Cost-Effectiveness of a Community-Based Diabetes Prevention Program with Participation Incentives for Medicaid Beneficiaries.

Objective: To examine the cost-effectiveness of a community-based Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) for Medicaid beneficiaries from the perspective of the health care sector.

Data Sources/study Setting: A total of 847 Medicaid enrollees at high risk for type 2 diabetes participating in a community-based DPP.

Study Design: Pre- and post clinical outcome and cost data were used as inputs into a validated diabetes simulation model.

The role of the environment in pediatric practice in Minnesota: attitudes, beliefs, and practices.

Pediatricians can help limit children's exposures to environmental hazards, but few studies have assessed their comfort with discussing and dealing with environmental health issues. We surveyed the membership of the Minnesota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to assess pediatricians' attitudes and beliefs about the effect the environment can have on children's health, and to assess their practices in regard to screening for, diagnosing, and treating illnesses related to environmental exposures. Results showed that Minnesota pediatricians agree that children are suffering from preventable illnesses of environmental origin but feel ill-equipped to educate parents about many common exposures and their consequences.

The Minnesota Medical Home Learning Collaborative: a step to improving care for Minnesota's children with special health care needs.

Minnesota's Medical Home Learning Collaborative is now starting its third year of operation. This article discusses the concept of medical home, the rationale for its use, and the progress and challenges encountered so far in the 11 clinics that have participated in the collaborative since it began and the five that joined this past September.

Development of a web-based database to manage American College of Emergency Physicians/American Academy of Pediatrics Emergency Information Forms.

Children with special health care needs require special advanced planning for their unique emergencies. A Web site has been developed to allow secure Internet access to a database of Emergency Information Forms developed using the American College of Emergency Physicians/American Academy of Pediatrics format. The content and organization of the Web site, found at http://www.

Pediatric trauma--unique considerations in evaluating and treating children.

In Minnesota, accidental traumatic injury remains the leading cause of death and disability among people ages 1 through middle age. Trauma care providers who treat children must be aware of fundamental differences between pediatric patients and adults. The intent of this article is to provide readers with a primer on some of the clinical issues surrounding the anatomy and physiology of children, the key aspects of pediatric triage, and current perspectives on early treatment of children with traumatic injuries.