Conference Support for the 2008 International Conference on Health Policy Statist

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The international conference on Health Policy statistics: Striving for consensus on Methods is a scientific conference that focuses on the interplay between heath policy and research methodology. Its specific aim is to create an educational and research forum for statisticians, psychometricians, and other experts in research methodology to exchange and build on ideas, discuss research needs, and develop solutions to methodological challenges. Technical areas of the program will hierarchical models, strategies for addressing missing data, longitudinal data analysis, propensity score analyses, health status measurement and assessment, techniques for improving access to health care and measuring quality of care, spatial analysis, cluster randomization, and economic evaluations. These methodologies are aimed toward improving outcomes, quality, access to, cost and utilization of health care services, as well as toward a better understanding of special needs of understudied populations (including women and minorities), in clinical areas in mental illness and in other chronic conditions. Databases featured in presentations include the Medical Expenditure Survey and the National Health Interview Survey, among others. In addition to invited and contributed sessions, the program will offer workshops intended to provide research training and career development in an educational forum where research faculty and students are brought together. Part of the program will concentrate on the design, measurement, and statistical challenges inherent in conducting mental health services research. Also featured will be studies on the reliability and validity of instruments. Databases featured in presentations will include the Medical Expenditure Survey and the National Health Interview Survey, among others. The conference is sponsored by the Health Policy Statistics Section of the American Statistical Association. Funding will be used to help offset some of the conference costs and reduce the financial barrier so as to encourage broader participation in the conference especially by the students and junior researchers.