KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
This Kaiser Family Foundation issue brief that reviews more than 40 studies on the role of media in the nation’s dramatically increasing rates of childhood obesity explores what researchers do and do not know about the role media plays in childhood obesity. It also outlines media-related policy options that have been proposed to help address childhood obesity and identifies ways media could play a positive role in helping to address this important public health problem.
Selected Survey Findings on the New Medicare Rx Drug Law – Chartpack
Seniors are confused about the Medicare prescription drug law. Below is a series of chart illustrating selected findings from the January/February 2004 Kaiser Health Poll Report survey. The findings show that while about two-thirds of seniors report following the debate closely, just 15% say they understand the new prescription drug law very well and seven in 10 don’t know that it passed and was signed into law.
Seniors are confused about the Medicare prescription drug law. Below are survey toplines of selected findings from the January/February 2004 Kaiser Health Poll Report survey. The findings show that while about two-thirds of seniors report following the debate closely, just 15% say they understand the new prescription drug law very well and seven in 10 don’t know that it passed and was signed into law.
As the federal government increases its scrutiny of state financing of the Medicaid program, this paper, authored by a former CMS official, evaluates the existing financial management of the Medicaid program. Using existing models from the private sector and the government, the paper identifies alternatives to improve Medicaid’s financial management without changing Medicaid’s existing financing structure. The alternatives would reduce the Medicaid program’s exposure to questionable practices, help control federal costs, and make the financial management of the program more comparable with that of the private sector.
The loveLife initiative is a bold and ambitious attempt to reduce HIV infection among South African adolescents by promoting sexual health and healthy futures for young people.
The Impending Catastrophe: A Resource Book on the Emerging HIV/AIDS Epidemic in South AfricaExecutive SummaryFull Report
Former Presidents Clinton and Mandela Appeal for Increased Effort to Combat HIV Infection Among Young PeopleTwo of the world’s most prominent elder statesmen have made a joint appearance in support of loveLife, South Africa’s national HIV prevention program for youth, hailing loveLife as the model for HIV prevention among youth globally. — more
“Behavior Change: The Cornerstone of HIV Prevention,” a Paper from loveLife, by David HarrisonEvidence that HIV prevention really works stems largely from cost-effective interventions implemented in countries with concentrated epidemics, or within high-risk populations in countries with generalized HIV epidemics. The few countries in which generalized epidemics have been substantially curtailed have helped explain the relative impact of behavioural mediators of HIV reduction that, in turn has finessed epidemiological modeling of successful intervention. This limited experience suggests that adequately resourced, politically supported national HIV prevention programs can change the course of the global HIV epidemic by averting millions of infections. Further, the benefits of such intervention are likely to outweigh costs by far. Still, the compelling question for countries experiencing a generalized epidemic is: What constitutes an effective national HIV prevention program?
loveLife is an example of a national HIV prevention program implemented in a country experiencing a generalized epidemic. To a large extent, the political economy in which loveLife operates is conducive to its success. For this reason, it serves as an important case study for HIV prevention.Full report (pdf.)
As the FDA continues to deliberate about whether emergency contraception will be made available “over-the-counter” without a prescription, a new Kaiser Family Foundation survey examines Californian’s awareness of and experiences with emergency contraception, inlcuding findings on the state’s “pharmacy access ” program. California’s “pharmacy access” program permits women to receive emergency contraception from participating pharmacists directly without contacting a physician , while the “over-the-counter” option the FDA is considering would allow people to obtain emergency contraception off-the-shelves at participating retailers without pharmacist consultation.
As the FDA continues to deliberate about whether emergency contraception will be made available “over-the-counter” without a prescription, a new Kaiser Family Foundation survey examines Californian’s awareness of and experiences with emergency contraception, inlcuding findings on the state’s “pharmacy access ” program. California’s “pharmacy access” program permits women to receive emergency contraception from participating pharmacists directly without contacting a physician , while the “over-the-counter” option the FDA is considering would allow people to obtain emergency contraception off-the-shelves at participating retailers without pharmacist consultation.
As the FDA continues to deliberate about whether emergency contraception will be made available “over-the-counter” without a prescription, a new Kaiser Family Foundation survey examines Californian’s awareness of and experiences with emergency contraception, including findings on the state’s “pharmacy access” program. California’s “pharmacy access” program permits women to receive emergency contraception from participating pharmacists directly without contacting a physician, while the “over-the-counter” option the FDA is considering would allow people to obtain emergency contraception off-the-shelves at participating retailers without pharmacist consultation.
State and federal budget pressures, rising health care costs, and new waiver initiatives have promoted debate over restructuring Medicaid at the federal and state level. Questions about how Medicaid is financed are central to this debate. This paper compares the current Medicaid financing system to a generic block grant financing system to illustrate the key differences in the structure and incentives of these alternative approaches.
This fact sheet is an update on emergency contraception (EC). It includes information on EC methods, safety and side effects, and access issues. The fact sheet also provides information women’s knowledge and use as well as health care provider attitudes and practices.
