This fact sheet outlines some demographic trends that are influencing the cost and availability of health care for children and making it increasingly necessary to take action to improve the health of the nation's children. In recent years children, as a group, are more likely to be poor, lack health insurance, have working mothers, receive…

One of several reports on the status of children conducted for the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions, this document is based on data obtained from 5,274 telephone interviews of registered voters conducted in 7 states and the District of Columbia during February, 1992. It reports voter opinion on issues affecting…

This paper discusses eight precepts that parents, educators, and society as a whole should follow to ensure that children in the United States enjoy a safe and secure environment. These proactive principles declare that: (1) every baby born in our country has the right to adequate health care; (2) guns, knives, and other potential weapons must not…

Although the children in Texas face health and welfare issues common to other states, such as changing family structures, poverty, expanding immigrant populations, and tight budgets, there are unique aspects to Texas that must be factored in. These include having 254 counties, the largest rural population of any state, and a 46 percent increase in…

The case of the Gypsies provides a clear example of a minority group suffering especially severe discrimination. In the majority of European countries, access to basic services is extremely limited for Gypsies, with serious results for the health and education of Gypsy children. This publication originated in a 2-day UNICEF workshop,"Growing…

This study compares the health status of Appalachian children living in Cincinnati neighborhoods to that of children living in five predominantly low-income black neighborhoods and children living in the rest of Cincinnati. Age-specific, standardized morbidity ratio analyses were performed to compare the frequency of admissions to hospital and…

This report is part one of three volumes to be published by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) in response to the request of members of Congress to review the physical, emotional, and behavioral health status of contemporary U.S. adolescents, including adolescents in groups who might be more likely to be in special need of health-related…

East African maternity care and child rearing practices are discussed from a cross-cultural perspective. A brief background section is followed by discussion of: (1) health and nutrition as preconditions for educational achievement; (2) care of mothers and children and child rearing in East Africa--by far the longest section; (3) the roles of…

This document presents proposals for goals and strategies for children and development in the 1990s that were approved by the UNICEF Executive Board in April, 1990. The paper proposes that developing human capabilities and meeting basic human needs should be the focus of the UNICEF contribution to the fourth United Nations developmental decade.…

For young people still at school, the school setting is vital to their mental health and wellbeing. Not only does the school environment have a direct and indirect impact on mental health, it provides an opportunistic setting in which to identify and respond to emerging mental health problems. To do this effectively, schools and school staff must…

The obesity crisis in America is ubiquitous and irrefutable, and it's hitting youth so hard that health experts warn that this generation of children will be the first to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Tackling and reversing this epidemic will require a comprehensive and sustained effort in every community in America. The…

This clear, authoritative overview by an educator and a physician helps principals navigate their way through the many contradictory recommendations confronting them. The authors provide a targeted discussion of the "do's," "don'ts," and "can'ts" that school leaders need to know when creating and implementing new school policies for wellness,…

This paper examines the differences in perceptions of students and students' environments held by tenured teachers in a low socioeconomic status (SES) school and tenured teachers in a high socioeconomic status (SES) school. By comparing teachers perceptions of their students' characteristics and performance in a low SES school with the same…

The State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) Initiative represents a unique opportunity to improve the quality of life for young children and their families, and support them in reaching their full potential. Under the SECCS Initiative, state mother and child health agencies are being asked to apply MCH experience and expertise to a…

The Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB) launched the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) Initiative to improve systems of care for young children. Early Care and Education (ECE) is one of five critical components in the initiative because early experiences set the foundation for future learning. ECE's importance continues to…