Background: Asthma has no known cure, and though manageable, it disrupts the everyday lives of over 6 million US children. Because children spend more than half of their waking hours in school, students must be able to carry and administer their inhaler at school to manage their asthma. Methods: This policy paper is a comprehensive review of all…

Globally, there has been a shift in the causes of illness and death from infectious diseases to noncommunicable diseases. This changing pattern has been attributed to the effects of an (ongoing) epidemiologic transition. Although researchers have applied epidemiologic transition theory to questions of global health, there have been relatively few…

Despite enormous progress in expanding school enrollment globally, improvements in health have not always followed, raising important questions: Does education, in fact, enable women, men and their families to be healthier? And if so, how? To fill this gap in knowledge, the GIRL Center conducted a systematic review of the evidence for the effects…

Motor vehicle safety and tobacco control are among the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the number of miles traveled in the United States multiplied 10 times from the 1920s to the 1990s, the annual motor vehicle crash death rate per vehicle mile traveled…

The negative consequences of teenage sexual behaviour are issues of concern in Britain and many other western countries. Over one-quarter of British young people are reported to become sexually active prior to the age of 16 and the rate of teenage pregnancy remains one of the highest in Western Europe. Current UK Government policy on sex education…

This paper focuses on new developments in medicine and in the courts that may have crucial implications for existing policies related to the educational placement of the HIV-infected student. Salient medical and legal aspects related to the educational placement and school attendance of HIV-infected children are reviewed. Recommendations for…

Rapid technological change in American society has been accompanied by accelerating growth of the population over 65. This report discusses the new challenges that will face the public and private sectors in both responding to the needs and making use of the resources of older Americans. The report discusses five chronic conditions that severely…

A large and persistent association between education and health has been well-documented in many countries and time periods and for a wide variety of health measures. In their paper, "Education and Health: Evaluating Theories and Evidence," presented at the National Poverty Center conference "The Health Effects of Non-Health Policy," David M.…

The concept of contact tracing and notification once used for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) is being mentioned for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Some professional organizations have supported contact notification; others have opposed it. Initially, states were free to establish their own contact notification programs. More…

Terrorist acts and the fear of terrorism have become a part of everyday life in the early 21st century. Among the threats most feared is bioterrorism, including the intentional release of smallpox. With the invasion of Iraq and toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime, acute bioterrorism fears have abated; however, an ongoing threat remains. This…

Pediatric school psychologists, experts in services to children with medical conditions, are needed in light of changes in public policy and educational practice. The role of a pediatric school psychologist might include advocating for childrens' social and educational needs, evaluating efficacy of intervention, and facilitating effective…

Recently, more attention is being given to identifying aging-related and dementia-related pathological changes in performance and cognition among persons with intellectual disabilities (ID). This literature review examines age-related differences in specific aspects of cognitive functioning and cognitive performance of people with ID and…

This volume includes the following conference papers: "The Status and Direction of Workers' Compensation" (James R. Chelius); "The Minnesota Experience with Workers' Compensation Reform" (Steve Keefe); "The 1982 Changes in California" (Alan Tebb); "Two Rounds of Workers' Compensation Reform in Michigan" (H.…

Victims of child abuse are at risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS, not only directly through sexual abuse, but also because they engage in more high-risk behaviors. Because American Indian youth experience higher rates of sexual abuse and have less access to treatment and counseling, they are especially at risk.…

Focusing on families with children under the age of 6 years whose incomes fall below the federal poverty level, this monograph provides the first comprehensive overview and assessment of the literature of the past decade concerning policies and programs addressing the health needs of children in poverty. Chapter One introduces themes in the…