American journal of preventive medicine
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Although Medicaid has increased access to medical care for low-income pregnant women, the Medicaid population remains at high risk for poor pregnancy outcomes. In 1983 the Michigan Department of Public Health conducted 1 week of in-hospital, postpartum interviews addressing risk factors for poor pregnancy outcome among 1,945 women. These births represented over 90% of the births during the study period and constituted a sample of approximately 1.5% of the yearly births in Michigan. ⋯ In terms of behavioral risks, more Medicaid recipients reported tobacco and alcohol use than did the other mothers. Finally, the infants of Medicaid recipients were 200 g lighter than the other infants. We suggest that the Medicaid program--the major source of prenatal health care for these women--is not adequate to address their risks for poor pregnancy outcomes.
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This study analyzes the relationships of cigarette smoking and smoking histories to marital and parental status. Data from a large, representative sample of U. S. adults in 1985 were analyzed separately for white men, white women, black men, and black women, with controls for age, education, and marital status included in the analyses. ⋯ In contrast to the strong relationships between marital status and smoking, relationships between parental status and smoking were relatively weak and variable. Among white women, mothers of preschoolers were less likely to be smokers than women without children. The mothers of preschoolers were more likely to have quit smoking, possibly as a result of increased smoking cessation during pregnancy.
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This study analyzes the relationships of cigarette smoking and smoking histories to employment status and occupation. Data from a large, representative sample of U. S. adults in 1985 were analyzed separately for white men, white women, black men, and black women, with controls for age, education, and marital status included in all analyses. ⋯ These differences in smoking adoption had begun at young ages, before most people have adopted adult roles, which suggests that the differences in smoking adoption were not caused by unemployment or occupation. Rather, it appears that certain personal characteristics or early experiences influenced both smoking adoption and adult unemployment or occupation. In addition, unemployment may decrease smoking cessation, and employment in professional occupations may increase smoking cessation.
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Hip fractures are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Twenty to 40% of persons who fracture their hips die within 6 months of the injury, and many survivors need long-term care. To assess the public health impact of hip fractures in the United States, we analyzed sample-based data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey, National Center for Health Statistics, for the United States for the period 1970-83. ⋯ Never-married and divorced persons had higher hospitalization rates than currently married persons. The percentage of mortality before discharge from hospital fell from 11% in 1970 to 6% in 1983, with most of the decrease occurring among persons 75 years of age or older. The age-adjusted mean length of hospital stay declined 24%, from 23.9 days in 1970 to 18.2 days in 1983.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)