People aged 65 and over, and particularly the "old old," i.e., 75 and over, are the fastest growing age group in the United States. This group numbers 25 million in 1980, 11% of the population, with women outnumbering men by 5 million. Although a quarter of the federal budget goes to their support, poor coordination among federal programs for the…

Case studies of reactions of various cultures to western health practices, from Benjamin Paul's book "Health, Culture and Community" (1955), are reviewed. It is noted that this book, which makes the point that cultures and perceptions of different countries and peoples will always vary, is still not too "dated" for instructional use. (CJ)

Articles in this special issue use survey data to provide policymakers with validated indirect needs assessment models that will help them obtain information about populations requiring different levels and types of mental health services. The articles provide the basis for predictive needs assessment and explanatory models of resource allocation.…

Uses medical data (medical history and physical examination) on samples of 245 delinquent and 160 homeless youths in San Francisco (California) to discuss health needs of this population. The article reveals that a substantial number of these youth did not have adequate health care coverage despite considerable medical problems compared to the…

Information on admission to psychiatric inpatient units is lacking from the literature on contemporary services for people with intellectual disability and mental health needs. Here we report on predictors of admission for a cohort of 752 adults from this population living in community settings; 83 were admitted. We also report on two subsamples…

This brief aims to alert educators to the special education needs of migrant children with disabilities. In 1991, the Migrant Student Record Transfer System (MSRTS) identified 711,696 migrant children, ages 0-21. The "at-risk" characteristics of the migrant family's health, working, and living conditions suggest that a representative number of…

The Delaware Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights examined housing, employment, and health among the state's more than 1,500 migrants. Committee findings indicated: (1) there is no accurate count of migrants in the state or migrants in need of housing on a seasonal basis; (2) Delaware has pursued an aggressive policy…

The first of eight articles discusses the current state of the sensitive but unclassified information controversy. A series of six articles then explores the use of integrated information systems in the area of health services. Current trends in document management are provided in the last article. (CLB)

Reviews the current state of mental health services to children, youth, and families. The development of a continuum of care coordinated across the mental and non-mental health systems that naturally occur in all children's lives may vastly improve mental health services to children, youth, and families. (Author/BJV)

This paper addresses issues related to health care reform and the impact of managed care on health care services to children and youth with disabilities or special health care needs. Federal laws governing support for children with disabilities and their families are listed and briefly reviewed, noting a trend toward the dismantling of guarantees…

Despite the traditional view of adolescence as a healthy period, there are increasing concerns about the health status of youth. Many adolescent health needs are unmet due to misconceptions and to the organization of health care services. Behavioral science can contribute research, interventions, and health policy to benefit adolescent health. (AF)

Cites statistics (illustrated in charts) that show overwhelming evidence that the status of children in the United States is threatened by social and economic forces including a changing family structure. Child advocacy groups recommend school-based services to help minimize adverse situations for children. (MLF)

Background: The health needs of people with intellectual disabilities have recently received increasing attention. Method: Based on a review of the 2003 literature, this paper presents an overview of our knowledge on physical, mental and social well-being in this group. Results: Physical well-being is threatened by handicap-related conditions,…

By acquiring health-related knowledge, values, skills, and practices, children can be empowered to pursue a healthy life and to work as change agents for community health. This report of the WHO Expert Committee on Comprehensive School Health Education and Promotion reviews the global state of school health; identifies opportunities for and…

This document summarizes a report on the health status of minority groups in Michigan. Mortality rates and health problems are analyzed for the following groups: (1) Blacks; (2) Hispanics: (3) Arab Americans; (4) Asian and Pacific Islanders; and (5) Native Americans. The following problem areas are discussed: (1) nutrition and hunger; (2)…