Public health reports
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Public health reports · Jul 2007
Health services for HIV/AIDS, HCV, and sexually transmitted infections in substance abuse treatment programs.
The National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network conducted this study to determine the availability of and factors associated with infection-related health services in substance abuse treatment settings. In a cross-sectional descriptive design, state policies, reimbursement for providers, state level of priority, and treatment program characteristics were studied via written surveys of administrators of substance abuse treatment programs and of state health and substance abuse departments. ⋯ While the availability of infection-related health services is associated with medical staffing patterns, addiction pharmacotherapy services, and state priorities, reimbursement was the most significant determining factor. These findings suggest that greater funding of these health services in substance abuse treatment settings, facilitated by supportive state policies, represents an effective response to the excess morbidity and mortality of these substance use-related infections.
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Public health reports · Jul 2007
Medicaid/State Children's Health Insurance Program patients and infectious diseases treated in emergency departments: U.S., 2003.
Emergency departments (EDs) are a critical source of medical care in the U.S. Information is sparse concerning infectious disease visits among Medicaid entitlement enrollees nationwide. The objective of this study was to describe infectious diseases in terms of Medicaid/State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) as an expected source of payment. ⋯ Medicaid enrollee-specific ED visit rates for infectious diseases were higher by age group, gender, race, and region, compared with national rates. Because approximately half of visits relate to URTIs for a Medicaid payment group, URTIs should form the basis for development of appropriate control strategies.
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Public health reports · May 2007
Comparative StudyInjury mortality rates in Native and non-Native children: a population-based study.
To examine injury mortality rates in Native and non-Native children in the province of Alberta, Canada, over a 10-year period, temporal trends in injury mortality rates (Native vs. non-Native), as well as relative risks of injury mortality (Native vs. non-Native) by injury mechanism and intent, were calculated. ⋯ The burden of injury mortality is significantly greater in Native children compared with non-Native children. Therefore, injury prevention strategies that target both intentional and unintentional injuries are needed.
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Public health reports · Mar 2007
Low income parents' reports of communication problems with health care providers: effects of language and insurance.
This study examines how parental reports of communication problems with health providers vary over a wider range of characteristics of low income children than considered in previous studies. ⋯ Implementing policies to improve communication barriers for low income children, particularly those with foreign-born parents whose native language is not English, may be necessary to reduce health disparities relative to higher income children across a variety of health domains including utilization, satisfaction, and outcomes. Focusing attention on the availability of professional translation services in clinics or hospital outpatient departments may be a cost-effective strategy for reducing communication problems for publicly insured children.