Women's health issues : official publication of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
-
Womens Health Issues · Jan 2011
The burden of illness in the first year home: do male and female VA users differ in health conditions and healthcare utilization.
we sought to describe gender differences in medical and mental health conditions and health care utilization among veterans who used Veterans Health Administration (VA) services in the first year after combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. ⋯ female veterans had similar rates of physical conditions, but higher rates of some mental health disorders and additionally, used the VA for reproductive health needs. They also had slightly greater rates of health care service use. These findings highlight the complexity of female Veteran health care and support the development of enhanced comprehensive women's health services within the VA.
-
Womens Health Issues · Jan 2011
Lessons for women's health from the Massachusetts reform: affordability, transitions, and choice.
Three years into Massachusetts' health insurance reform, we are beginning to see what that experience portends for women nationally in the wake of legislation similar to the Massachusetts model. Although the Massachusetts reform has been successful in terms of reducing the number of uninsured men and women, interviews with Massachusetts women reveal significant problems that remain to be addressed. ⋯ None of the women had insurance at the time; thus, health care reform represents a significant improvement in their access to care. However, as these snapshots indicate, major challenges remain in terms of affordability, continuity of coverage, and systemic complexities in choosing plans.
-
Womens Health Issues · May 2010
A study of women prisoners' use of co-payments for health care: issues of access.
We sought to analyze women prisoners' use of co-payments for health care; how co-payments affect their access to health care; and how they view the impact of co-payments on their health. ⋯ Co-payments place an unfair burden on prisoners who are poor, limit access to health care, and contribute to needless suffering and potentially to preventable deaths.
-
Most states regulate abortion differently than other health care services. Examples of these regulations include mandating waiting periods and the provision of state-authored information, and prohibiting private and public insurance coverage for abortion. The primary purpose of this paper is to explore abortion patients' perspectives on these regulations. ⋯ Overall the study participants' opinions on abortion policy reflect key values for advocates and policy makers to consider: responsibility, empathy, safe and accessible health care, privacy, and equity. Future work should examine abortion regulations in light of these shared values. Laws that promote misinformation or prohibit accommodations of unique circumstances are not consistent the positions articulated by the subjects in our study.