characteristics on residential gas and electricity consumption in the 36 municipalities of the department of Djelfa (Algeria) which is located in an arid and semi-arid climate zone. This paper is based on GIS and statistical techniques. It considers the yearly gas and electricity energy consumption (2013) of the municipalities of the department of Djelfa. The method is organised in four steps: (a) a multiple linear regression is used to construct two estimative models of gas and electricity. The models have more than 93% of accuracy for both gas and electricity models; (b) estimating gas and electricity consumption for 2008 according to the developed models; (c) organisation of the census data of 2008 in five dimensions: the population distribution, household characteristics, housing type and occupancy, and finally household appliance ownership; (d) a set of sensitivity analysis is performed based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Pearson’s bivariate correlation and finally a path analysis is performed based on Structural Equation Model (SEM) to assess the importance of each variable. The overall impact of all these variables indicates that increasing the household size is the first factor reducing the electricity and gas consumption followed by the housing surface, density, room occupancy, and older households, while increasing the education level and appliance ownership boosts both per-capita gas and electricity consumption.

Sociodemographic Characteristics of Mission of Mercy Attendees in Wisconsin

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-132
Author(s):  
C. Okunseri ◽  
E. Eggert ◽  
C. Zheng ◽  
F. Eichmiller ◽  
E. Okunseri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dental Care ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
County Level ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Access To Dental Care ◽  
Event Location ◽  
Chi Square Test ◽  
Population Ratio ◽  
The Impact

Objective: Mission of Mercy (MoM) events are scheduled to provide care to populations suffering from urgent needs and inadequate access to dental care in the United States. This study examined individual and county-level characteristics of MoM attendees and the factors associated with changes in the rate of attendance. Methods: Deidentified archival data for MoM events available from the America’s Dentists Care Foundation (2013–2016) were analyzed. Summary statistics were calculated separately for each year. Chi-square test was performed to identify changes in attendance distribution over time. Poisson regression analyses were conducted to test changes in the rate of attendance with and without adjustment for county-level characteristics and history of prior MoM events. Results: Total numbers of attendees at Wisconsin MoM events were 1,560, 1,635, 1,187, and 951 in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively. Attendees were mostly female (>50%) and White (58%–81%), and mean age ranged between 36.5 and 39.2 y. The average travel distance ranged between 27 and 80 miles. Residents of counties where MoM events were held in previous years were more likely to attend another MoM event after adjusting for county distance to current location. After adjusting for dentists-to-population ratio, event history, and county distance to event location, we found that there was no statistically significant change in the rate of attendance from 2013 to 2016. Conclusions: Previous attendees with experience of attending a MoM event in their counties of residence were more likely to attend another MoM event. Higher rates of attendance were associated with shorter travel distances to MoM events. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The Mission of Mercy (MoM) events are promoted by local dental organizations to highlight the issue of access to dental care and bring greater awareness to the problem by providing urgent dental care to populations in need. Through the data-sharing practices and analyses, policy makers, dental health advocates, and program organizers will have a better understanding of the impact and reach of the program. Findings from this study will help to expand program practices, promote efficiency, and aid in the identification of appropriate event locations, innovative strategies, and public policies relevant to addressing access to dental care.

scholarly journals When the Census Comes Marching In: Challenges and Successes in Linking Individual-Level Census Records to the Utah Population Database

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Smith ◽  
Alison Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Census Data ◽  
Later Life ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Of Minnesota ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Population Database ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Early Life Conditions ◽  
Household Heads ◽  
Us Census

IntroductionThe availability of historic, individual-level census records in the United States has grown in recent years. With access to identifiers, it is possible to link these records to existing databases. The performance of and strategy for these linking efforts is not well characterized. Objectives and ApproachThe Utah Population Database (UPDB), launched in 1975, is a population registry comprising comprehensive data from genealogies, medical/vital records, and numerous administrative and demographic records spanning the past two centuries. UPDB initially did not hold individual-level US Census records until now. UPDB has massive volumes of identifiers that we have cleaned and it therefore represents a “gold standard” representation of Utah’s population. The objective here is to describe the methods used and the record linking performance applied to census records that we have linked to the UPDB for persons appearing in the 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 and 1940 censuses. ResultsWe collaborated with FamilyTree, Ancestry, and IPUMS (University of Minnesota) for keying and preparing data from the 1880-1940 censuses.  We then linked these records to the UPDB using probabilistic record linking methods and manual review.   Linking rates by census year varied by the quality of records and electronic data capture and by specific Census fields for a given census.  Data quality was somewhat lower for the 1910 and 1940 censuses and hence they had lower linking rates (66.9% and 70.4, respectively). Household heads enjoyed higher linking rates (72% was the lowest, in 1940). We used household heads to help guide links to offspring and spouses whose linking rates exceeded 75% in general.  Non-family members and single men linked at much lower rates (<50%). Conclusion/ImplicationsThis study found that linking census records to an existing population registry is feasible and with relative success. Using household/genealogy structure of the census is useful when linking to the genealogies in the UPDB. These links allow studies of effects of early life conditions on later life outcomes.

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