The aim of this study was to explore inhibiting factors in the prevention of overweight in infants younger than one year, among practitioners working for municipal child healthcare organisations in the Netherlands. Twelve in-depth interviews with child healthcare physicians and nurses were conducted. All interviews were tape-recorded, after which…

Health promotion programs benefit from an accompanying process evaluation since it can provide more insight in the strengths and weaknesses of a program. A process evaluation was conducted to assess the reach, implementation, satisfaction and maintenance of a school-based program aimed at the prevention of excessive weight gain among Dutch…

Higher rates of smoking initiation and continuation by female compared with male adolescents, as found in many developed countries, may call for gender-specific prevention programs. Risk factors of smoking initiation and continuation were examined prospectively (1997-2002) among 3205 Dutch elementary schoolchildren (mean age 11.64) in an…

In light of recent efforts in the United States to advance some type of universal health care package for all citizens, including preventive services for children, this report examines how other countries with universal health insurance provide preventive care to children, and what, if any, are the implications for reform efforts in the United…

The first of a series of hearings on child health issues was held in an effort to obtain a better understanding of the causes of the United States' low rank among industrial nations on indices of child health and prosperity and of models other nations use to improve children's health care, access to delivery systems, and cost containment. Contents…

This paper discusses the characteristics of three community-based early childhood care and development support programs: the Community Mothers Program of Dublin, Ireland; the Maternal and Infant Health Outreach Workers Program of Tennessee; and the Mothers Inform Mothers Program of the Netherlands. The paper considers the general characteristics…

Playing an important role in developing new social policies and introducing new methods, the Netherlands Institute of Care and Welfare (NIZW) is an independent foundation funded by a combination of private and public monies to conduct research and to develop and implement programs in five areas: (1) care and nursing; (2) organization of care; (3)…