ETHNIC DISPARITIES – Survey Demonstrates Greater Barriers to Care in the Rural South Among Black Versus White Adults
Investigators from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have conducted a study showing that black adults in the rural south were more likely than their white counterparts to report encountering barriers to care, even though they used a comparable or greater number of health services. The researchers used data from the 2002-2003 Southern Rural Access Program survey and examined health outcomes and satisfaction, controlling for age, gender, health status, socioeconomic status (SES) … Read More
PREVENTIVE CARE – In General, Telephone Reminders Have Muted Effect on Adolescent Immunizations and Preventive Visits in an Urban Population
A research team from University of Rochester and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study which showed that telephone reminders had a limited impact on urban adolescents’ rates of immunization and health care visits. Intervention participants were 11 to 14 years of age, including 1,496 study group adolescents and 1,510 control group adolescents. The study was carried out at two urban private practices, a hospital-based clinic and a neighborhood health center in … Read More
ACCESS – Physicians Found to be Less Likely to Accept Poor Blacks Versus Whites Into Their Practices
A research team from the University of Oregon and New York University investigated factors affecting the likelihood of urban physicians accepting Medicaid coverage at their practice. The analysis revealed that “physicians are more likely to participate in Medicaid in counties whose poor are white and in areas that are racially integrated.” Researchers utilized data from the 2000/2001 Community Tracking Study Physician Survey and the 2000 U.S. Census. The 9,178 study participants were … Read More
Featured Articles
HEALTH CARE REFORM – New Report Details Influence of Health Care Reform on Medicaid Coverage and Spending
In a new study prepared by the Urban Institute for the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, authors John Holahan and Irene Headen present national and state-by state data showing the likely effects of the new health care reforms on Medicaid coverage and spending. The analysis is specific to adults at or below 133% of the federal poverty level. The researchers' analysis showed the following: - "Medicaid expansions will significantly increase coverage and reduce the number of uninsured" - … [Read More...]
PREVENTIVE CARE – In General, Telephone Reminders Have Muted Effect on Adolescent Immunizations and Preventive Visits in an Urban Population
A research team from University of Rochester and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study which showed that telephone reminders had a limited impact on urban adolescents’ rates of immunization and health care visits. Intervention participants were 11 to 14 years of age, including 1,496 study group adolescents and 1,510 control group adolescents. The study was carried out at two urban private practices, a hospital-based clinic and a neighborhood health center in Rochester, NY. Researchers used autodialer, an automated telephone message reminder system to contact … [Read More...]
UNINSURED – Study Finds Uninsured More Likely to Die From Trauma When Compared to Insured Patients
A research team from the University of Buffalo has compared outcomes among trauma patients by insurance status and race. The most significant, and perhaps most surprising, finding was that uninsured patients were more likely to succumb to their traumatic injuries than those patients with insurance. In fact, this difference existed, irrespective of the type of insurance, including Medicaid. Race was also an independent factor responsible for differences in outcomes. Nearly 200,000 patients from 649 different facilities were followed after suffering injuries from auto accidents and … [Read More...]