The effect of lack of insurance, poverty and paediatrician supply on immunization rates among children 19-35 months of age in the United States.

Rational, Aims And Objectives: Previous studies found that the increasing number of paediatricians in the United States was associated with improved childhood immunization coverage, while the increasing poverty level and the lack of health insurance reduced access to health care. We evaluated whether changes in the number of paediatricians, poverty level and health insurance affected national childhood immunization coverage in the state levels of the United States.

Methods: Data were collected primarily from the US National Immunization Surveys, series 4:3:1:3:3 from years 1995 and 2003.

Changes in perceived effect of practice guidelines among primary care doctors.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Evidence suggests that when doctors use systematically developed clinical practice guidelines they have the potential to improve the safety, quality and value of health care. The purpose of this study was to evaluate recent changes in the perceptions of practice guidelines among US primary care doctors.

Methods: Data were collected from the Community Tracking Survey 1996-97 and 2000-01.