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How people pay is critically important to consumers and businesses alike. Many consumers are choosing to pay for goods and services from an increasing number of options. Tech‐savvy urbanites buy coffee by tapping their phone on a reader. Parents returning from a night out use peer‐to‐peer payment apps, such as Venmo, to pay the sitter. The recent explosion of financial innovations promises faster, more efficient, and cheaper transactions. These increasing digital payment options coincide with decreased number and volume of cash transactions. However, vulnerable populations face more constrained payment choices and often rely exclusively on cash. Without experience, devices, or acceptable credit histories, vulnerable populations may have little access to digital transactions. The advantages of falling digital costs and other benefits thus accrue to the digitally connected. At the same time, those who must transact in coins and paper money are likely to find their relative costs increasing. This paper highlights payment trends and the potential impact on vulnerable populations in the United States as we move toward a cashless society. This paper should stimulate discussions of public policy initiatives to mitigate digital payment issues for vulnerable people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degree to which disability benefit programs provide an adequate standard of living to those with work-limiting disabilities has long been overlooked in social policy research. This paper presents a framework for assessing disability-related decommodification and then applies that framework to an analysis of the Social Security Disability (SSD) programs in the United States. The paper draws on survey data from the Health and Retirement Study linked to administrative records from the Social Security Administration, and further compares the U.S. estimates to those from 27 other countries. The results indicate that more than 50 percent of older adults of working-age with work-disabilities in the U.S. do not receive SSD benefits, though rates of benefit receipt are higher than the average across other high-income countries. Those that receive SSD benefits, moreover, experience greater difficulty achieving an adequate standard of living, as measured by an index of financial security, than those with similar characteristics in the U.S. who do not receive disability benefits. The paper thus provides a framework for future policy research on benefit adequacy, while evaluating the availability and generosity of disability benefits in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, in the United States, there is no legal obligation for medical professionals or civil courts to uphold patients' Advance Directives (ADs) regarding end-of-life care. The applicability and standing of ADs prepared by Alzheimer's patients is a persistent issue in bioethics. Those who argue against giving ADs full status take two main approaches: (1) appealing to beneficence on behalf of the Alzheimer's patient and (2) claiming that there is no longer any personal equivalence between the AD's creator and the subject of the AD. In this paper, I present profound arguments against both approaches. Firstly, I argue that the principle of beneficence cannot apply in the case of Alzheimer's patients, and, secondly, that the moral and legal authority of the AD need not depend on strict equivalence of personal identity. I conclude by arguing that valid ADs protect the dignity and autonomy of Alzheimer's patients and that, therefore, there are moral obligations to uphold ADs which should be reflected in public policy and legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is widespread scientific evidence that validates tonic immobility (TI) as part of the trauma response in victims of rape, and criminal justice practitioners are increasingly trained in trauma-informed approaches. Yet, legal and policy definitions of consent do not fully recognize TI during the incident as evidence of nonconsent. Using a systematic review of U.S. law and policy regarding sexual violence and consent, this paper analyzes the substantial legal reform of rape law and definitions of consent, suggesting ways to further integrate TI into existing law and legal practices to improve public health approaches and justice responses for victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, the American Psychological Association undertook the task of examining the deleterious effects of systemic racism on people of color in the United States. This extensive examination led to the passing of three historic resolutions in October 2021, by the APA Council of Representatives, including the resolution, Role of Psychology, and APA in Dismantling Systemic Racism Against People of Color in the United States. In the resolution, there was a focus on education, science, healthcare, work and economic opportunities, criminal and juvenile justice, early childhood development, and government and public policy. These resolutions set a foundation for the field in moving forward. To effectively address systemic racism, there must be dedication and deliberate action to address the policies, structures, and practices that contribute to inequities. The primary focus of this paper is advocacy; specifically, political advocacy for psychologists to address these policies and structures, in achieving the goals of dismantling systemic racism and creating a more equitable society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published in the Journal of Sport Management in 1995, Laurence Chalip's "Policy Analysis in Sport Management" persuasively argued that effective sport managers should equip themselves with a particular set of critical policy analysis tools. Since that time, the study of sport policy has gained a strong foothold in the academic literature, but sport policy analysis is not often linked to managerial practice. This paper offers a critique and synthesis of a number of policy analysis frameworks (including Chalip's), and offers a refreshed set of robust and pragmatic analytical precepts that sport managers might employ to understand and influence policymaking. Following Chalip's original approach, this paper relies on an empirical case involving the development of national sport policy (the United States' Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and SafeSport Authorization Act) to illustrate and support its broader arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a comparative analysis of internationalization policy between two distinct nations entrenched in unique sociopolitical and economic cultures, namely Japan and the United States of America (U.S.A.). How do different policymaking processes impact internationalization policy in practice? While Japan's internationalization policy is clearly articulated at the national level, the U.S. does not have a national higher education internationalization policy that emanates from the federal government. Therefore, in this study we analyzed macro-level data from three distinct policymaking sectors to identify U.S. national policy. Our analysis identifies the policy-making process in each nation and elucidates how internationalization policy unfolded in both cases. Second, we compare the development of higher education internationalization policy efforts in the two countries, sequencing events, factors, and rationales that impacted national policy. This approach allowed us to compare the implications of having a centralized versus a pluralistic internationalization policy-making process in the 2000s. Our research shows that, in practical terms, there is more variation in higher education internationalization policy in the U.S. than in Japan. In both countries, policy dynamics were influenced by social and economic factors, and political factors influenced policy in the U.S. An academic and humanitarian rationale for internationalization policy was not central to the essence of the policy in either country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses distinctions between differing senses of "private," "public" and "political" in the United States to argue for the value of framing food issues as a collective problem that calls for broadscale demands for justice. We argue that food choices do not simply belong to the realm of private preferences and market transactions. Rather, they are a set of decisions that have systemic causes and public consequences. They are shaped and constrained by public policies that underwrite the transportation of food over long distances as well as particular crops and foodstuffs, and by the vendors and advertisers who try to convince us to eat more of the foods they produce. Because the consequences of eating an abundance of empty calories are not easily remedied at the personal level, citizens need to demand public, systemic solutions, including better food information, youth food education, and a healthier food supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world is reopening from the unprecedented global pandemic, investigating how the intensity of transmission and responsive policies affect passenger air traffic demand is valuable for the aviation industry recovery and post-pandemic economic development. This paper investigates the effects of confirmed COVID-19 cases and state government policies at 28 hub airports in the United States from March 2020 to September 2021 by proposing an origin-destination (OD) spatial temporal econometric model. The investigation finds that (1) confirmed COVID-19 cases and state government policies had the highest effects on air traffic in the same month as these events occurred and the effects were diminishing in the following months; (2) The policy of internal movement restrictions in a given state generated a higher impact for trips arriving at this state, while confirmed COVID-19 cases and the testing policy generated a higher impact for trips departing from this state; (3) Reopening offices, lifting movement restrictions, maintaining flexibility in accessing COVID-19 tests, and using facial covering onboard are effective policies for aviation industry recovery. This paper aims to be a timely study on air travel demand when the domestic traffic has almost achieved the pre-pandemic level, offering insights into recovery of the aviation industry and preparation for future uncertainties. In addition, the proposed OD spatial temporal model which captures OD spatial dependences and temporal correlations simultaneously can equip spatial economists with an innovative and powerful tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of cigarette tax changes at different ages on long-term smoking behaviors. Using survey data on six decades of birth cohorts and a generalized difference-in-differences study design, I show that an increase in the cigarette tax at any age diminishes the long-term probabilities of smoking initiation and participation and reduces smoking intensity among people who currently smoke. These findings suggest that cigarette taxes prevent adults from beginning to smoke and cause people who smoke to promptly smoke less and quit over time. My estimates suggest that an average state tax hike applied to the national population would have caused over 400,000 people to quit smoking and prevented 4,000 deaths from smoking-related causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Limited data exist on factors associated with concurrent use patterns of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and cigarettes. We examined longitudinally perceptions and experiences with ENDS in relationship to concurrent use patterns among established, recent smokers who recently initiated ENDS. METHODS Participant recruitment took place using paid digital advertisements on social media. Between December 2020 and October 2021, 303 adults aged ≥21 years from across the US who currently or recently smoked and had initiated ENDS use within the past 30 days or reinitiated ENDS use after more than one year of non-use were surveyed. Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to analyze association between the outcome of current use pattern at follow-up at 1 month [rejectors (discontinued ENDS, continued smoking), primary smokers (concurrent users, mostly smoke), dual user (similar smoking and ENDS use), primary vapers (concurrent users, mostly vape), and switchers (discontinued smoking, continued using ENDS) or quitters (discontinued both smoking and ENDS] and perceptions of and experiences with ENDS predictors at baseline. RESULTS At follow-up at 1 to 2 months after initiating ENDS, 20% were rejectors, 31% were primary smokers, 13% were dual users, 19% were primary vapers, and 17% were switchers/quitters. Perceiving ENDS as less harmful than smoking or being uncertain and as equally or more enjoyable smoking, experiencing a lot or complete reduction in cravings to smoking and in irritability with ENDS use, liking the taste of ENDS, and being satisfied with vaping were associated with higher odds of quitting smoking compared to rejecting ENDS or mostly smoking at follow-up at 1 month. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the importance of initial ENDS perceptions and experiences when examining tobacco outcomes and potentially for developing policies and interventions targeting smoking cessation. ENDS initiators are differentiating into distinct use patterns based on these factors within a short period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationship between federalism and the policy design of labour market policies in two liberal welfare state regimes – Canada and the United States – addressing the following research question: How do variations in policy design intersect with federalism in both countries and how can these variations provide powerful, self-reinforcing or self-undermining feedback effects over time? Combining the literatures on the varieties of federalism, the liberal welfare regime, and policy design and feedback, the paper shows that paying close attention to federalism is necessary to understand diverse national policy designs that produce self-reinforcing feedback effects over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

US Federal legislation mandates the treatment of underaged youth induced to sell themselves for commercial sex as victims and not criminal offenders of prostitution laws. Nonetheless, state prosecutors often take action in juvenile court against these youth. This study explored the impact of negative moral emotions, victim blame, and victim believability on public judgments of child sex trafficking victims under varying case facts. We presented an online scenario involving a trafficking case to 682 participants and manipulated youth sex, trafficker sex, vulnerability background, and prior arrest history to determine how emotions, victim blame, and believability mediate child sex trafficking decisions. Two different paths emerged depending on the youth's sex. Participants reported greater victim responsibility and greater negative moral emotions towards a male youth trafficked by a female when he had a prior commercial sex arrest, which in turn predicted a lower certainty of recommending social services over legal consequences. With the same facts, participants reported lower believability for a female youth when she had a prior commercial sex arrest, which in turn predicted a lower certainty of recommending social services over legal consequences. The paper ends with a discussion of the implications of the findings for practice and theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reconsiders the outpacing argument, the belief that changes in law and other means of regulation cannot keep pace with recent changes in technology. We focus on information and communication technologies (ICTs) in and of themselves as well as applied in computer science, telecommunications, health, finance, and other applications, but our argument applies also in rapidly developing technological fields such as environmental science, materials science, and genetic engineering. First, we discuss why the outpacing argument is so closely associated with information and computing technologies. We then outline 12 arguments that support the outpacing argument, by pointing to some particular weaknesses of policy making, using the United States as the primary example. Then arguing in the opposite direction, we present 4 brief and 3 more extended criticisms of the outpacing thesis. The paper's final section responds to calls within the technical community for greater engagement of policy and ethical concerns and reviews the paper's major arguments. While the paper focuses on ICTs and policy making in the United States, our critique of the outpacing argument and our exploration of its complex character are of utility to actors in other political contexts and in other technical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the impact of White supremacy, ableism, and U.S. policing on both the history and current state of psychology and sheds light on ways that psychologists can acknowledge and divest from carceral White supremacist practices in mental healthcare. Because of how oppression and intersectionality function within a White supremacist society, not all Black lives have been equally valued by non-Black Americans. Similarly, White supremacy and ableism have had lasting impacts on the public perception of disabled people. Connecting the historical origins of the U.S. policing system to the current practices of the U.S. police system, this paper argues that the police have always been about controlling "disorder." Similarly, psychology and the larger mental health field have a troubled history of controlling Black, Brown, and disabled bodies. Recommendations for ways therapists can unlearn therapy practices stemming from White supremacy cultural practices (e.g., carceral therapeutic practices and biased mental health care) are provided along with action items for mental health practitioners to maintain a commitment to undoing the harm from these historic and systemic issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Housing is essential to health. Governmental rental assistance is one way to increase access to affordable housing, but little is known about how it varies by rural/urban location. This paper seeks to address that gap by examining rural/urban and within‐rural differences in receipt of rental assistance, with particular attention differences by health and disability. Methods: We used data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (n = 28,254) to conduct bivariate analyses to identify significant differences in receipt of rental assistance by rural/urban location. We then conducted logistic regression analyses to generate odds ratios of receiving rental assistance, adjusting for self‐rated health, disability, sociodemographic characteristics, and the US Census region. Findings: When limiting the sample to those who rent (20.6% of rural residents and 29.6% of urban residents), rural residents were nearly 5 percentage points more likely to receive rental assistance (13.1% vs 8.2%, P<.001). Rural recipients of rental assistance were more likely to have a disability than urban residents (27.9% vs 20.3%, P<.05) and were more likely to report fair/poor health (41.6% vs 31.4%, P<.05). Conclusions: Rural residents are less likely to rent their homes, but, among those who rent, they are more likely to receive governmental rental assistance. This may be reflective of the greater need for rental assistance among rural residents, who were in poorer health and of lower socioeconomic status than urban renters. As housing is essential to good health, policy attention must prioritize addressing a persistent and growing need for affordable housing in rural and urban areas alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although political parties are not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, the two-party electoral system is wellestablished in American elections and gerrymandering naturally occurs to benefit the party that controls both a state's legislative chambers and the governor's office. Tracing the evolution of partisan gerrymandering and examining the gerrymandering practices, this research finds that redistricting manipulation enabled by two-party electoral system, is a tale as old as time and it has continued for over two hundred years, rising or falling depending on the intensity of partisan politics. In 21st century, political polarization and gerrymandering have been feeding off each other. When the redistricting process is manipulated by entrenched partisan gerrymanders, it has become counterproductive to fair representation, competitive election, and translating public will into policies. As long as the foxes are allowed to guard the hen houses, partisan politicians will continue to abuse "one person, one vote" principle and pick voters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport governing bodies, such as the International Olympic Committee, have recommended youth sport organizations develop policies, procedures, and/or ethical guidelines to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and abuse (SHA) experienced by young athletes. To our knowledge, no studies have investigated SHA policies or procedures in U.S. youth sport programs. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine U.S. youth sport programs' policies regarding SHA. The results are based on a cross-sectional survey completed by youth sport coaches (n = 200) from various organizations (e.g., public recreation organizations, private nonprofit organizations, and interscholastic sports). Findings suggest that most organizations have several SHA policies, such as education and training requirements, written policies and codes of conduct regarding coach-athlete sexual relationships, and formal complaint and disclosure procedures for investigating SHA. A bivariate analysis suggests that the presence of several SHA policies was associated with an increased number of self-reported SHA incidents. Moreover, youth sport programs located in urban areas had a greater extent of SHA policies compared to those located in suburban or rural areas. These results are discussed with respect to the potential relationships between the presence of policies and increased cases of SHA. Also, we discussed advocating for equitable resources among youth sport programs regardless of geographic and/or demographic factors. Future research should identify social and cultural barriers that inhibit the successful implementation of SHA policies. While developing and implementing SHA policies is a step in the right direction, it may not be used as the only means to address this complex, systematic, and structural issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research note reevaluates the occupational health impact of right-to-work (RTW) legislation, incorporating recent developments in causal inference techniques. In an era marked by an uptick in the adoption of anti-union legislation and increases in workplace fatalities and injuries, it is particularly urgent to examine the extent to which RTW laws affect workers' health. Using a state-year-level dataset spanning 28 years and collected from multiple data sources, we apply an innovative generalized synthetic control method to overcome several limitations of the traditional two-way fixed-effects approach to examine the effect of RTW laws on occupational fatal injuries as well as various other health outcomes. Robustness checks were conducted using a wide range of alternative methods for two-way fixed-effects adjustments. In contrast with findings from previous studies, we found null effects on occupational fatal injuries, as well as on all other health outcomes. Overall, our results indicate that findings from previous studies are based on very thin empirical evidence, with potentially underestimated standard errors and unobserved confounders. Our results highlight the importance of revisiting research questions using updated methodological tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It's now well appreciated that social determinants of health are the strongest predictors of our health and well-being. A good argument could be made that housing is at the top of the pyramid of these determinants. And, surprisingly, housing is also the social determinant that could rapidly turn on a dime—that is, with sufficient political will, creating access to housing could be radically expanded in short order. (Unfortunately, of course, it's true one can also become suddenly homeless, since few protections exist in policy or capitalist economies to prevent it). That alone sets it apart from social factors such as education and racism—conditions that take a long time to change. In contrast to long-term interventions (education) or culturally stubborn and historically rooted problems (racism), housing is rapidly malleable. In this article, we describe the social condition of homelessness in two settings, comparing and contrasting the concepts, causes, and consequences, along with how people are mobilizing to challenge the conditions that create their housing insecurity. As we review the factors that create housing conditions in each setting, we propose some universal international principles for a new approach to the human right of decent and secure housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency powers are widely, and justly, criticized as threats to the rule of law. In the United States, forty-three declared emergencies give the executive vast authority to exercise power unencumbered by standard legal and procedural requirements. A long tradition of executive use of emergency powers to erode civil liberties amplifies fears of executive overreach. Yet this, we argue, is only part of the picture. We examine how emergency powers can be used for good. We argue that under certain limited conditions, political actors can legitimately invoke emergency powers to transform public policy. In addition to widely accepted requirements of crisis severity, transparency, and time limits, we argue that broad consensus and a reformulated non-discrimination requirement are essential to the proper use of emergency powers for societal transformation. We analyze recent high-profile exercises of emergency powers by the U.S. executive to fund a wall on the southern border and to forgive billions in student debt, as well as the European Union's (EU) extraordinarily frequent and broad use of emergency powers in the last three years in response to COVID-19 and Russia's Ukraine invasion. We conclude that the U.S. measures fail under our normative framework, while the EU measures offer a promising template for the transformative use of emergency powers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines if and how pet protection orders have been used by domestic violence survivors in the 36 states and the District of Columbia in which they have been enacted. A review of court websites determined if there was a specific item to include a pet in the temporary and/or final protection order. In addition, individual court administrators were contacted in various states to determine if statistics were available on the number of pet protection orders issued. Another mode of investigation included examining appropriate websites in each state to ascertain if the state issued a report on domestic violence statistics, and if so, if that report contained information on pet protection orders. Only one state, New York, keeps track of the number of protection orders that have been issued that include pets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The employment landscape for multiply marginalized people with disabilities presents significant challenges, exacerbated by intersecting identities such as race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, poverty, and geography. Recent studies highlight the compounded employment disparities faced by this group, including discriminatory hiring practices, inadequate accommodations, and uneven gains in employment during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Methods: Our study employed a three-round Delphi process with 20 diverse experts across 14 states across the United States (U.S.) to formulate recommendations for improving employment experiences for multiply marginalized people with disabilities. The panel's insights were gathered through surveys administered online, with each round designed to refine the collective recommendations. This iterative process aimed to build a consensus on the most effective policy and practice recommendations for improving employment outcomes within this population. Results: The Delphi study identified key areas for strategic focus, including emergency preparedness, education and training, transportation, assistive technology, workplace accommodations, and combating discrimination and stigma. Notable recommendations included improving emergency preparedness training, enhancing employment education, increasing funding for accessible transportation and assistive technology, and promoting inclusive hiring practices. The study also emphasized the need for policies supporting telework and simplifying disability-related benefits. Discussion: The findings highlight the critical role of tailored strategies to address employment challenges faced by people with disabilities from marginalized communities. Meaningfully and fully implementing these recommendations would create a more inclusive environment that improves employment outcomes for multiply marginalized people with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of U.S. states have legalized marijuana for medical use and some states have legalized marijuana for recreational use; yet, marijuana remains illegal federally. Given the misalignment between state and federal policies, this paper seeks to explore how hospitals handle inpatients' medical marijuana use in states where medical marijuana is legal. To examine this phenomenon, we conducted an anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey of nurse leaders working in acute care inpatient settings in states that had legalized medical marijuana. Using descriptive statistics, we report on these nurse leaders' experiences. There were 811 survey responses—291 who worked in an acute care inpatient setting in a state that had legalized medical marijuana. Among those respondents, only a small percentage reported that inpatients had some access to their medical marijuana: 5.8% reported that the drug was kept in the pharmacy and dispensed like other prescriptions; another 3.4% indicated that patients kept the medical marijuana in their rooms and took it, as needed. Most respondents (55.6%) reported that patients were switched to an alternative medication during their inpatient hospital stays. Almost half (49.4%) of the nurse leaders who reported that alternative medications were used, reported that opioids were substituted, and the majority reported that the marijuana was safer than the opioids. These findings are concerning given the increase in opioid overdose deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aims: To identify the barriers and facilitators to healthcare for people without documentation status. Design: We conducted a systematic integrative literature review following the Whittemore and Knafl methodology. Methods: Literature search was conducted to identify studies addressing barriers or facilitators to healthcare for people without documentation status in the United States between 2012 and 2022. Studies were critiqued for quality, with results analysed thematically using the social‐ecological model. Data Sources: Searches were conducted in PubMed, PAIS, Web of Science, CINAHL and Psych Info in October 2022. Results: The review incorporated 30 studies (19 qualitative and 11 quantitative). People without documentation status encountered numerous healthcare barriers such as intrapersonal (lack of financial resources and health insurance, fear), interpersonal (language and cultural discrepancies, discrimination), community (bureaucratic requirements, anti‐immigrant rhetoric) and policy‐related barriers. Conversely, linguistically and culturally competent care, empathetic and representative staff, health navigators, safety‐net clinics and supportive federal policies emerged as key facilitators. Conclusion: These findings illuminate the complex healthcare disparities experienced by people without documentation status and underscore facilitators enhancing care accessibility. Future research is needed to explore interventions to increase access to care for this population. Impact: This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the complex barriers and facilitators to healthcare for people without documentation status in the United States. The findings support the value of universal healthcare access, a priority of the World Health Organization, and can inform healthcare policies and practices worldwide. Reporting Method: The review was reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses framework. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution was needed. Trial and Protocol Registration: The study protocol was registered with the PROSPERO database (registration number: CRD42022366289). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Populations are increasingly exposed to natural hazards due to expanding development and climate change. This exposure is exacerbated by sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors limiting resources for disaster mitigation and recovery. Federal disaster assistance is crucial for communities in the wake of catastrophic events by supplementing local resources. However, recent research suggests that federal disaster assistance may exacerbate existing inequality across social groups. The most pervasive and costliest disaster in the United States is flooding. The federal government maintains multiple programs supporting flood mitigation and recovery, yet a comprehensive understanding of how these programs may foster inequitable outcomes is lacking. This paper uses a systematic review of federal flood policy literature over the last decade to fill this gap and identify patterns that may contribute to inequitable outcomes. Results suggest that despite over 100 flood-related disasters occurring over the past decade, the effectiveness of flood policies across social groups is relatively unstudied. And when studied, federal policies themselves do not explicitly lead to inequitable outcomes. Instead, we conclude that policies prioritize equality over equity and do not overcome systematic oppressive and racist decision-making. These findings further the understanding that social vulnerability to natural hazards is a complex and contextual issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The United States' first National Physical Activity Plan is now under development. This plan follows the release of new physical activity guidelines and seeks to address the nation's ongoing physical inactivity and obesity crisis. For this plan to be successful, all facets of American culture need to unify behind its recommendations and action steps. Guidance for this plan involves active participation from a variety of sectors, including the park, recreation, fitness, and sport (PRFS) sector. Purpose: In this white paper, we discuss the potential of the PRFS sector in addressing America's physical inactivity. Specifically, we provide a brief description, history, and scope of the PRFS sector; present evidence concerning linkages between this sector and physical activity; and discuss existing challenges and emerging opportunities for promoting physical activity. We conclude by suggesting PRFS recommendations to promote physical activity based on anticipated effectiveness, reach, scope, and sustainability. Methods: Academic articles, professional reports, and physical activity plans were reviewed to summarize the evidence concerning PRFS sector strategies for increasing physical activity. Recommendations: Based on our review, we propose several sector-specific proximity, place, program, partnership, promotion, people, policy, and performance indicator recommendations for improving physical activity in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While gun owners are frequently surveyed, we are not aware of any study that has examined principles held by gun owners that underlie their gun policy opinions, or their opinions about specific provisions of each policy. To find the common ground between gun owners and non-gun owners, this paper aims to answer the following: (1) What underlying principles affects gun owner support for gun policies; (2) how do gun owners' attitudes change depending on the specific provisions within these policies? Methods: In May 2022, a survey was administered by NORC at the University of Chicago and completed by adult gun owners (n = 1078) online or by phone. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA. The survey used a 5-point Likert scale to evaluate gun owners' principles and attitudes toward firearm regulation, such as red flag laws, and possible provisions to these policies. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with 96 adult gun owners and non-gun owners to further clarify points in the survey for the former and to ascertain support for the same policies and their potential provisions for the latter. Results: The principle that gun owners identified with the most concerned keeping guns out of the hands of those with an increased risk for violence. There was significant overlap among gun owners and non-gun owners on policy support, especially with this central theme that those with a history of violence should be prevented from accessing a firearm. The degree of support for policies was different depending on what provisions were said to be included in the policy. For example, the degree of support for universal background checks ranged from 19.9 to 78.4% depending on the details of the legislation. Conclusion: This research demonstrates common ground between gun owners and non-gun owners: It informs the gun safety policy community about gun owners' views and principles on gun safety policy and which policy provisions impact their support for a given law. This paper suggests that an effective, mutually agreed upon gun safety policy is possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies and services to support informal caregivers vary considerably across countries, This paper examines the role of caregivers and how perspectives on that role may influence the availability of benefits and services in three countries that differ considerably in their care systems - Sweden, Ireland and the United States. We developed a nine-dimensional framework for examining differences, including policies and how the role of caregiver is conceptualized. We found differences in the three countries in how services are organized, which reflected assumptions about the caregiver role. There were also similarities in the three countries. Caregivers held an ambiguous position within each social system and there was little concern for equity in the delivery of support services. Increased clarity about the role of caregivers may facilitate development of policies that more effectively meet their varied needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the limitations of law interpretations and policy regulations as they pertain to inclusion and exclusion of people with physical disabilities in physical education. We believe interpretation of the law has professional implications that must be addressed. Specifically, the ideal and the reality of the laws as applied to the students with physical disabilities is not the same. We believe we have a duty to include people with physical disabilities in movement activities. To conclude the paper, we, the authors, discuss current research in perspective-taking for pre-service teachers as a solution for including people with physical disabilities in physical education, recreation, and sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION JUUL is a high-nicotine pod-based vaping device that is popular among adolescents and young adults. On 23 June 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) denied authorization to market JUUL, and ordered JUUL Labs to remove products from the US market. The next day, a US federal appeals court temporarily suspended the ban. The mixed public discourse surrounding the FDA ban warrants further investigation. METHODS This study examined Twitter data to describe public reaction to these announcements. Posts containing terms 'JUUL' and/or '#JUUL' (N=97548 unique tweets) were collected from 23 June to 3 July 2022, from Twitter's Streaming Application Programming Interface (API). After removing retweets, we used an inductive approach to become familiar with the data, generated a codebook, and conducted a content analysis on a random sample of n=4000 tweets. RESULTS A total of 2755 (68.9%) tweets discussed JUUL in the context of the FDA ban. News (n=1425/2755; 51.7%) about the JUUL ban, government distrust (n=588; 21.3%), and individual rights (n=253; 9.2%) were the most prevalent themes. Less commonly discussed themes included inconsistencies between policies (n=174; 6.3%), mentions of switching to other products (n=162; 5.9%), smoking cessation (n=99; 3.6%), and craving for JUUL (n=94; 3.4%). Sentiment analysis of JUUL ban-related posts (n=2755) demonstrated that 1989 (72.2%) tweets were categorized as neutral, while anti-ban posts (n=566; 20.5%) were more prevalent than pro-ban posts (n=200; 7.3%). CONCLUSIONS Besides straightforward announcements of the JUUL ban and its suspension, Twitter posts discussed government distrust, individual rights, and policy inconsistencies. While most posts conveyed neutral sentiments, anti-ban posts were almost three times more prevalent than pro-ban posts. Our findings suggest that text-based social media platforms like Twitter may be an effective instrument to understand opinions, attitudes, and beliefs regarding the FDA's JUUL ban. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article begins with an overview of the policy environment in the United States and abroad for skilled immigration, with a particular focus on "supply-driven" versus "demand-driven" systems. The overview emphasizes that firms play a central role in the skilled immigration process in most countries. I then survey the ample evidence that skilled immigrants have a strong positive effect on firm outcomes, followed by a discussion of the many margins of adjustment that firms have when their access to skilled immigrants is affected by national immigration policy. Finally, given such margins of adjustment and the importance of skilled immigrants to firms, I consider how the policies that affect skilled migration shape the global geography and quality of innovation. I conclude by discussing policy implications and open questions. In particular, I emphasize that evaluations of the impact of skilled immigration should not be constrained within borders: immigration flows and national immigration policies affect the global geography of innovation and investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the relationship between the tobacco industry and the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology (RTP) using the Truth Tobacco Industry Documents Library and internet sources. We determined the funding relationships, and categorised the conclusions of all 52 RTP papers on tobacco or nicotine between January 2013 and June 2015, as "positive", "negative" or "neutral" for the tobacco industry. RTP's editor, 57% (4/7) of associate editors and 37% (14/38) of editorial board members had worked or consulted for tobacco companies. Almost all (96%, 50/52) of the papers had authors with tobacco industry ties. Seventy-six percent (38/50) of these papers drew conclusions positive for industry; none drew negative conclusions. The two papers by authors not related to the tobacco industry reached conclusions negative to the industry (p < .001). These results call into question the confidence that members of the scientific community and tobacco product regulators worldwide can have in the conclusions of papers published in RTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to safe and stable housing is important for child and adult well-being. Yet many low-income households face severe challenges in maintaining stable housing. In this article, we examine the impact of the 2021 temporary expansion to the Child Tax Credit (CTC) on housing affordability and the living arrangements of families with low incomes. We employ a parameterized difference-in-differences method and leverage national data from a sample of parents who are receiving or recently received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (N = ∼20,500), many of whom became newly eligible for the CTC. We find that the monthly CTC reduced parents' past-due rent/mortgages (both amounts and incidence) and their reports of potential moves due to difficulties affording rent/mortgages. The CTC increased the likelihood that parents reported a change in their living arrangements and reduced their household size, both effects driven by fewer mothers living with a partner (and not a reduction in doubling up). We find some differences in effects by race and ethnicity and earnings. Our findings illustrate that the monthly credit improved low-income parents' ability to afford housing, gain residential independence from partners, and reduce the number of people residing in their household. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA) and its connection to abortion rights and religious freedom in the United States. The RFMA was passed in response to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's concurring opinion to the Dobbs v. Jackson case which revoked federal abortion rights and suggested the Supreme Court reevaluate similar decisions based on due process, like Obergefell which guaranteed the federal right to same-sex marriage. This article showcases how the passage of the RFMA is a masterclass in U.S. policymaking and discusses the implications of the RFMA as well as considerations should Obergefell go the way of Dobbs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unintended pregnancies, which occur in almost half (45%) of all pregnancies in the United States, are associated with adverse health and social outcomes for the infant and the mother. The risk of unintended pregnancies is significantly reduced when women use long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), namely intrauterine devices and implants. Although LARCs are highly acceptable to women at risk of unintended pregnancies, barriers to accessing LARCs hinder its uptake. These barriers are greater among racial and socioeconomic lines and persist within and across the intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, and policy levels. A synthesis of these barriers is unavailable in the current literature but would be beneficial to health care providers of reproductive-aged women, clinical managers, and policymakers seeking to provide equitable reproductive health care services. The aim of this narrative review was to aggregate these complex and overlapping barriers into a concise document that examines: (a) patient, provider, clinic, and policy factors associated with LARC access among populations at risk of unintended pregnancy and (b) the clinical implications of mitigating these barriers to provide equitable reproductive health care services. This review outlines numerous barriers to LARC uptake across multiple levels and demonstrates that LARC uptake is possible when the woman is informed of her contraceptive choices and when financial and clinical barriers are minimized. Equitable reproductive health care services entail unbiased counseling, a full range of contraceptive options, and patient autonomy in contraceptive choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To identify relationships between US states' COVID-19 in-person activity limitation and economic support policies and drug overdose deaths among working-age adults in 2020. Methods. We used county-level data on 140 435 drug overdoses among adults aged 25 to 64 years during January 2019 to December 2020 from the National Vital Statistics System and data on states' COVID-19 policies from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker to assess US trends in overdose deaths by sex in 3138 counties. Results. Policies limiting in-person activities significantly increased, whereas economic support policies significantly decreased, overdose rates. A 1-unit increase in policies restricting activities predicted a 15% average monthly increase in overdose rates for men (incident rate ratio [IRR] = 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.09, 1.20) and a 14% increase for women (IRR = 1.14; 95% CI = 1.09, 1.20). A 1-unit increase in economic support policies predicted a 3% average monthly decrease for men (IRR = 0.97; 95% CI = 0.95, 1.00) and a 4% decrease for women (IRR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.93, 0.99). All states' policy combinations are predicted to have increased drug-poisoning mortality. Conclusions. The economic supports that states enacted were insufficient to fully mitigate the adverse relationship between activity limitations and drug overdoses. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(7):714–722. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307621) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction seeks to perform two tasks: it provides a roadmap for readers yet to be initiated into the reparations dialogue and provides fresh insights for those already well versed in it. Reparations are a program of acknowledgment, redress, and closure for a grievous injustice. This edition deals with reparations for black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved in the United States for government policies that allowed centuries of chattel slavery and legal race discrimination. The articles in this double issue represent the most up-to-date rigorous social science, policy, and historical research on the topic. This introduction discusses the world history of reparations efforts and the history of movements for black reparations in the United States; compares various plans for black American reparations, including various monetary estimation approaches; and discusses who should pay and what form payments ought to take. It closes by looking toward the future of the black American reparations movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of global interdependence, universities play a crucial role in promoting social responsibility and sustainable development. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities emphasizes the empowerment of individuals with disabilities, a key aspect of inclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the necessity of digital platforms to ensure equitable opportunities, particularly for those with disabilities. It highlighted challenges in transitioning to remote operations and stressed the importance of accessible digital tools in maintaining inclusivity during disruptions. This study investigates how university websites promote social responsibility and empower individuals with disabilities in Saudi Arabia, the UK, and the US. It also examines how these websites foster inclusivity, advocate for disability rights, and contribute to societal change. Using a qualitative case study design, the study evaluated university websites focusing on accessibility services, inclusive policies, and academic accommodations. Qualitative content and thematic analyses identified recurring themes and variations. The findings reveal diverse strategies in empowerment initiatives, website maintenance practices, community engagement approaches, the accessibility of support services, and the presentation of success stories. Despite differences among websites, this study underscores their significance in empowering individuals with disabilities. Recommendations aim to guide universities worldwide in enhancing their digital platforms, ensuring inclusivity, especially during challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wide range of sub-national immigration and immigrant-related policies have been adopted in the United States in the last two decades. Using data from the Urban Institute and IPUMS, the authors analyze the impact of state-level policy climates related to enforcement, integration, and public benefits on inter-state mobility for immigrants. The findings of the present analysis show that immigrants are responsive to changes in the state-level immigration policy climate. They are less likely to move out of states that are on balance more supportive of the foreign-born population and more likely to relocate from restrictive states. In addition, the policy impacts do not vary significantly by immigrants' education, language fluency, or employment status, calling into question whether the policies miss their intended targets. These findings have implications for local governments and agencies in policy design and implementation as they continue to develop policies targeting the foreign-born population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction seeks to perform two tasks: it provides a roadmap for readers yet to be initiated into the reparations dialogue and provides fresh insights for those already well versed in it. Reparations are a program of acknowledgment, redress, and closure for a grievous injustice. This edition deals with reparations for black Americans whose ancestors were enslaved in the United States for government policies that allowed centuries of chattel slavery and legal race discrimination. The articles in this double issue represent the most up-to-date rigorous social science, policy, and historical research on the topic. This introduction discusses the world history of reparations efforts and the history of movements for black reparations in the United States; compares various plans for black American reparations, including various monetary estimation approaches; and discusses who should pay and what form payments ought to take. It closes by looking toward the future of the black American reparations movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lester Salamon first characterized nonprofits in the United States as "the resilient sector" in 2003. He based this characterization on the sector's growth, its ability to adapt to new economic and political conditions over time and its increasingly adaptive entrepreneurial culture. The view of nonprofits as resilient institutions has been reinforced since by their performance in recent crises including the COVID pandemic beginning in 2020 and the financial crisis of 2008–2009, though not without exception or assurance that nonprofits would necessarily be resilient in future crises. This paper examines some of the strategies nonprofits have employed to navigate recent crises and prepare themselves for less certain futures. It also teases apart the nature of resilience, asking how resilience at the organizational level differs from network level and sector-level resilience. Such differences have important implications for public policy vis-à-vis nonprofits. In particular, policies that would strengthen nonprofits at the organizational level may differ from, even conflict with, those that would strengthen the nonprofit sector as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Although incarceration rates have begun to decline, the collateral consequences of mass incarceration persist, especially for families and communities of color. Following incarceration, families often face relationship, social, and financial challenges. Yet, social welfare benefits that can support families experiencing poverty frequently exclude people with felony convictions. One such social welfare policy—the focus of this paper—is the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), which bars people with felony drug convictions from accessing social welfare benefits. With 60% of incarcerated parents having felony drug convictions, this policy precludes almost 200,000 families from accessing welfare benefits and disproportionately impacts single mothers and people of color. In this paper, we analyze PRWORA as it relates to social welfare and family inequity in the era of mass incarceration. Guided by an intersectionality framework, we address the following aims: (1) demonstrate how PRWORA may act as a form of institutional racism embedded within mass incarceration; and (2) analyze the impact of PRWORA's felony welfare benefits ban on families impacted by incarceration. We conclude with recommendations for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners working toward better outcomes for the formerly incarcerated. Highlights: Mass incarceration is a discriminatory institution of oppression that disproportionately impacts people with historically marginalized identities. Families with an incarcerated parent frequently experience secondary punishment through social stigma and economic strain. Social welfare may economically support families impacted by incarceration, yet many are disallowed welfare benefits under PRWORA. Excluding justice involved families from welfare benefits is a form of social exclusion embedded within mass incarceration. Until PRWORA's felony welfare benefits ban is repealed, justice involved families will likely be further marginalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On June 7th, 2019, Layleen Xtravaganza Cubilette-Polanco, a transgender woman from New York, died at Rikers Island while in solitary confinement. According to officials from the Department of Corrections, Layleen's death was a result of a series of interrelated health problems.. Trans, queer, and gender non-conforming people, especially youth of colour and Black trans women, face heightened rates of homelessness, violent victimisation, barriers to housing, employment, and healthcare. These social conditions are tied to heightened engagement in survival sex work, over-policing, and surveillance of their communities. As a result, Trans and queer people are disproportionately impacted by mass incarceration, and must contend with the nexus of a system that functions on racist and colonial legal construction of gender, making carceral spaces sites of (in)visibility and death. The death of Trans people within these carceral spaces are followed by multiple discursive deaths, including the use of dead names in media, misgendering, and transphobic political debate. This paper aims to highlight and explore carceral settings as sites of death and (in)visbility for Trans and queer people and how reframing allows us to identify how (neo)liberal reforms meant to protect Trans people only entrench mass incarceration in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of our article was to systematise studies that investigated the impact of living conditions in large national regions on individual alcohol consumption. Methods: The objectives of the scoping review, the criteria and methods for selecting articles were defined in advance and recorded in the protocol PROSPERO CRD42021234874. We sought publications on the research topic in PubMed, Google Scholar, OpenGrey, Crossref and eLibrary databases from the moment they were created until December 31, 2021. The final sample included 81 publications. Results: The majority of ultimately selected papers were published after 2010 (62 articles), represented the USA (68 articles), and considered samples of children and youths, either the younger population or the general adult population (65 articles). High quality was characteristic for 19 studies, whereas satisfactory quality was exhibited by 46 publications. The most consistent associations with individual alcohol consumption were revealed for the legislative environment (especially for integral scales and indices), alcohol pricing policy, the prevalence of alcohol consumption and binge drinking in the population, and unemployment rate. Conclusion: The review made it possible to systematise the results of studies on the impact of the characteristics of large national regions on alcohol consumption, including a description of these characteristics and results, samples and designs of studies, their quality, as well as to summarise the results of these studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]