A systematic review and meta-analysis of racial disparities in prenatal care in California: How much? Does insurance matter?

This meta-analysis compares California to 13 states with regard to adequacy of prenatal care in the context of the major Medicaid expansion. It shows a reduction in prenatal care inadequacy after 1992, especially in California. It also shows persistent racial ethnic disparities.

The Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program: changing nutrition and physical activity environments in California's heartland.

The goals of the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program (CCROPP) are to promote safe places for physical activity, increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables, and support community and youth engagement in local and regional efforts to change nutrition and physical activity environments for obesity prevention. CCROPP has created a community-driven policy and environmental change model for obesity prevention with local and regional elements in low-income, disadvantaged ethnic and rural communities in a climate of poor resources and inadequate infrastructure. Evaluation data collected from 2005-2009 demonstrate that CCROPP has made progress in changing nutrition and physical activity environments by mobilizing community members, engaging and influencing policymakers, and forming organizational partnerships.

Disparities in initiation and adherence to prenatal care: impact of insurance, race-ethnicity and nativity.

We used the intersectionality framework to examine impact of racial/ethnic, immigration, and insurance differences on the timing of initiation of prenatal care (PNC) and subsequent adherence. In this cross sectional study independent variables were women's race/ethnicity; nativity; age; education; and insurance. The dependent variables were late initiation and non-adherence to recommended number of PNC visits.

Disparities in utilization of coronary artery disease treatment by gender, race, and ethnicity: opportunities for prevention.

Racial, ethnic, (R/E) and gender disparities in access to health services in the United States and their relationship to adverse health outcomes are well established. Despite an increase in evidence-based cardiovascular treatment, gender, racial, and ethnic disparities in coronary artery disease (CAD) treatment persist. There is neither currently a comprehensive framework for understanding why disparities occur in cardiovascular disease care, nor viable solutions for intervention.

Preventing illegal tobacco and alcohol sales to minors through electronic age-verification devices: a field effectiveness study.

Efforts to prohibit the sales of tobacco and alcohol products to minors are widespread. Electronic Age Verification (EAV) devices are one possible means to improve compliance with sales to minors laws. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of EAV devices in terms of the frequency and accuracy of age verification, as well as to examine the impact of EAV's on the retailer environment.

Caregiver education and support: results of a multi-site pilot in an HMO.

Caregiver workshops were offered to members by a group practice HMO as part of a larger demonstration of adding community care to HMO services. Of 1,200 members indicating interest at four sites, 532 participated in workshops and 320 completed pre- and post-questionnaires on effectiveness. Analyses showed improvements in caregiving preparedness and reductions in sadness and depression.

Relative costs and effectiveness of specialist and general internist ambulatory care for patients with 2 chronic musculoskeletal conditions.

Objective: To evaluate costs and effectiveness of ambulatory care provided by specialists, nonspecialists (general internists), and both specialists and nonspecialists (co-care) to patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and/or chronic low back pain (LBP).

Methods: We studied Veterans Health Administration (VHA) outpatients from the Veterans Health Study with LBP and/or OA followed for at least 6 months between August 1993 and December 1995, who completed the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item (SF-36) functional status questionnaires at both baseline and followup. We obtained costs of VHA outpatient utilization and medications for these patients during the followup period.