title: Opinion networks among long-term care specialists.
abstract: A challenge in the adoption of long-term care (LTC) policy reform is the number of constituency groups active in LTC and historical antagonism among these groups regarding critical issues such as LTC financing and regulation. As part of a national survey of LTC specialists, the authors asked previously identified specialists to nominate other "experts" with known or demonstrable experience in LTC. As a proxy for potential information exchange, data about nominations were used to construct and describe the networks of LTC specialists representing consumer advocates, provider representatives, public officials, policy experts, and others. Associations between network characteristics and attitudes about LTC policy reform were also examined. Individuals tended to nominate other people within their same constituency group as experts. Academic and research-based policy experts were most likely to be classified as prominent network members. Network structure was associated with attitudes toward LTC financing but not the regulation of nursing homes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Brown University, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA. Melissa_Clark@brown.edu
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Crystal D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Linkletter
authors.forename: Xiaozhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Edward Alan
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mor
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003254:Consumer Advocacy; D005260:Female; D033161:Government Regulation; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011050:Policy Making; D012944:Social Support; D000078329:Workforce