Journal of health care for the poor and underserved
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J Health Care Poor Underserved · May 2010
Comparative StudyBehavioral health services use among heads of homeless and housed poor families.
This study compares the use of and cost for behavioral health services among heads of homeless and housed poor families. ⋯ Greater use of behavioral health services by heads of homeless families may reflect greater severity of disorders or a greater likelihood to seek treatment relative to what has been suggested by previous research.
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J Health Care Poor Underserved · May 2010
A qualitative evaluation of a health literacy intervention to improve medication adherence for underserved pharmacy patients.
To evaluate the implementation of a health literacy intervention to improve medication adherence among patients in an inner-city health system. ⋯ Successful health literacy interventions require tools that are easy to comprehend, accessible, and personalized to the special needs and interests of the target population. Moreover, providers must be well-trained, and adequate resources must be provided to assure the fidelity of the intervention's implementation.
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J Health Care Poor Underserved · May 2010
Social determinants of mental health treatment among Haitian, African American, and White youth in community health centers.
We examine adequate mental health treatment, emergency room (ER) use, and early treatment dropout for Haitian, African American and White youth with a psychiatric diagnosis treated in community health centers in the United States. We present associations with possible socioeconomic determinants of care. Adequate treatment was less likely among Haitian youth from areas with greater poverty and among all youth from areas with more female-headed households. ⋯ Socioeconomic factors and insurance status were significant determinants of care. Haitians living in poverty in the U. S. may face barriers to mental health services relative to other racial/ethnic groups.
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J Health Care Poor Underserved · May 2010
Racial and ethnic disparities within and between hospitals for inpatient quality of care: an examination of patient-level Hospital Quality Alliance measures.
Little is known about whether disparities occur within or between hospitals for national Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) measures. ⋯ Adjusting for between-hospital quality differences accounted for a large proportion of the disparities. Where disparities exist, the primary cause may be that minorities are more likely to receive care in lower-performing hospitals. Policies to reduce disparities should include targeting resources to facilities serving a high percentage of minority patients.