This document comprises four issues of a quarterly newsletter about the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and efforts to enroll eligible children in the program. Each issue provides information on related national news events, future events and publications of the Children's Defense Fund, and outreach initiatives in various states. Some…

The association of family income with child health is well-known. Compared to children from affluent families, low-income children are more likely to suffer from various chronic and sub-acute health problems including dental decay, asthma, earaches, vision deficiencies, and spotty immunizations. These problems interfere with healthy development.…

Under Title XXI, the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), states have considerable flexibility to define the scope of benefits available to eligible children. Noting the importance of policymakers, advocates, service providers, and parents speaking out in support of children's need for the full range of necessary health care, this…

This paper extends and further validates the quality-of-life/community-healthcare model and measures developed by Rahtz and Sirgy (2000). The quality of life (QOL) model is based on the theoretical notion that community residents' satisfaction with healthcare services available within their community affects community quality of life and life…

This paper examines 16-year trends in the utilization of hospital and physician services by Manitobans aged 75 and more, using data from the Manitoba Population Health Research Data Repository. Trends are examined across five measures of hospital services (separations, short-stay days, long-stay days, cataract surgeries, and hip/knee replacements)…

Previous studies report geographic variation in the use of home care services. In the province of Manitoba, home care is a core service that Manitoba's twelve regional health authorities (RHAs) are obligated to deliver. Manitoba's RHAs range from remote northern and rural southern regions to a major city, resulting in different challenges for…

Current diabetes vision care guidelines suggest that people receive at least an annual dilated eye examination 5 years after the diagnosis of Type I diabetes and a dilated eye examination at the time of diagnosis of Type II diabetes, and at least annually thereafter. Hispanics in the United States have a three-fold greater prevalence of diabetes…

Understanding the origins of racial health disparities is currently a central focus of health-oriented funding agencies and the health policy community. In particular, the role of genetics in the origin of racial health disparities is receiving growing attention and has been susceptible to considerable misinterpretation. In this article, the…

Context: Many rural elders experience limited access to health care. The majority of what we know about this issue has been based upon quantitative studies, yet qualitative studies might offer additional insight into individual perceptions of health care access. Purpose: To examine what barriers rural elders report when accessing needed health…

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 45 million Americans do not have health insurance. What's surprising is the majority of those individuals are actually employed. Part-time workers make up a full 15 percent of the uninsured population and school systems have a share of that group. Every day in the United States, approximately 10 percent…

Studies indicate that African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Latino youth have higher rates of unmet mental health needs and lower rates of mental health service utilization compared to non-Hispanic White youth, suggesting that obstacles may exist in the help-seeking and service utilization pathway for minority youth. Parental cultural…

Objective: A systematic literature review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) assessing depression treatments in primary care for Latinos is conducted. The authors rate the methodological quality of studies, examine cultural and linguistic adaptations, summarize clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness findings, and draw conclusions for improving…

UNICEF data indicates that Iraqi women have lower rates of breastfeeding than other Middle East countries and that breastfeeding rates are usually even lower among refugee women. This low rate of breastfeeding may be a result of refugee women's lack of public and social support and access to health professionals. This study identifies Iraqi…

This article presents an overview of the health disparities problem that exists among individuals from ethnic minority and low-income backgrounds and their majority counterparts. The argument is made that the involvement of counseling psychologists in addressing this health disparities problem presents an opportunity for the field to remain true…

Context: Rapid diagnosis and treatment of ischemic stroke can lead to improved patient outcomes. Hospitals in rural and frontier counties, however, face unique challenges in providing diagnostic and treatment services for acute stroke. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the availability of key diagnostic technology and programs for acute…