The health problems of developing nations are very different from those of the industrialized world. Simpler and more extensive care is more effective in these settings than highly specialized technology and practices imported from Western countries. One key to improving general health and stabilizing population grwoth is the prevention of…

A 1975-76 Swedish study of 643 handicapped persons born in 1918 or earlier and a follow-up study conducted 5-8 years later found a higher mortality rate than the general mortality in the same age group. Population changes are described, focusing on institutionalization, need for services, functional level, hearing, and vision. (Author/JDD)

This essay discusses the correlation between health and medical care, progress in medical science, and education. The growth in medical care, non-medical factors contributing to this growth, and different views concerning the effectiveness of medical care are examined. (EB)

Asserts that in reviewing the latest available comprehensive document on the health of Americans, "Health United States 1975", it is clear that the current health of black Americans continues to lag far behind that of their white counterparts. In fact, in some categories there is strong evidence of actual mistreatment of blacks. (Author/JM)

Wayne Myers, director of the Office of Rural Health Policy, discusses Appalachian rural health and access to health care. The health manpower shortage in Central Appalachia still exists but is less severe than 10 years ago. The needs of underserved areas could be address by training local people in the community and through telemedicine and…

Health policy researchers have long been interested in the extent to which the provision of formal supports replaces or undermines the informal support system. This study examined the linkages between the formal and informal support system as they are mediated by a health care setting which readily provides patients with access to social services.…

In July and August 1975, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 347 adults living in Indiana County, Pennsylvania to gather information on the health services needed, physician extenders (i.e., nurse practitioners and physician's assistants), adequate health care for everyone, and regular health habits of the population. The sample included…

This report discusses the health care needs of and benefits for women, children, and adolescents in light of national health care reform proposals put forth in 1994, and is based on presentations and discussions at an invitational workshop on maternal and child health. The report asserts that since women and children are disproportionately…

Analyzes the deficiencies in the provision of medical services in the United States, and proposes an ideal system of health care stressing regional health centers and hospitals, supported from general tax revenues and administered on a decentralized basis with central monitoring. (JM)

Health insurance is one of the essential enabling resources to gain access to medical care and ultimately increase health status. Over 11 million or one quarter of the nation's uninsured individuals are eligible for Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), but are not enrolled. Interviews with 368 individuals from 1999…

The President of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation points up the lack of a dependable system of ambulatory front-line medical care in the U.S., outlines basic capabilities of the system needed, and suggests the role of foundations and academic centers in developing training programs recast in light of real world situations. (JT)

The Geriatric Assessment Unit (GAU), which has proven successful in urban areas, may be a viable system for providing health care to the elderly in rural areas. GAUs engage in assessment, follow-up response to findings, education, and research. The assessment component includes, at minimum, physical health, functional ability in activities of…

The introduction to this Technical Committee Report reviews the health status of the older population and examines major disease entities where health maintenance and promotion can play a role. Part One, "Health Maintenance and Health Promotion Services," discusses the physical and social environments, indicators of change in physical…

This report presents the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) review of and response to the final report of the National Black Health Providers Task Force on High Blood Pressure Education and Control. The response includes a statement of NHLBI's involvement in health research, and descriptions of what steps can be taken to solve the…