The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
Survey Snapshot: Response to the Movie, John Q
When the movie, John Q, was released in February 2002, it brought a new round of press attention to the issue of health insurance coverage in America, and to the role of entertainment media in drawing public attention to or reflecting public concern with this topic. This is the summary of a survey of adult Americans about the impact of the movie.
As Seen on TV: Health Policy Issues in TV s Medical Dramas
The popularity of hospital-based TV shows and the recent Hollywood movie, John Q, have raised questions about the extent to which the entertainment media engage health policy issues and how those issues are portrayed. This is the full report of a study of the 2000-2001 television season of four television hospital dramas.
SexSmarts Survey- Teens and Sexual Health Communication
As part of an on-going public information partnership called SexSmarts, seventeen magazine and the Kaiser Family Foundation conduct nationally-representative surveys of teens 15 to 17 on issues related to their sexual health.
This survey examines sexual health communication between teens and their parents, health care providers and partners. The results suggest that nearly four in 10 sexually active adolescents say their parents don’t know they are having sex. And, more than half of all teens surveyed say they have never talked with their parents about how to have a conversation about contraception, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), or condoms with someone they might be dating (July 2002).
This policy brief presents data on the range of resources currently being expended to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in resource-poor settings, including bilateral, multilateral, and private sector support, as well as domestic spending by recipient country governments. For purposes of this policy brief, resource-poor countries include developing countries and countries in transition.
The Kaiser Family Foundation helped conduct a national survey of over 1,000 informal caregivers in 1998 to assess the policy issues involved with this new, growing role for many family members and friends. Nearly one of every four adults (23 percent) is an informal caregiver, and, as the American population ages, it is likely families will take on an even greater responsibility to keep their loved ones at home and in communities.
The Foundation is pleased to provide you with a chartpack that presents the key findings from the survey and a link to a just-released Health Affairs article principally authored by Karen Donelan.
This report examines the characteristics of health centers that serve an unusually high rate of uninsured patients. It explores what external factors influence uninsured patients to seek care at these centers and assesses the impact of a disproportionately high volume of uninsured patients on these centers’ finances and operations.
Spending on the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: A Three Part Series
This compilation of policy briefs provides analysis of spending on the HIV/AIDS epidemic both by the United States government and globally. Included is an analysis of U.S. federal spending on the HIV/AIDS epidemic since FY 1981; spending by the U.S. on global HIV/AIDS activities and programs; and global spending on HIV/AIDS in resource-poor settings, including bilateral, multilateral, and private sector support.
These policy briefs were prepared as part of AIDS at 20: A National HIV/AIDS Policy Initiative, a joint initiative of the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Ford Foundation. You may download the full report or each policy brief separately.
New Survey on Women’s Health in the U.S.
A new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds most women report generally positive experiences with the health care system, but a sizable share faced problems. A significant minority of nonelderly women reported delaying or going without care in the past year or not filling a prescription due to costs. Women are more likely than men both to face these problems and express concerns about the quality of health care they received.
Women’s Health in the United States: Health Coverage and Access to Care presents the findings from a nationally representative survey of nearly 4,000 women ages 18 to 64. A smaller survey of 700 men was conducted for comparison purposes.
WP/Harvard/KFF National Survey of the Public s Attitudes towards HIV/AIDS
The Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University Survey Project’s latest findings appeared in articles in The Washington Post on July 6 and July 7, 2002. This survey explores the public s attitudes towards HIV/AIDS in the US and the World.
This policy brief examines federal spending on the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, with a primary emphasis on spending and activities to benefit resource-poor countries. United States spending on international HIV/AIDS activities in resource-poor countries began in the mid-1980s; and in FY 2002, the U.S. will devote $1 billion to combating HIV/AIDS globally.