Letter from the Editor

This issue of RAND Health Quarterly includes several articles on health care delivery, quality, and patient safety. C. Ross Anthony and colleagues have been working with the Kurdistan Regional Government since 2010 to improve its health care system; this phase of the project focused on a primary care management information system, physician dual practice reform, and patient safety training. Justin Timbie and others identified barriers and strategies to assist Indian Health Service clinics on the path to patient-centered medical home recognition. Maria Orlando Edelen and other RAND researchers tested performance measures of health-related quality of life to better understand the practical use of patient-reported outcome-based performance measures among elderly primary care patients with multiple chronic conditions.

In mental health, a team led by Lisa Sontag-Padilla studied the impact of the California Mental Health Services Authority's prevention and early intervention activities on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of California community college faculty and staff regarding supporting students' mental health needs.

In military health, a team led by Sarah O. Meadows administered the 2015 Health Related Behaviors Survey of active-duty service members and identified key findings and policy implications. Thomas E. Trail and others evaluated two programs offered by the U.S. Department of Defense that provide solution-focused counseling for common personal and family issues to members of the active and reserve components of the U.S. military and their families. Kate Cox and colleagues studied the effect of UK military service leavers' resilience on transition pathways and outcomes. A group of researchers led by Miriam Matthews reviewed research on male sexual assault and on male sexual assault in the U.S. military. They also conducted interviews with individuals who provide support services to U.S. military personnel and with civilian experts who study male sexual assault or provide services to male victims. The article concludes with recommendations for improving support to male sexual assault victims in the U.S. military.

In public health and emergency preparedness, two studies (both led by Liisa Ecola) examined ways to reduce the number of roadway deaths. One article describes how changes in policy, technology, and social norms can substantially improve road safety, leading to zero deaths by 2050. The other article documents an update of an online tool to help assess the costs and effectiveness of implementing up to 14 interventions and select those most effective in reducing the death and injury from motor vehicle crashes for a given budget. A group of researchers led by Ramya Chari assessed the feasibility and desirability of implementing recommendations to prevent injuries and illnesses among worker populations in agriculture, forestry, and fishing.

Lisa S. Meredith, Ph.D., Editor