Have small-group health insurance purchasing alliances increased coverage?
(57/1417)
We use data from 1993 and 1997 employer surveys to assess whether the three largest statewide small-group health insurance purchasing alliances--in California, Connecticut, and Florida--increased coverage in small business. They did not. Specifically, they did not reduce small-group market health insurance premiums, and they did not raise small-business health insurance offer rates. We explore and discuss some reasons why. Alliances do permit employers to offer much greater choice in the number and types of plans; employees are found to take advantage of this wider choice. (+info)
Window shopping: state health reform politics in the 1990s.
(58/1417)
Throughout the 1990s states sought politically acceptable policies to reduce the ranks of the uninsured. Visions of comprehensive health reform and universal coverage yielded by mid-decade to more modest measures to repair private health insurance markets, and to these enactments were added several new public programs (state and federal) to expand coverage for lower-income children and, in some cases, adults. Because governments remain ill equipped to counter the power of business, insurers, and providers in conflicts fought on private turf, reform agendas have been more readily set, moved, and cleared in public-sector arenas. Although the number of uninsured rose steadily until 1999, "catalytic federalism"--the accelerating interplay between state and federal reform forces and funds--may be putting the programmatic foundations for broader coverage incrementally into place. (+info)
Customizing for clients: developing a library liaison program from need to plan.
(59/1417)
Building on the experiences of librarian representatives to curriculum committees in the colleges of dentistry, medicine, and nursing, the Health Science Center Libraries (HSCL) Strategic Plan recommended the formation of a Library Liaison Work Group to create a formal Library Liaison Program to serve the six Health Science Center (HSC) colleges and several affiliated centers and institutes. The work group's charge was to define the purpose and scope of the program, identify models of best practice, and recommend activities for liaisons. The work group gathered background information, performed an environmental scan, and developed a philosophy statement, a program of liaison activities focusing on seven primary areas, and a forum for liaison communication. Hallmarks of the plan included intensive subject specialization (beyond collection development), extensive communication with users, and personal information services. Specialization was expected to promote competence, communication, confidence, comfort, and customization. Development of the program required close coordination with other strategic plan implementation teams, including teams for collection development, education, and marketing. This paper discusses the HSCL's planning process and the resulting Library Liaison Program. Although focusing on an academic health center, the planning process and liaison model may be applied to any library serving diverse, subject-specific user populations. (+info)
Influence of a counteradvertising media campaign on initiation of smoking: the Florida "truth" campaign.
(60/1417)
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the short-term effects of television advertisements from the Florida "truth" campaign on rates of smoking initiation. METHODS: A follow-up survey of young people aged 12 to 17 years (n = 1820) interviewed during the first 6 months of the advertising campaign was conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the independent effects of the campaign on smoking initiation while other factors were controlled for. RESULTS: Youths scoring at intermediate and high levels on a media effect index were less likely to initiate smoking than youths who could not confirm awareness of television advertisements. Adjusted odds ratios between the media index and measures of initiation were similar within categories of age, sex, susceptibility, and whether a parent smoked. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to the "truth" media campaign lowered the risk of youth smoking initiation. However, the analysis did not demonstrate that all such media programs will be effective. (+info)
Prospective randomized trial of two wound management strategies for dirty abdominal wounds.
(61/1417)
OBJECTIVE: To determine the optimal method of wound closure for dirty abdominal wounds. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The rate of wound infection for dirty abdominal wounds is approximately 40%, but the optimal method of wound closure remains controversial. Three randomized studies comparing delayed primary closure (DPC) with primary closure (PC) have not conclusively shown any advantage of one method over the other in terms of wound infection. METHODS: Fifty-one patients with dirty abdominal wounds related to perforated appendicitis, other perforated viscus, traumatic injuries more than 4 hours old, or intraabdominal abscesses were enrolled. Patients were stratified by cause (appendicitis vs. all other causes) and prospectively randomized to one of two wound management strategies: E/DPC (wound packed with saline-soaked gauze, evaluated 3 days after surgery for closure the next day if appropriate) or PC. In the E/DPC group, wounds that were not pristine when examined on postoperative day 3 were not closed and daily dressing changes were instituted. Wounds were considered infected if purulence discharged from the wound, or possibly infected if signs of inflammation or a serous discharge developed. RESULTS: Two patients were withdrawn because they died less than 72 hours after surgery. The wound infection rate was greater in the PC group than in the E/DPC group. Lengths of hospital stay and hospital charges were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: A strategy of DPC for appropriate dirty abdominal wounds 4 days after surgery produced a decreased wound infection rate compared with PC without increasing the length of stay or cost. (+info)
The Florida "truth" anti-tobacco media evaluation: design, first year results, and implications for planning future state media evaluations.
(62/1417)
OBJECTIVES: To outline the design and present selected findings from the evaluation of a state counter-advertising, anti-tobacco media campaign. The appropriateness of the design for states developing media evaluations is discussed. DESIGN: Four cross sectional, telephone surveys of the 12--17 year old population were used to track and monitor advertising and campaign awareness, confirmed awareness, and receptivity. The Florida baseline and one year surveys were used with two parallel national surveys in a quasi-experimental design to assess attitude and smoking related behaviour change attributable to the campaign. MEASURES: Awareness was measured by self report, confirmed awareness by unaided description, and receptivity by self reports of how well advertisements were liked, talked to friends about, and made one think about whether or not to smoke. Eleven attitude and three smoking behaviour items for Florida (treatment) and a national (control) population were compared at baseline and after 12 months. RESULTS: Significant increases in ad specific awareness, confirmed, receptivity, and campaign awareness, and confirmed awareness were reached by the sixth week. They continued to rise through the first year. No attitude and only minor behaviour differences were noted between the treatment and comparison populations at baseline. By the end of the first year, Florida youth had stronger anti-tobacco attitudes and better behaviour patterns than the comparison population. CONCLUSIONS: The industry manipulation strategy used in the Florida campaign resulted in high rates of recall, significant changes in attitudes/beliefs, and reduced rates of smoking behaviour among youth. (+info)
Acceptance of HIV testing during prenatal care. Perinatal Guidelines Evaluation Project.
(63/1417)
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the factors associated with acceptance of HIV testing during pregnancy on the part of women receiving prenatal care at public clinics. METHODS: Trained interviewers recruited and interviewed 1,357 women receiving prenatal care at clinics in Florida, Connecticut, and New York City. RESULTS: Eighty-six percent of participants reported having been tested or having signed a consent form to be tested. Acceptance of testing was found to be related to strong beliefs about the benefits of testing, knowledge about vertical transmission, perceived provider endorsement of testing, and social support. Women who declined testing said they did so because they did not perceive themselves to be at risk for HIV (21%) or they faced administrative difficulties (16%) with some aspect of the testing process (for example, scheduling, limited availability of pre-test counselors). CONCLUSIONS: Acceptance rates can be increased when women understand the modes of vertical transmission and the role of medication regimens in preventing transmission; believe that prenatal identification of HIV can promote the health of mother and child; and perceive their providers as strongly endorsing testing. These points can be woven into a brief pre-test counseling message and made a routine component of prenatal care. (+info)
Adolescent peer crowd affiliation: linkages with health-risk behaviors and close friendships.
(64/1417)
OBJECTIVE: To examine adolescents' peer crowd affiliation and its linkages with health-risk behaviors, their friends' health-risk behaviors, the presence of close friends in the same peer crowd, and adolescents' social acceptance. METHODS: We interviewed 250 high school students and identified six categories: popular, jocks, brains, burnouts, nonconformists, or average/other. Adolescents also reported on their health-risk behaviors (including use of cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and other drugs; risky sexual behaviors; and other risk-taking behaviors), the health-risk behaviors of their friends, the peer crowd affiliation of their closest friends, and their perceived social acceptance. RESULTS: Burnouts and nonconformists had the highest levels of health-risk behaviors across the areas assessed, the greatest proportions of close friends who engaged in similar behaviors, and relatively low social acceptance from peers. Brains and their friends engaged in extremely low levels of health-risk behaviors. Jocks and populars also showed evidence of selected areas of health risk; these teens also were more socially accepted than others. In general, adolescents' closest friends were highly nested within the same peer crowds. CONCLUSIONS: The findings further our understanding of adolescent behaviors that put them at risk for serious adult onset conditions associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. We discuss the implications of the findings for developing health promotion efforts for adolescents. (+info)