Collaborative process of research involving researchers and community representatives.

Community or individual involvement in the decision-making process.

The interactions between members of a community and representatives of the institutions within that community.

Planning that has the goals of improving health, improving accessibility to health services, and promoting efficiency in the provision of services and resources on a comprehensive basis for a whole community. (From Facts on File Dictionary of Health Care Management, 1988, p299)

Organizations and individuals cooperating together toward a common goal at the local or grassroots level.

Organizational development including enhancement of management structures, processes and procedures, within organizations and among different organizations and sectors to meet present and future needs.

Critical and exhaustive investigation or experimentation, having for its aim the discovery of new facts and their correct interpretation, the revision of accepted conclusions, theories, or laws in the light of newly discovered facts, or the practical application of such new or revised conclusions, theories, or laws. (Webster, 3d ed)

Diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive health services provided for individuals in the community.

The interaction of two or more persons or organizations directed toward a common goal which is mutually beneficial. An act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit, i.e., joint action. (From Random House Dictionary Unabridged, 2d ed)

Encouraging consumer behaviors most likely to optimize health potentials (physical and psychosocial) through health information, preventive programs, and access to medical care.

Individual members of North American ethnic groups with ancient historic ancestral origins in Asia.

Persons trained to assist professional health personnel in communicating with residents in the community concerning needs and availability of health services.

The process of formulating, improving, and expanding educational, managerial, or service-oriented work plans (excluding computer program development).

A method of data collection and a QUALITATIVE RESEARCH tool in which a small group of individuals are brought together and allowed to interact in a discussion of their opinions about topics, issues, or questions.

Financial support of research activities.

Interaction between research personnel and research subjects.

The integration of epidemiologic, sociological, economic, and other analytic sciences in the study of health services. Health services research is usually concerned with relationships between need, demand, supply, use, and outcome of health services. The aim of the research is evaluation, particularly in terms of structure, process, output, and outcome. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)

The group in which legal authority is vested for the control of health-related institutions and organizations.

The interactions between representatives of institutions, agencies, or organizations.

Those individuals engaged in research.

Variation in rates of disease occurrence and disabilities between population groups defined by socioeconomic characteristics such as age, ethnicity, economic resources, or gender and populations identified geographically or similar measures.

The moral obligations governing the conduct of research. Used for discussions of research ethics as a general topic.

A plan for collecting and utilizing data so that desired information can be obtained with sufficient precision or so that an hypothesis can be tested properly.

Studies designed to assess the efficacy of programs. They may include the evaluation of cost-effectiveness, the extent to which objectives are met, or impact.

Cultural and linguistic competence is a set of congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come together in a system, agency, or among professionals that enables effective work in cross-cultural situations. Competence implies the capacity to function effectively as an individual and an organization within the context of the cultural beliefs, behaviors, and needs presented by consumers and their communities.

The science of controlling or modifying those conditions, influences, or forces surrounding man which relate to promoting, establishing, and maintaining health.

Descriptions and evaluations of specific health care organizations.

I'm sorry for any confusion, but the term "Michigan" is not a medical concept or condition that has a defined meaning within the medical field. It refers to a state in the United States, and does not have a direct medical connotation.

An organizational enterprise between a public sector agency, federal, state or local, and a private sector entity. Skills and assets of each sector are shared to deliver a service or facility for the benefit or use of the general public.

Education that increases the awareness and favorably influences the attitudes and knowledge relating to the improvement of health on a personal or community basis.

The promotion and support of consumers' rights and interests.

Confidence in or reliance on a person or thing.

Those aspects or characteristics which identify a culture.

Social process whereby the values, attitudes, or institutions of society, such as education, family, religion, and industry become modified. It includes both the natural process and action programs initiated by members of the community.

The inhabitants of rural areas or of small towns classified as rural.

The term "United States" in a medical context often refers to the country where a patient or study participant resides, and is not a medical term per se, but relevant for epidemiological studies, healthcare policies, and understanding differences in disease prevalence, treatment patterns, and health outcomes across various geographic locations.

Educational institutions providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees.

Any type of research that employs nonnumeric information to explore individual or group characteristics, producing findings not arrived at by statistical procedures or other quantitative means. (Qualitative Inquiry: A Dictionary of Terms Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1997)

##### There does not appear to be a recognized medical term or condition specifically named 'Montana.' I can provide information about the state of Montana, if that would be helpful?

Individuals whose ancestral origins are in the islands of the central and South Pacific, including Micronesia, Melanesia, Polynesia, and traditionally Australasia.

Organizations representing specialized fields which are accepted as authoritative; may be non-governmental, university or an independent research organization, e.g., National Academy of Sciences, Brookings Institution, etc.

A nursing specialty created to answer the need for developing a global perspective in the practice of nursing in a world of interdependent nations and people. The focus of this nursing discipline is on the integration of international and transcultural content into the training. Courses include study in the area of cultural differences, nursing in other countries, and international health issues and organizations, as an example.

Health care provided to specific cultural or tribal peoples which incorporates local customs, beliefs, and taboos.

People who leave their place of residence in one country and settle in a different country.

(To the best of my knowledge,) 'Alaska' is not a medical term or concept, it is rather a geographical location, being the largest and northernmost state in the United States.

Branch of medicine concerned with the prevention and control of disease and disability, and the promotion of physical and mental health of the population on the international, national, state, or municipal level.

Knowledge, attitudes, and associated behaviors which pertain to health-related topics such as PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES or diseases, their prevention, and treatment. This term refers to non-health workers and health workers (HEALTH PERSONNEL).

The application of discoveries generated by laboratory research and preclinical studies to the development of clinical trials and studies in humans. A second area of translational research concerns enhancing the adoption of best practices.

Persons living in the United States having origins in any of the black groups of Africa.

Social welfare organizations with programs designed to assist individuals in need.

A geographic location which has insufficient health resources (manpower and/or facilities) to meet the medical needs of the resident population.

The circulation or wide dispersal of information.

Theoretical representations and constructs that describe or explain the structure and hierarchy of relationships and interactions within or between formal organizational entities or informal social groups.

Research that involves the application of the natural sciences, especially biology and physiology, to medicine.

A group of islands in the southwest central Pacific, divided into AMERICAN SAMOA and the INDEPENDENT STATE OF SAMOA (Western Samoa). First European contact was made in 1722 by Jacob Roggeveen, a Dutchman. In 1768 they were named Navigators Islands by Louis de Bougainville. The present name may derive from that of a local chieftain or from a local word meaning place of the moa, a now-extinct island bird. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p1061 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p481)

Persons living in the United States of Mexican (MEXICAN AMERICANS), Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin. The concept does not include Brazilian Americans or Portuguese Americans.

(LA) is not a medical term; it is a region, specifically the second most populous city in the United States, located in Southern California, which contains several world-renowned hospitals and medical centers that offer advanced healthcare services and cutting-edge medical research.

Groups set up to advise governmental bodies, societies, or other institutions on policy. (Bioethics Thesaurus)

Conversations with an individual or individuals held in order to obtain information about their background and other personal biographical data, their attitudes and opinions, etc. It includes school admission or job interviews.

The purposes, missions, and goals of an individual organization or its units, established through administrative processes. It includes an organization's long-range plans and administrative philosophy.

Elements of residence that characterize a population. They are applicable in determining need for and utilization of health services.

An archipelago in Polynesia in the southwest Pacific Ocean, comprising about 150 islands. It is a kingdom whose capital is Nukualofa. It was discovered by the Dutch in 1616, visited by Tasman in 1643, and by Captain Cook in 1773 and 1777. The modern kingdom was established during the reign of King George Tupou I, 1845-93. It became a British protectorate in 1900 and gained independence in 1970. The name Tonga may be of local origin, meaning either island or holy. Its other name, Friendly Islands, was given by Captain Cook from the welcome given him by the natives. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p1219 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p549)

Differences in access to or availability of medical facilities and services.

The exertion of a strong influence or control over others in a variety of settings--administrative, social, academic, etc.

(Note: 'North Carolina' is a place, not a medical term. However, I can provide a fun fact related to health and North Carolina.)

A subgroup having special characteristics within a larger group, often bound together by special ties which distinguish it from the larger group.

Systematic gathering of data for a particular purpose from various sources, including questionnaires, interviews, observation, existing records, and electronic devices. The process is usually preliminary to statistical analysis of the data.

(Disclaimer: This is a playful and fictitious response, as there isn't a medical definition for 'New York City'.)

Health services required by a population or community as well as the health services that the population or community is able and willing to pay for.

An operating division of the US Department of Health and Human Services. It is concerned with the overall planning, promoting, and administering of programs pertaining to health and medical research. Until 1995, it was an agency of the United States PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE.

The degree to which individuals are inhibited or facilitated in their ability to gain entry to and to receive care and services from the health care system. Factors influencing this ability include geographic, architectural, transportational, and financial considerations, among others.

The activities and endeavors of the public health services in a community on any level.

Preferentially rated health-related activities or functions to be used in establishing health planning goals. This may refer specifically to PL93-641.

An interactive process whereby members of a community are concerned for the equality and rights of all.

I'm sorry for any confusion, but "California" is a place, specifically a state on the western coast of the United States, and not a medical term or concept. Therefore, it doesn't have a medical definition.

The science, art or practice of cultivating soil, producing crops, and raising livestock.

Decisions, usually developed by government policymakers, for determining present and future objectives pertaining to the health care system.

Groups of persons whose range of options is severely limited, who are frequently subjected to COERCION in their DECISION MAKING, or who may be compromised in their ability to give INFORMED CONSENT.

The status of health in urban populations.

Institutions with permanent facilities and organized medical staff which provide the full range of hospital services primarily to a neighborhood area.

Small-scale tests of methods and procedures to be used on a larger scale if the pilot study demonstrates that these methods and procedures can work.

Patient involvement in the decision-making process in matters pertaining to health.

A situation in which an individual might benefit personally from official or professional actions. It includes a conflict between a person's private interests and official responsibilities in a position of trust. The term is not restricted to government officials. The concept refers both to actual conflict of interest and the appearance or perception of conflict.

Health services, public or private, in urban areas. The services include the promotion of health and the delivery of health care.

A geographical area of the United States with no definite boundaries but comprising northeastern Alabama, northwestern Georgia, northwestern South Carolina, western North Carolina, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, western Virginia, West Virginia, western Maryland, southwestern Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, and southern New York.

A group of islands in Polynesia, in the north central Pacific Ocean, comprising eight major and 114 minor islands, largely volcanic and coral. Its capital is Honolulu. It was first reached by Polynesians about 500 A.D. It was discovered and named the Sandwich Islands in 1778 by Captain Cook. The islands were united under the rule of King Kamehameha 1795-1819 and requested annexation to the United States in 1893 when a provisional government was set up. Hawaii was established as a territory in 1900 and admitted as a state in 1959. The name is from the Polynesian Owhyhii, place of the gods, with reference to the two volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, regarded as the abode of the gods. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p493 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p2330)

Use of marketing principles also used to sell products to consumers to promote ideas, attitudes and behaviors. Design and use of programs seeking to increase the acceptance of a social idea or practice by target groups, not for the benefit of the marketer, but to benefit the target audience and the general society.

whoa, hold up! 'New Mexico' is a state in the United States, it isn't a medical term or concept. It might be confused with a location name or geographical term. Let me know if you need information about a medical topic and I'd be happy to help!

Inuktitut-speakers generally associated with the northern polar region.

A preconceived judgment made without factual basis.

The inhabitants of a city or town, including metropolitan areas and suburban areas.

Epidemiologic investigations designed to test a hypothesized cause-effect relation by modifying the supposed causal factor(s) in the study population.

Organized efforts by communities or organizations to improve the health and well-being of the child.

Predetermined sets of questions used to collect data - clinical data, social status, occupational group, etc. The term is often applied to a self-completed survey instrument.

A collective expression for all behavior patterns acquired and socially transmitted through symbols. Culture includes customs, traditions, and language.

The exchange or transmission of ideas, attitudes, or beliefs between individuals or groups.

I'm sorry for any confusion, but "Colorado" is a place, specifically a state in the United States, and does not have a medical definition. If you have any questions about medical conditions or terminology, I would be happy to help with those!

Social and economic factors that characterize the individual or group within the social structure.

I'm sorry for any confusion, but "Massachusetts" is a geographical location and not a medical term or concept. It is a state located in the northeastern region of the United States. If you have any medical questions or terms you would like me to define, please let me know!

Persons fleeing to a place of safety, especially those who flee to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution in their own country or habitual residence because of race, religion, or political belief. (Webster, 3d ed)

I'm sorry for any confusion, but "South Carolina" is a geographical location and not a medical term or concept, so it doesn't have a medical definition. It is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States.

Hospital or other institutional committees established to protect the welfare of research subjects. Federal regulations (the "Common Rule" (45 CFR 46)) mandate the use of these committees to monitor federally-funded biomedical and behavioral research involving human subjects.

A functional system which includes the organisms of a natural community together with their environment. (McGraw Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)

The aggregate of social and cultural institutions, forms, patterns, and processes that influence the life of an individual or community.

Beliefs and values shared by all members of the organization. These shared values, which are subject to change, are reflected in the day to day management of the organization.

I'm sorry for any confusion, but "Chicago" is a specific location and a major city in the United States, not a medical term or condition with a defined meaning within the medical field. Therefore, it doesn't have a medical definition in a singular sentence or otherwise. If you have any questions related to healthcare, medicine, or medical terminology, I would be happy to help answer those!

Behaviors expressed by individuals to protect, maintain or promote their health status. For example, proper diet, and appropriate exercise are activities perceived to influence health status. Life style is closely associated with health behavior and factors influencing life style are socioeconomic, educational, and cultural.

Educational institutions.

Research carried out by nurses, generally in clinical settings, in the areas of clinical practice, evaluation, nursing education, nursing administration, and methodology.

The variety of all native living organisms and their various forms and interrelationships.

New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms.

Public attitudes toward health, disease, and the medical care system.

Persons living in the United States having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent.

I'm sorry for any confusion, but "San Francisco" is a city in the state of California, United States, and does not have a medical definition. If you have any medical questions or terms you would like defined, I'd be happy to help!

Support systems that provide assistance and encouragement to individuals with physical or emotional disabilities in order that they may better cope. Informal social support is usually provided by friends, relatives, or peers, while formal assistance is provided by churches, groups, etc.

The spectrum of different living organisms inhabiting a particular region, habitat, or biotope.

The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents in the environment or to environmental factors that may include ionizing radiation, pathogenic organisms, or toxic chemicals.

One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.

**I must clarify that there is no recognized or established medical term or definition for 'Texas.' However, if you're asking for a possible humorous play on words using the term 'Texas' in a medical context, here it is:**

The promotion and maintenance of physical and mental health in the work environment.

A situation in which the level of living of an individual, family, or group is below the standard of the community. It is often related to a specific income level.

A branch of medicine concerned with the total health of the individual within the home environment and in the community, and with the application of comprehensive care to the prevention and treatment of illness in the entire community.

Voluntary groups of people representing diverse interests in the community such as hospitals, businesses, physicians, and insurers, with the principal objective to improve health care cost effectiveness.

Reduction of high-risk choices and adoption of low-risk quantity and frequency alternatives.

Individuals enrolled in a school or formal educational program.

A group of people with a common cultural heritage that sets them apart from others in a variety of social relationships.

Facilities which administer the delivery of health care services to people living in a community or neighborhood.

Includes the spectrum of human immunodeficiency virus infections that range from asymptomatic seropositivity, thru AIDS-related complex (ARC), to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, or inborn or inherited characteristic, which, on the basis of epidemiologic evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.

A systematic collection of factual data pertaining to health and disease in a human population within a given geographic area.

The science of designing, building or equipping mechanical devices or artificial environments to the anthropometric, physiological, or psychological requirements of the people who will use them.

Research into the cause, transmission, amelioration, elimination, or enhancement of inherited disorders and traits.

Diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive mental health services provided for individuals in the community.

Criteria and standards used for the determination of the appropriateness of the inclusion of patients with specific conditions in proposed treatment plans and the criteria used for the inclusion of subjects in various clinical trials and other research protocols.

Physical activity which is usually regular and done with the intention of improving or maintaining PHYSICAL FITNESS or HEALTH. Contrast with PHYSICAL EXERTION which is concerned largely with the physiologic and metabolic response to energy expenditure.

Organized periodic procedures performed on large groups of people for the purpose of detecting disease.

A status with BODY WEIGHT that is grossly above the acceptable or desirable weight, usually due to accumulation of excess FATS in the body. The standards may vary with age, sex, genetic or cultural background. In the BODY MASS INDEX, a BMI greater than 30.0 kg/m2 is considered obese, and a BMI greater than 40.0 kg/m2 is considered morbidly obese (MORBID OBESITY).

The process by which decisions are made in an institution or other organization.

Health services, public or private, in rural areas. The services include the promotion of health and the delivery of health care.

Constituent of 30S subunit prokaryotic ribosomes containing 1600 nucleotides and 21 proteins. 16S rRNA is involved in initiation of polypeptide synthesis.

Total pharmaceutical services provided to the public through community pharmacies.

The function of directing or controlling the actions or attitudes of an individual or group with more or less willing acquiescence of the followers.

The physical activity of a human or an animal as a behavioral phenomenon.

A federally administered division of Canada. Its capital is Yellowknife. The former northern and eastern-most parts of the Territory comprise the new territory of Nunavut, effective April 1, 1999.

The use of art as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of neurological, mental, or behavioral disorders.

The presence of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the soil. This term is not restricted to pathogenic organisms.

The status of health in rural populations.

Systematic identification of a population's needs or the assessment of individuals to determine the proper level of services needed.

Regular course of eating and drinking adopted by a person or animal.

A heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by HYPERGLYCEMIA and GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE.

Studies in which the presence or absence of disease or other health-related variables are determined in each member of the study population or in a representative sample at one particular time. This contrasts with LONGITUDINAL STUDIES which are followed over a period of time.

Communication, in the sense of cross-fertilization of ideas, involving two or more academic disciplines (such as the disciplines that comprise the cross-disciplinary field of bioethics, including the health and biological sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences and law). Also includes problems in communication stemming from differences in patterns of language usage in different academic or medical disciplines.

Research carried out by nurses in the clinical setting and designed to provide information that will help improve patient care. Other professional staff may also participate in the research.

Organizations which are not operated for a profit and may be supported by endowments or private contributions.

The relationships of groups of organisms as reflected by their genetic makeup.

A group of different species of microorganisms that act together as a community.

Countries in the process of change with economic growth, that is, an increase in production, per capita consumption, and income. The process of economic growth involves better utilization of natural and human resources, which results in a change in the social, political, and economic structures.

A form of bronchial disorder with three distinct components: airway hyper-responsiveness (RESPIRATORY HYPERSENSITIVITY), airway INFLAMMATION, and intermittent AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION. It is characterized by spasmodic contraction of airway smooth muscle, WHEEZING, and dyspnea (DYSPNEA, PAROXYSMAL).

A loose confederation of computer communication networks around the world. The networks that make up the Internet are connected through several backbone networks. The Internet grew out of the US Government ARPAnet project and was designed to facilitate information exchange.

Organizations comprising wage and salary workers in health-related fields for the purpose of improving their status and conditions. The concept includes labor union activities toward providing health services to members.

The concept concerned with all aspects of providing and distributing health services to a patient population.

A country of eastern Africa, west of the Red Sea, bordered west and northwest by SUDAN, and south by ETHIOPIA. Its capital is Asmara.

City, urban, rural, or suburban areas which are characterized by severe economic deprivation and by accompanying physical and social decay.

The decision process by which individuals, groups or institutions establish policies pertaining to plans, programs or procedures.

Introduction of changes which are new to the organization and are created by management.

The study of laws, theories, and hypotheses through a systematic examination of pertinent facts and their interpretation in the field of dentistry. (From Jablonski, Illustrated Dictionary of Dentistry, 1982, p674)

Cultivation of PLANTS; (FRUIT; VEGETABLES; MEDICINAL HERBS) on small plots of ground or in containers.

Research that involves the application of the behavioral and social sciences to the study of the actions or reactions of persons or animals in response to external or internal stimuli. (from American Heritage Dictionary, 4th ed)

The body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time, the cumulated sum of information, its volume and nature, in any civilization, period, or country.

Place or physical location of work or employment.

A collective genome representative of the many organisms, primarily microorganisms, existing in a community.

The largest country in North America, comprising 10 provinces and three territories. Its capital is Ottawa.

General and comprehensive nursing practice directed to individuals, families, or groups as it relates to and contributes to the health of a population or community. This is not an official program of a Public Health Department.

"Art therapy is a form of expressive therapy that uses the creative process of making art to improve a person's physical, mental, and emotional well-being."

The use of humans as investigational subjects.

The procedures through which a group approaches, attacks, and solves a common problem.

A republic in southern Africa, the southernmost part of Africa. It has three capitals: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial). Officially the Republic of South Africa since 1960, it was called the Union of South Africa 1910-1960.

Health services for employees, usually provided by the employer at the place of work.

The structuring of the environment to permit or promote specific patterns of behavior.

The process of making a selective intellectual judgment when presented with several complex alternatives consisting of several variables, and usually defining a course of action or an idea.

Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of systems, processes, or phenomena. They include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.

A multistage process that includes cloning, physical mapping, subcloning, determination of the DNA SEQUENCE, and information analysis.

The protection, preservation, restoration, and rational use of all resources in the total environment.

The smallest continent and an independent country, comprising six states and two territories. Its capital is Canberra.

I'm sorry for any confusion, but "India" is not a medical term that can be defined in a medical context. It is a geographical location, referring to the Republic of India, a country in South Asia. If you have any questions related to medical topics or definitions, I would be happy to help with those!

Activities concerned with governmental policies, functions, etc.

Computer systems capable of assembling, storing, manipulating, and displaying geographically referenced information, i.e. data identified according to their locations.

Those actions designed to carry out recommendations pertaining to health plans or programs.

The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population.

The interaction of persons or groups of persons representing various nations in the pursuit of a common goal or interest.

Administration and functional structures for the purpose of collectively systematizing activities for a particular goal.

Individuals classified according to their sex, racial origin, religion, common place of living, financial or social status, or some other cultural or behavioral attribute. (UMLS, 2003)

The broad dissemination of new ideas, procedures, techniques, materials, and devices and the degree to which these are accepted and used.

A systematic statement of policy rules or principles. Guidelines may be developed by government agencies at any level, institutions, professional societies, governing boards, or by convening expert panels. The text may be cursive or in outline form but is generally a comprehensive guide to problems and approaches in any field of activity. For guidelines in the field of health care and clinical medicine, PRACTICE GUIDELINES AS TOPIC is available.

The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants.

A set of statistical methods used to group variables or observations into strongly inter-related subgroups. In epidemiology, it may be used to analyze a closely grouped series of events or cases of disease or other health-related phenomenon with well-defined distribution patterns in relation to time or place or both.