Profile of uninsured children in the United States

Article Abstract:

Insured and uninsured children have similar chronic health problems but different access to services. The most common chronic condition during childhood, asthma, affects both insured and uninsured children equally. Estimates from a 1988 national survey of 17,110 children under 17 years old indicated that 13.3% were not insured. Uninsured children tended to live in poverty in the southern and western United States. Although uninsured children had less regular and emergency access to medical care, they did not seem sicker than insured children. Therefore, uninsured children may not require significantly more medical spending by the community. Contrary to popular belief, provision of health care to all children in the U.S. would not be very costly and could be an important step toward universal health insurance.

Services, Demographic aspects, Medically uninsured persons, Poor children

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Reducing missed opportunities for immunizations: easier said than done

Article Abstract:

Improving immunization rates through the use of various interventions may be difficult to accomplish. Researchers developed two interventions to improve immunization rates among children at a hospital clinic and at a community clinic. The intervention of not requiring a legal guardian's signature had no change on immunization rates. The intervention of flagging medical charts with immunization reminder cards worked when used, but nurses may have been too busy to use them consistently. Also, doctors immunized less than half of the underimmunized ill children. Immunization rates were the same at both locations after the study.

Methods, Practice, Family medicine

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Health insurance for low-income working families: effect on the provision of immunizations to preschool-age children

Article Abstract:

New York's Child Health Plus (CHPlus) insurance program for children may have increased the rate of immunization and shifted the immunization burden. CHPlus, begun in 1991, provides coverage for medical care and immunizations for children from low-income families. Researchers compared immunization rates and patterns in the years before and after implementation of the program. Immunization coverage increased 5-7% the year after CHPlus began. Vaccinations at public health clinics decreased, and vaccinations by primary care providers increased.

Usage, Economic aspects, Vaccination centers

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Physician and parent opinions: are children becoming pincushions from immunizations? Is underimmunization a marker for insufficient utilization of preventive and primary care?

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