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Objectives. To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel health care access program (ActionHealthNYC) for uninsured immigrants. Methods. The evaluation was conducted as a randomized controlled trial in New York City from May 2016 through June 2017. Using baseline and follow-up survey data, we assessed health care access, patient experience, and health status. Results. At baseline, 25% of participants had a regular source of care; two thirds had visited a doctor in the past year and reported 2.5 visits in the past 12 months, on average. Nine to 12 months later, intervention participants were 1.2 times more likely to report having a primary care provider (58% vs 46%), were 1.2 times more likely to have seen a doctor in the past 9 months (91% vs 77%), and had 1.5 times more health care visits (4.1 vs 2.9) compared with control participants. Conclusions. ActionHealthNYC increased health care access among program participants. Public Health Implications. State and local policymakers should build on the progress that has been made over the last decade to expand and improve access to health care for uninsured immigrants.

ObjectiveHurricane Sandy in the Rockaways, Queens, forced residents to evacuate and primary care providers to close or curtail operations. A large deficit in primary care access was apparent in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Our objective was to build a computational model to aid responders in planning to situate primary care services in a disaster-affected area.MethodsUsing an agent-based modeling platform, HAZEL, we simulated the Rockaways population, its evacuation behavior, and primary care providers’ availability in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Data sources for this model included post-storm and community health surveys from New York City, a survey of the Rockaways primary care providers, and research literature. The model then tested geospatially specific interventions to address storm-related access deficits.ResultsThe model revealed that areas of high primary care access deficit were concentrated in the eastern part of the Rockaways. Placing mobile health clinics in the most populous census tracts reduced the access deficit significantly, whereas increasing providers’ capacity by 50% reduced the deficit to a lesser degree.ConclusionsAn agent-based model may be a useful tool to have in place so that policy makers can conduct scenario-based analyses to plan interventions optimally in the event of a disaster. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:386–393)

During disaster response and recovery, legal issues often arise related to the provision of health care services to affected residents. Superstorm Sandy led to the evacuation of many hospitals and other health care facilities and compromised the ability of health care practitioners to provide necessary primary care. This article highlights the challenges and legal concerns faced by health care practitioners in the aftermath of Sandy, which included limitations in scope of practice, difficulties with credentialing, lack of portability of practitioner licenses, and concerns regarding volunteer immunity and liability. Governmental and nongovernmental entities employed various strategies to address these concerns; however, legal barriers remained that posed challenges throughout the Superstorm Sandy response and recovery period. We suggest future approaches to address these legal considerations, including policies and legislation, additional waivers of law, and planning and coordination among multiple levels of governmental and nongovernmental organizations. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:518–524)

ObjectiveAssess Hurricane Sandy’s impact on primary care providers’ services in the Rockaways.MethodsIn-person surveys were conducted in 2014. A list of 46 health care sites in the area of interest was compiled and each site was called to offer participation in our survey. Respondents included physicians and practice administrators who remained familiar with Sandy-related operational challenges.ResultsOf the 40 sites that opted in, most had been in their current location for more than 10 years (73%) and were a small practice (1 or 2 physicians) before Hurricane Sandy (75%). All but 2 (95%) had to temporarily close or relocate. All sites experienced electrical problems that impacted landline, fax, and Internet. Less than one-quarter (n = 9) reported having a plan for continuity of services before Hurricane Sandy, and 43% reported having a plan poststorm. The majority (80%) did not report coordinating with other primary care stakeholders or receiving support from government agencies during the Sandy response.ConclusionsHurricane Sandy significantly disrupted access to primary care in the Rockaways. Severe impact to site operations and infrastructure forced many practices to relocate. Greater emergency response and recovery planning is needed, including with government agencies, to minimize disruptions of access to primary care during disaster recovery. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:492–495)

Background In 2007, Nassau County, New York, restricted the use of artificial trans fats in food establishments licensed by the Nassau County Department of Health (NCDH). The regulation took effect April 1, 2008. Objective This study assesses first-time inspection compliance rates with the trans fat ban and examines barriers to enforcement. Methods A sample of food service establishments was inspected by an NCDH employee for labels documenting trans fat. Surveys that examined operator awareness and attitudes toward the ban were administered. A separate survey was conducted among the NCDH Office of Food Protection public health sanitarians to determine organizational barriers to enforcement. All inspections and surveys were conducted in Nassau County from June to September 2010. Results A total of 360 food service establishments were randomly selected for inspection; 328 completed the operator surveys. Compliance was 81%, even though 52% of operators were not aware of the ban. Of those who were aware, 57% heard about the regulation from the media, and almost all (92%) reported that compliance with the ban was easy. Of noncompliant respondents, 59% cited lack of knowledge regarding the ban as the primary reason for noncompliance. Of those who indicated they had received any customer feedback (9%), almost all reported the feedback to be positive. Knowledge of trans fats was not associated with compliance, but owners who were aware of the ban were more likely to be in compliance. Among the 23 participating sanitarians, 96% believed the ban was effective; language barriers were cited as the primary obstacle to enforcement. Conclusions As assessed through surveys and inspections, the trans fat ban in Nassau County yielded relatively high compliance rates within 2 years and was accepted by sanitarians, establishment operators, and consumers.