Analysis of the Community Benefit Standard in Texas Hospitals.

The federal government provides special tax-exemption status, known as the community benefit standard, to some nonprofit hospitals. It is not known if hospitals that claim the community benefit standard provide more or different services from those provided by hospitals that do not claim the community benefit status. Guided by the socioecological model, this quantitative study investigated 95 hospitals serving 52 counties in South Texas--43 that claimed a community benefit and 52 that did not. The independent variables were hospitals that claimed the community benefit standard versus hospitals that did not. The dependent variables were the three essential criteria and the 13 reported services used to meet the community benefit standard. The study results show that all hospitals that claimed the community benefit standard met two of the three required criteria. However, only 22 of 43 hospitals had a full-time emergency department (ED), the third criterion. Χ² analysis showed statistically significant differences for only two of the five common services: having an ED and community education for community benefit hospitals versus noncommunity benefit hospitals. On average, hospitals that claimed the community benefit spent 100 times more money on community services than hospitals that did not claim the community benefit. Further investigation is needed to determine the reasons for the gap in services pertaining to EDs, trauma care, neonatal intensive care, free-standing clinics, collaborative efforts, other medical services, education of patients, community health education, and other education services.

Factors influencing physical activity behaviors in colorectal cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: To elucidate factors that impact intention (INT) to be active as well as actual physical activity (PA) behavior in colorectal cancer survivors (CRC-S) using the theory of planned behavior (TpB). Planning for PA was explored as a mediator of the INT-behavior relationship. Chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and fatigue were also explored. DESIGN: A cross-sectional quantitative mailed survey was used. SETTING: The study was conducted among community-dwelling adults living in Pennsylvania when diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC). SUBJECTS: Subjects comprised 843 CRC-S diagnosed with CRC in Pennsylvania in 2009. MEASURES: The survey included questions about planning for PA, TpB constructs, medical and social variables, and PA as measured by a modified Godin Leisure Time Questionnaire. ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample. A mediation analysis was used to determine if planning mediated the relationship between INT and actual PA behavior. A stepwise regression was used to determine predictors of INT and PA. RESULTS: Ninety-six CRC-S responded, with 25% meeting PA recommendations for health promotion, suggesting that CRC-S are insufficiently active. Perceived behavioral control (PBC) and social norm (SN) accounted for 43% of the variance in INT, whereas 30% of the variance in PA was explained by PBC and age. Neuropathy negatively impacted PA behavior (p = .008). Both action and coping planning partially mediated the INT-behavior relationship (ß = 20.08, p = .007; ß = 22.85, p = .001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Survivors at risk for inactivity are those with low PBC, low SN, and neuropathy, and those who are older.