This is the week for the annual coordinated theme issue event of the 10 scientific journals of the American Medical Association. Since we began this process of using modified Delphi ballots of our editorial board and senior editorial staff in 1990, we have published on the following themes:
1991—Caring for the Uninsured and Underinsured
1992—Violence
1993—Molecular Medicine and Genetics
1994—Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
1995—Emerging and Reemerging Global Microbial Threats
1996—Managed Care
1997—Quality of Care
As this theme issue concept has evolved, we have identified the following purposes:
• To stimulate research and writing on a specific topic
• To emphasize a subject for our readers
• To change public knowledge and attitudes
• To influence public policy
• To provide timely, in-depth reference sources in 1 place
• To enhance research funding for a field
• To call attention to the messages and to the messengers
Since the topics
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